The International Maritime Fair FIMAR 2022 has closed its eleventh edition with the confirmation of the strength of the blue economy after the period of restrictions due to the pandemic: 16,717 visitors have passed through the event, which for the first time has been held in the surroundings of the Muelle Santa Catalina and which has allowed to recover the attendance and the development of an extensive informative and didactic programme. As an indication, it should be noted that companies in the nautical sector have increased their sales by an average of 50% compared to previous editions. The International Sea Fair is promoted by the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, the City Council of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Puertos de Las Palmas, and organised by the Department of Ciudad de Mar and the Canary Islands Trade Fair Institution (INFECAR).

Raúl García Brink, technical coordinator of Economic Development, Energy Sovereignty, Climate and Knowledge of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, indicated that in this edition of the fair “we were taking up the pulse of the editions prior to the pandemic”, and that the balance is “quite positive”. He also commented that “I think we have shown that the Cabildo de Gran Canaria is promoting the blue economy”, not without “thanking the public for how they have joined FIMAR this year”.

“We have”, he continued, “a very powerful port sector, top-level scientific and technological institutions, and a very important network of companies in this sector, which has been recovering from the pandemic”. And he expressed his desire to “promote even more sports such as surfing and all these sliding modalities” in the future.

For his part, José Eduardo Ramírez, Councillor for Ciudad de Mar of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria City Council said that “we are very satisfied with this year’s FIMAR, a FIMAR that has recovered its essence: nautical, family, educational, cultural and commercial too. This is a fair”, she added, “genuine, which highlights the value of the blue economy, and which, above all, highlights our status as a City of the Sea”.
Almost sixty exhibitors have had an active presence at this year’s FIMAR, which has devoted special attention to surfing and water sports as potential vectors of blue economic development in the region. Thus, four town councils consolidated as venues for major international events and competitions in this field participated in the fair: those of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Gáldar, Santa Lucía de Tirajana and La Aldea de San Nicolás, with the support of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria.

In the area of dissemination and knowledge linked to activities related to the sea, it is worth highlighting the participation in FIMAR of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC) and its Faculty of Marine Sciences. And with organisations such as the University Institute of Sustainable Aquaculture and Marine Ecosystems (ECOAQUA), the University Institute of Textual Analysis and Applications (IATEXT), the Faculty of Philology, the Biological Oceanography Group, the Canary Islands Harmful Algae Observatory (OCHABS), the Faculty of Translation and Interpretation, the SIANI (Division of Robotics and Computational Oceanography) and the University Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA).

The Navy has collaborated with the provision of one of its Maritime Action Vessels (BAM) for visits by the attending public, and with a large information stand on its activity.

Also present at the fair were the organisations Gestión y Planeamiento Territorial y Medioambiental (GESPLAN) and PLOCAN, the Plataforma Oceánica de Canarias (Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands). And the IFP Maritimo Pesquero de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Or the groups represented by the Asociación Nacional de Patrones Profesionales de Embarcaciones de Recreo (ANPPER) and the Asociación de navegantes de recreo (ANAVRE).
In addition, firms from sectors such as ports, maritime and marine, nautical, robotics, leisure, drones, insurance, fashion and tourism also attended the fair as exhibitors.

Thus, companies such as ONEUP, Rolnautic Las Palmas, Marmare, Remolques Canarios, Motonautica Las Palmas, Academia Náutica Arcos, Onblu Soluciones, Fifo Diving, Grupo Stier, Taliarte Distribuciones Nauticas, APS Motor Canarias, LadyBugs’s Cris, Piragüismo Alcaravaneras, Bauer Kompressoren, Marconn, Ferryhopper, AloNautica have participated in FIMAR, Keep Sailing, Canarias verde a granel,Seguros Catalana Occidente, FIATC Seguros, Caser, Ocean Side Travel, Marine Nacho Sport, Activa Canaria, Algarden, Robotdrónica, Naútica Motor, Brisa School, Poema del Mar, Dreamsea Surf School, Gran Canaria Blue, Navalia Yachting Club, Naútica El Pris, NewPort, Alisios Sailing Center or Motoras Nauticas Islas Canarias.

The public also had a variety of restaurants and bars at their disposal on the fairgrounds. And for families there was a large children’s area designed for play and entertainment for the youngest visitors.

There was a continuous flow of visitors to the marquees and the talks area, where different experts gave talks on marine knowledge, research and various specific issues such as the applied uses of seaweed, the history of the routes between ancient Rome and the Canary Islands, literature linked to the sea and assistance in shark strandings.

Institutions such as the Real Club Naútico de Gran Canaria, the Federación de Vela Latina Canaria de Botes, the Federación Insular de Vela de Gran Canaria or the Club Deportivo Marítimo Varadero de Gran Canaria have been an active part of the fair, collaborating in the organisation of sea baptisms and exhibitions at sea of different modalities, such as sailing, canoeing or even radio control.
In this leisure plan, there were numerous participants who joined the tourist bus tours of the interior of the Port, aboard the vehicles of the firm City Sightseeing. Or the sea trips on board two boats provided by the Port.

In general, a lively atmosphere and an active exhibition on the part of the firms represented characterised a new edition of FIMAR, which was held for the first time at the Santa Catalina cruise ship dock, inside the port area. This edition of the fair has corroborated the reactivation after the restrictions of a strategic sector for the future economic development of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Gran Canaria: the blue economy.