Green light for Galician Naval Master Plan, which will invest 62 million euros on transforming value chain

This industry represented 3.5% of Galicia's GDP in 2022, generating €2.447 billion and 14,000 direct jobs

Shipbuilding industry in Galicia—declared strategic in February 2024—represents a fundamental pillar of regional economy. Latest data, from 2022, shows this industry represented 3.5% of the region's GDP, generating €2.447 billion and 14,000 direct jobs. Of the total, more than 9,000 workers in Vigo and Pontevedra, and 4,000 in Ferrol. On top, there are several thousand more jobs linked to the value chain and logistics that underpin it.

For this reason, Xunta (Galician regional government) approved the 2025-2027 Shipbuilding Sector Master Plan at its weekly Council meeting this Monday, in which it plans to invest more than €62 million. Its objective is to promote the sector technological transformation, professionals’ training, and collaboration between companies, research centres, and public administrations to improve their competitiveness.

It also seeks to promote adaptation to market demands, sustainability, and maritime trading globalization. The approved document includes two strategic objectives, five lines of action, and seven priority areas ranging from internationalization to digitalization.

In addition, it includes 62 specific measures that will be implemented by 2027 by different regional Xunta ministries (Xunta). These measures include support and advisory initiatives on internationalization through the Re-Acciona Internationalization Program implementation, which will be provided by Igape (Spanish Institute of Innovation).

Other tools include R&D&I projects support within the new innovation programs ‘Tícket innova’ and ‘Igape Innova’, or company talent vouchers, whose purpose is to support knowledge transfer between senior employees and new recruits in companies.

Entities
In the coming weeks, Shipbuilding Sectoral Commission will be launched, and in parallel, the Xunta's working groups, comprised of the heads of the relevant governing bodies, will be activated.

Aclunaga, Galician shipbuilding cluster—which represents 24% of all shipbuilding-related companies in Spain—a dozen shipyards, as well as around twenty companies from subsidiary industry, the University of A Coruña, and the Soermar Technology Centre Foundation, among others, actively collaborated in this process.

Source: El Economista