Almost twenty speakers in the 2nd edition of Navalia Meeting 2023
Organizers of the meeting, to be held from the 20th to the 22nd of September in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, foresees between 200 and 250 congressmen
The 2nd edition of NAVALIA MEETING has completed his program. The meeting, which will be held from the 20th to the 22nd of September in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, will feature almost twenty speakers and around 250 attendees. It was confirmed this morning during the official presentation of the event, that joined together the Minister of Economic Development, Industry, the Cabildo de Gran Canaria Commerce Counsellor, Minerva Alonso; Javier Arnau, Director of Navalia, and Natalia Santana, Director of Infecar, Gran Canaria Fair Facilities.
"This congress aims to position Gran Canaria and its ports as an area that promotes actively its sustainable and driving development, tourism-business and commercial development and a multitude of initiatives within the framework of the island's blue economy," Minerva Alonso said. Regarding the data generated by the activity on the island, the Counsellor stressed that "maritime transport in the Canary Islands generates 2,035 direct jobs, port activities 2,338 and ship repair 1,805. Regarding 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”.
From her side, Infecar’s General Director, Natalia Santana, highlighted how important is for the venue to co-organize this event where the main maritime industry players of our country meet. "Navalia Meeting joins the boost given 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 deepen into the importance of this sector bringing the sea and everything it offers us closer to the public; with Navalia Meeting, we delve into this more professional aspect, bringing together all the agents of the regional and national maritime sector in this event”, she pointed out.
Likewise, “this congress also allows us to collaborate with other public entities such as Proexca, which is going to lead a reverse trade mission with African countries during Navalia Meeting, with the intention of finding synergies between companies. At this point, it is compulsory to value the role played by the Canary Islands Maritime Cluster and its drive and support so that this co-organization between Navalia and Infecar was possible, for the benefit of the sector on the island”, she concluded.
Javier Arnau was in charge of detailing Navalia Meeting programme, born "as an old demand from our Navalia Expo exhibitors, who needed a professional appointment to meet each other in odd years, since our fair is biennial". The objective was to give special prominence to the part of technical conferences sometimes diluted within the trade fair, since the maelstrom of meetings and visits over three days makes scheduling difficult. “That is why we chose to focus on this more didactic aspect, but in a more relaxed environment, which would make networking easier” explained Arnau. The director of Navalia acknowledged "that several regions were interested in the event, but this unparalleled setting around us made us opt for Las Palmas de Gran Canaria". Navalia's commitment to leaving its region of birth "has been very big, but the truth is that all those who are 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 recalled that has been decided once again to give all the prominence to the sponsoring companies that trust NAVALIA MEETING, "so that they are the ones who give access to the congressmen. Therefore, those interested in attending the meeting should contact the sponsor companies”. In this sense, and with almost two months of work ahead, organizers expect between 200 and 250 attendees for the event, considering that participation is closed and exclusively by invitation.
Four thematic blocks
Navalia Meeting 2023 will start on the 20th of September with an official reception thanks to the Las Palmas City Council Department of Economic Promotion and City of the Sea, which will also be in charge of showing all attendees the most emblematic places in city center. The following day, and already in these Infecar facilities, the complete program of Navalia Meeting will take place.
During the first day, three very important topics for the maritime sector will take centre stage at the round tables scheduled throughout the day: the situation of the Oil and Repair market, with a significant presence of Canarian shipyards; the military naval industry, where the Spanish Navy will have a special role, and the situation of the Spanish shipbuilding industry from a regional perspective, with some exceptional hosts, such as the Canary Islands Maritime Cluster and Fedeport.
The first day will end up with a gala dinner by Las Palmas Port Authority at the Poema del Mar Aquarium. There, the awards will be given to different paths within the maritime industry.
The second day will begin with the meeting of the Executive Committee of NAVALIA 2024 with authorities from the Canary Islands. The situation of offshore wind and future prospects will be the star topic of the morning that will end with a farewell lunch for this second edition of the Navalia Meeting. In addition, under the umbrella of this meeting and thanks to Proexca, the event will host a reverse trade mission from African countries, which will be joined by various shipyards from the African continent.