Nearly 80 tonnes of fishing nets from Trøndelag have been delivered to Zaporizhzhia, where they are being used to protect critical infrastructure against Russian FPV drones. The delivery demonstrates how expertise and materials from Trøndelag’s ocean industries can be repurposed for defence, security and resilience.
The nets have been collected, cleaned, sorted and prepared by Green Trading Solutions, startup based in Foldereid, Trøndelag, and an incubator company at FI Ocean Space Incubator. The delivery was made in response to a request from the authorities in Zaporizhzhia, Trøndelag’s partner region in Ukraine.
Four truckloads, totalling around 80 tonnes, have now reached Zaporizhzhia. The nets are being installed around critical infrastructure to provide an additional layer of protection against FPV drone attacks.
The initiative is led by Veteranhuset Midt-Norge and veteran organisations in Trøndelag, with Fritt Ukraina coordinating the transport to Ukraine.
Nets from the Norwegian and Trøndelag fishing industry provide protection against Russian drones in Ukraine.
The delivery is a concrete example of how materials and capabilities developed in Trøndelag’s fisheries and ocean industries can find new applications in defence and security.
The nets, primarily sourced from the Norwegian fishing industry, are being used to protect energy and water infrastructure, as well as other critical facilities in Zaporizhzhia.
According to Nadiia Slastnikova, an adviser to the head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional State Administration, the nets are being installed above and around exposed areas, roads and access routes to critical facilities.
“We have already started installing the nets at critical infrastructure, where they will contribute to protection against FPV drone attacks. This support is extremely valuable for our region and the security of our communities,” says Slastnikova.
Both heavy and lightweight nets are being used. The heavier nets provide more robust protection at critical facilities, while lighter nets can be used in open areas around hospitals, schools and other essential institutions.
Zaporizhzhia has been heavily affected by Russian missile and drone attacks, and the need for practical countermeasures is acute.
Nets from Trøndelag has arrived to Zaporizhzhia.
For Green Trading Solutions, the deliveries are also providing practical experience with how recycled netting can be adapted for drone protection.
The company has already delivered several hundred tonnes of material and has the capacity to supply around two trailer loads per week.
Managing director Stig Isach Øiangen believes the experience from Ukraine could also be relevant for Norway and its allies.
“We can contribute to developing complete products for the Norwegian Armed Forces as well. The products can be adapted to the Armed Forces’ specific requirements. This should be of interest to Norway,” says Øiangen.
The company sees a potential need for such solutions beyond Ukraine.
“Ukraine is asking for these products now. At the same time, we obviously hope that the need in Ukraine will one day come to an end. But the need for drone protection will also be relevant for Norway, Sweden, Finland, Poland, Latvia and Lithuania,” he says.
The company wants to use feedback from Ukrainian recipients to improve and further develop the solutions.
“The deliveries to Ukraine are made on a non-profit basis, and in practice we are taking a small loss on them. At the same time, we want to develop and deliver customised solutions to the Armed Forces on commercial terms. We also want to improve our deliveries based on the feedback we receive from the recipients in Ukraine,” says Øiangen.
Stig Isach Øiangen, Managing Director of Green Trading Solutions. Photo: Green Trading Solutions
Green Trading Solutions specialises in fibre, rope and netting, with a focus on giving used materials from the fisheries and aquaculture industries new applications.
Some aquaculture nets may be classified as hazardous waste because of anti-fouling coatings and cannot therefore be used in these deliveries. The material sent to Ukraine consists primarily of nets from the fishing industry.
“We can deliver significantly more, and we can also adapt the materials to specific requirements. The alternative is to manufacture new products. This is reuse,” says Øiangen.
Senior adviser Helene Øyangen Lindberg at FI Ocean Space Incubator sees the deliveries as an example of how expertise and materials from the ocean industries can be applied across sectors.
“Reusing fishing nets for drone protection is a very good example of circular economy measures across industries, with Green Trading Solutions leading the way. It is also generous for a company in the early stages of development to contribute so significantly to voluntary efforts in Ukraine,” says Lindberg.
For the company, the application in Ukraine is also an opportunity to gain experience with how existing materials can be adapted to emerging security requirements.
Senior Adviser Helene Øyangen Lindberg at FI Ocean Space Incubator. Photo: Fremtidens Industri
The delivery builds on the close relationship between Trøndelag and Zaporizhzhia. The two regions have developed a partnership that includes cooperation and practical support following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The authorities in Zaporizhzhia have previously asked Trøndelag for assistance with practical measures to protect critical infrastructure from drone attacks.
The latest delivery shows how regional cooperation can connect Trøndelag’s ocean industries, circular economy, volunteer organisations and defence-related capabilities with an immediate operational need in Ukraine.
Slastnikova expressed her gratitude to the organisations, companies and individuals involved, including Trøndelag County Authority, Fritt Ukraina, Veteranhuset Midt-Norge and Blue/Yellow for Ukraine, as well as the volunteers and businesses contributing to the initiative.
A particular acknowledgement goes to the Charitable Foundation “Faith in Ukraine” for coordinating and delivering the assistance in Ukraine.
Thore Allan Grønning and Arnstein Galåen from Veteranhuset Midt-Norge. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset
The experience gained from the deliveries could have relevance well beyond the immediate support to Ukraine.
Russia’s extensive use of FPV drones and other unmanned systems has created a rapidly evolving demand for physical protection of critical infrastructure. Solutions that can be produced quickly, adapted to different sites and based partly on existing industrial materials may therefore become increasingly relevant to European defence and resilience.
For Green Trading Solutions, the objective is to combine the immediate need in Ukraine with the development of solutions that can eventually be delivered to Norway and allied countries.
“What works in Ukraine today can also be relevant for strengthening drone protection in our own countries,” says Øiangen.
For Trøndelag, the project demonstrates the potential of using existing industrial capabilities and materials from the region’s ocean industries in new defence and security applications.
The four planned truckloads have now been delivered. The initiative is continuing to raise funds for the transport costs, with further deliveries possible if additional funding is secured.