Skill relatedness and economic restructuring: the case of Bremerhaven

Evolutionary thinking suggests that past knowledge accumulation influences future growth opportunities. Old industrial regions' inherited knowledge is often described as obsolete. Particularly, blue-collar workers' difficulties in redeploying skills have been stressed. This study examines whether the emerging offshore wind-energy industry in Bremerhaven, Germany, can draw on skills from local declining shipyards. Beyond Germany, this new industry has inspired policy-makers to hope for the renewal of shipbuilding centres. Insights from interviews reveal that the blue-collar skill bases of both industries overlap. Declining shipyards provided much-needed experience and skills to the nascent industry. This contribution underscores the fruitfulness of the perspective of related variety with respect to the development of old industrial regions. An overly sharp distinction between 'old' and 'new' knowledge may obstruct our view of potential growth opportunities.