• Minerva Alonso, Councilor for Economic Development, Industry, Commerce, and Handicrafts of the Cabildo of Gran Canaria, emphasized that the International Sea Fair “is a benchmark for getting to know firsthand the development of the business fabric linked to the sea on the Island, to continue betting on the sector
• Pedro Quevedo, Councilor for Employment and Local Development, Tourism, and City of the Sea of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, reiterated that “we are a City of the Sea, and this fair, with free access for the public, is a true reflection of our condition
• Beatriz Calzada, President of the Port Authority of Las Palmas, highlighted that FIMAR “has been a preview of the space that will be freed up for public enjoyment in the Port-City plan.

The songs of the group Los Coquillos and a parade that became the focus of smartphone cameras enlivened the last day of FIMAR 2024 at the Sanapú Dock. It was a very busy morning, with which the International Sea Fair closed its thirteenth edition. The balance: more than 15,000 visitors in three days and intense activity from the local and foreign public, around half a hundred companies present, and the 80 stands installed throughout the venue, representing a new boost to the development of the blue economy. It also confirms a true sea culture in the identity of the city and the island.

FIMAR is an event promoted by the Cabildo of Gran Canaria, the City Council of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and the Port Authority of Las Palmas, organized by the City of the Sea Council of the city and Infecar, Gran Canaria Fair.

The Councilor for Economic Development, Industry, Commerce, and Handicrafts of the Cabildo of Gran Canaria, Minerva Alonso, stated at the close of this edition of FIMAR that this event “is now a benchmark for the blue economy sector in Gran Canaria. We are seeing,” she added, “that the impact of the fair is increasingly greater, even outside the Island, and that is very important to consolidate our plan for diversifying the island’s economy.”

“At FIMAR,” Alonso emphasized, “we can get to know firsthand the current development of the blue economy business fabric on the Island. In the marine and maritime sector, we have the presence of the Canary Islands Maritime Cluster, which has become a benchmark in recent years, and we see how activities such as underwater services continue to gain weight. Port services, nautical activities, even in the fashion sector, or, in general, activities linked to the sea provide us with very solid arguments to continue betting on the sector.”

The island councillor highlighted that “the involvement of the city and the Port is very important to continue promoting the blue economy, specialized training, and the development of businesses integrated with our sustainable island project” and thanked the support of all collaborating entities, “which is growing,” as well as the Navy and state security forces.

The Councilor for Employment and Local Development, Tourism, and City of the Sea of the City Council of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Pedro Quevedo, indicated that today, “we can congratulate ourselves on enjoying a more than consolidated event, which reinforces the push of the sea culture in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria: an event with free access for the public. We are a City of the Sea, and I think the fair truly reflects our condition.”

“The blue economy is a sector we have been focusing on for some time in the city, promoting activities linked to sustainable tourism, but since we are a city that receives tourists and not a tourist city, which is not the same, the economic push around the sea acquires an even greater dimension. More appropriate to what we want and pursue,” Quevedo explained.

“We see it at the fair with the bustle of activity around nautical activities, and we also see it with all the port services present at FIMAR. With a special mention for the Canary Islands Maritime Cluster,” he added. The councillor of the Gran Canaria capital noted the importance of academic institutions and entities focused on training at FIMAR. He recalled that “this year we had Viana do Castelo as the guest city, with a professional meeting before FIMAR that continues to position us as a reference city for the development of economic activity linked to the sea.”

The President of the Port Authority of Las Palmas, Beatriz Calzada, pointed out, “We are very satisfied with how this edition of FIMAR has developed. We believe it has been a resounding success in terms of participation, from companies that wanted to join the fair, but above all, from the number of people who wanted to come to our dock over these three days and get to know the good work of these companies linked to the port and maritime sector. It is important that people know about it, and this fair gives them that opportunity.”

The Port President made a special mention of FIMAR’s location. “We believe,” she said, “that the fair’s location this year has been a success, as we value it from the Port Authority because it has allowed us to showcase our docks: the Wilson Dock, the Sanapú Dock, which are going to be the axis of that great Port-City project, in which we are very excited.” “This,” she emphasized, “is the space we want to open to the public; therefore, this fair has been a preview. People who came to our stand could see all these ideas in something we hope will soon become a great reality.”

“Another resounding success,” Calzada added, “was the boat trips, with a tour of our inner waters, which I think have become one of the main attractions of this fair because the public was able to see our Port in a completely different way, which is not usually common. From the sea, they could gain a perspective on the importance of the Port.”

**Three Days of Animation in Sanapú**

Los Coquillos was responsible for putting the final touch on this edition of FIMAR, which definitively closed its doors at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 9. The event saw large crowds at the Sanapú Dock for three days, the first time this space has hosted the fair.

The 50 companies present at the event were the main protagonists of these days, where the public enjoyed the content displayed in their eighty stands: commercial firms, public and private entities, and academic institutions linked to ocean research constituted an extensive exhibition offer for the numerous local and foreign visitors who came to FIMAR, in a new demonstration of the bustling blue economy in the city and the Island.

The International Sea Fair also coincided with the celebration of World Oceans Day on Saturday, June 8. This event fits perfectly with the fair’s philosophy, which is built on a strong educational vocation around the scientific knowledge accumulated about the oceans.

In this sense, the public had free access to around thirty talks and presentations on topics such as climate change, ocean currents, microplastics, and oceanographic research, among others, with a strong presence of experts linked to the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the Canary Islands Oceanic Platform, RedPROMAR, or even the Canary Islands Maritime Collectors Association.

This activity perfectly complemented the commercial offer of companies in the nautical, fashion, marine and maritime sectors, and port services and the activity exhibition by entities such as the Navy, Maritime Rescue, or the Civil Guard.

Indeed, the entire marine world was present at FIMAR 2024, which once again offered boat trips through the interior of the Port and various demonstrations of sports and navigation activities in the Sanapú water sheet.

The combination of all these offers, including educational activities for the younger audience, a children’s area, and a gastronomic area with a strong presence of seafood products, made FIMAR one of the great events at the end of this spring. Once again, with broad popular support.