Navalia will once again be the main sponsor of the 3rd Maritime Industrial Innovation Forum 2026
The event will take place on April 15th at Espacio Beatriz in Madrid under the theme "Dual-Use Technologies for European Strategic Autonomy."
Navalia trade fair will once again be the main sponsor of the 3rd Maritime Industrial Innovation Forum 2026, underscoring its commitment to innovation and the promotion of the Spanish maritime sector. The event, organized by Interempresas in collaboration with Soermar, will bring together high-ranking institutional officials, representatives of the Spanish Navy, European authorities, executives from the naval, energy, and technology industries, as well as experts in dual-use innovation. With the aim of strengthening Spain's and Europe's position in the maritime field from a strategic, industrial, and technological perspective, the event will take place on April 15th at Espacio Beatriz in Madrid under the theme "Dual-Use Technologies for European Strategic Autonomy."
The day will begin with an opening session featuring Benito Núñez Quintanilla, Secretary General for Air and Maritime Transport at the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, who will be accompanied by a high-ranking representative of the Navy, providing the defence perspective.
Following this, the first panel discussion, entitled "Green Propulsion, Logistics 4.0 and Cybersecurity: The Ship of the Future," will highlight that energy efficiency is not only an environmental requirement aligned with the International Maritime Organization's 2050 goals, but also a key operational advantage for military autonomy and reducing the logistical footprint. After a networking session, the day will continue with the second panel discussion, entitled "Autonomous Systems and Infrastructure Protection: The Challenge of Underwater Domain."
At this roundtable, the dual-use approach will take centre stage, exploring the use of drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs/UUVs/USVs) for both the inspection of wind farms and submarine cables and for the surveillance and protection of strategic seabeds.
The debate will analyse the governance of critical infrastructure surveillance, the adaptation of international regulations to the coexistence of autonomous civilian and military systems, and the transfer of technology from military developments to commercial applications.
International Panel
Finally, an international panel of experts entitled "The European Defence Fund and the Civil Market: Real Synergies" will take place, aiming to highlight the opportunities for dual-use European funding. The panel, moderated by Marcos Freire, president of Soermar, will address access to the European Defence Fund for SMEs and medium-sized shipyards, guarantees of dual commercial use for funded technologies, and the strategic role of European industrial policy in technological sovereignty.