Innovation, diversification and sustainability, keys to the maritime sector future
Two hundred people took part of the I Industrial Innovation Forum of the Maritime Sector organized by SOERMAR and Rotación-Interempresas, with the sponsorship of Navalia
Innovation, diversification, and sustainability will be the keys to the maritime sector future, along with concepts such as flexibility, adaptation, or people, which were some of the most pronounced words during the I Industrial Innovation Forum of the Maritime Sector, organized yesterday by the Foundation and Centre SOERMAR Technology and Rotation-Interempresas, sponsored by Navalia. Both organizations brought together two hundred people around three discussion tables that addressed the influence of innovation and technology in shipbuilding, repair and transformation activities, offshore wind, and alternative fuels. At the event, the Professional Career Award was presented to Galo Gutiérrez Monzonís, director of the Technical Office of the PERTE Commissioner of the Agri-Food Industry, for his continuous support to the maritime industrial sector.
In the first table, 'Innovation and technology. Influence on the activity of construction, repair, and transformation,' Luis Magro, director of Zamakona Yards Basque Country Factory, intervened; Alejandro Benito Jiménez, director of Finanzauto marine engines division; Juan Luis Sánchez Echevarría, director of Astander; Diego Colón y Carvajal, CEO of Astilleros de Mallorca, and Juan Sousa, director of CT delegation in A Coruña. They were moderated by Eva Mª Novoa Rojas, general director of SOERMAR.
The second table, 'Diversification. Offshore Wind', featured Javier González Arias, head of Floating Marine Renewables Bureau Veritas Iberia; Joaquín Andrés Bosqued, head of Business Development and Offshore Market at Astilleros Canarios; Emilio Tatay, CEO at Navacel, and Bernardino Couñago, co-founder and general director of BlueNewables. The moderator of the table was Javier Arnau, CEO of Navalia, who said that “offshore wind transversality is a unique opportunity for the maritime sector” during the presentation of the speakers.
In the third and last table of the forum, 'Sustainability. Alternative fuels', Antonio Llago, CEO of Gabadi, intervened; Jorge Camacho, Sales Engineer Marine & Diesel of ALFA LAVAL, and Juan Álvarez Abad, founding partner and general director of JALVASUB Engineering. Cayetano Hoyos Matías, project manager at SOERMAR, acted as moderator.
Before the closing of the event, Marcos Freire and Javier Arnau presented an award to Galo Gutiérrez to thank him and recognize his unconditional support for innovation and development of the maritime industrial sector, as well as for his “tireless work of listening, his empathy for the sector, to feel the industry first-hand and its proximity to the companies,” in the words of Freire. A tribute that a surprised Gutiérrez thanked, highlighting the importance of the sector, and pointing out that “a good industry makes a better country, has better salaries and benefits society.”