• In this forum, we will discuss various topics, such as the current state of the oil and repair market, the naval sector from a regional perspective, the future of the military naval industry in Spain, and the potential of offshore wind energy. Let’s delve into these important issues together
• The event, promoted by the Cabildo de Gran Canaria and co-organised by Navalia and Infecar, will be attended by between 200 and 250 people

The Councillor for Economic Development, Industry, Trade and Crafts of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, Minerva Alonso, accompanied by Javier Arnau, director of Navalia, and Natalia Santana, director of Infecar, Feria de Gran Canaria, today presented the second edition of Navalia Meeting, a national naval sector meeting to be held at Infecar from the 20th to the 22nd of September.

“This congress aims to position Gran Canaria and its ports as an area that actively promotes its sustainable development and the development of tourism, business and trade and a multitude of initiatives within the framework of the blue economy of the island,” said Alonso.

Concerning the data generated by the activity on the island, the councillor underlined that “maritime transport in the Canary Islands generates 2,035 direct jobs, port activities 2,338 and ship repair 1,805. As for the direct GVA in millions of euros in the Canary Islands, maritime transport is 144.6, port activities 245.8 and ship repair 72.7”.For her part, the general manager of Infecar, Natalia Santana, has highlighted the importance of the venue to co-organise this event where the main actors of the naval sector of our country meet.

“Navalia Meeting joins the impulse we give from Infecar to the nautical and marine-maritime sector in the already consolidated International Sea Fair, Fimar. Although throughout the twelve editions of this fair, we have deepened in the importance of this sector more from the point of view of bringing the sea and all that it offers to the citizens, with Navalia Meeting, we go deeper in this more professional aspect, joining in this event all the agents of the regional and national naval sector”, he has pointed out.

Likewise, “this congress allows us to collaborate with other public entities such as Proexca, which will lead a reverse trade mission with African countries during Navalia Meeting, to find synergies between companies. Also, on this point, it is essential to value the role played by the Canary Islands Maritime Cluster and its drive and support to make this co-organisation between Navalia and Infecar possible for the benefit of the sector on the island”, he concluded.

Full three-day programme

Javier Arnau has been in charge of detailing the Navalia Meeting programme, which was born “as an old demand of our exhibitors of Navalia Exhibition, who needed a professional appointment to see each other in the odd years since our fair is biennial”. The aim was to give special prominence to the technical sessions, which are sometimes diluted within the exhibition, as the whirlwind of meetings and visits over three days makes schedules difficult. “That is why we chose to focus on this more didactic aspect, but in a more relaxed atmosphere, to facilitate networking”, explained Arnau.

The director of Navalia acknowledged that “there were several regions that were interested in the event, but the incomparable setting that surrounds us made us choose Las Palmas de Gran Canaria”. Navalia’s commitment to leave its region of birth “has been very great, but the truth is that all those making this second edition of Navalia Meeting possible, institutions and sponsors, are making it very easy for us”, added Javier Arnau.

Regarding the attendees and the way to register, the director of Navalia reminded us that once again this year, they have chosen to give all the protagonism to the sponsoring companies that have trusted in Navalia Meeting “so that they are the ones who give access to the congress participants, so those interested in attending the meeting should contact the sponsors”. In this sense, and with almost two months of work ahead, the organisation expects the presence of between 200 and 250 attendees to the event, taking into account that participation is closed and exclusive by invitation.

Four thematic blocks

Navalia Meeting 2023 will kick off on 20 September with an official reception thanks to the Department of Economic Promotion and Ciudad del Mar of the City Council of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, which will also be responsible for showing all attendees the most emblematic places in the city centre. The following day, the entire programme of the Navalia Meeting will take place at the Infecar facilities.

During the first day, three significant topics for the naval sector will be the protagonists of the round tables planned throughout the day: the situation of the Oil and Repair market, with an essential presence of the Canarian shipyards; the military naval industry, where the Spanish Navy will have a special role, and the situation of the Spanish naval sector from a regional point of view, with exceptional hosts, such as the Maritime Cluster of the Canary Islands and Fedeport.

The first day will conclude with a gala dinner hosted by the Las Palmas Port Authority at the Poema del Mar Aquarium. There, awards will be presented to different trajectories within the naval sector.

The second day will begin with the Executive Committee of Navalia 2024 meeting with authorities from the Canary Islands. The situation of offshore wind energy and prospects will be the main topic of the morning, which will end with a farewell lunch for this second edition of the Navalia Meeting.