Vigo does business on the other side of the world
Eutimio Electronics, Aister, CS Marine, and Armón are paving the way in New Zealand's growing maritime industry.
A group of companies from Vigo are breaking through in New Zealand. They have found opportunities 19,000 kilometres away, leaving their mark and showcasing their talent with maritime technology, engineering, and industrial solutions. Vigo's entrepreneurial spirit is demonstrating on its journey to the antipodes that ambition knows no time zones or distances. Nicolas Walbridge, Business Officer at the New Zealand Embassy in Spain, highlights "the many similarities" between New Zealand and Galicia and points to the maritime industry as the pillar supporting business exchanges but adds: "New Zealand's interest is expanding to other sectors, including defence."
Trade relations between the two regions have been developing rapidly since the free trade agreement reached between the European Union and New Zealand in May 2014. Official estimates from Brussels point to 30% growth, emphasizing the rapid technological advancements. Vigo’s industry and its surrounding area is a testament to this. For example, A Guarda-based company Electrónica Eutimio is working with the New Zealand firm Pinpoint Earth. They maintain an alliance to promote innovation in the fishing industry. The O Baixo Miño firm boasts three decades of experience designing electronic equipment for the fishing sector, with a high degree of specialization in longline fishing. The company, headquartered in Nelson, on the South Island, is committed to protecting marine ecosystems by implementing intelligent vessel monitoring systems powered by solar energy.
The fact that Vigo has become a leading centre for shipbuilding has reached the ears of the business community in Oceania, which is interested in making its mark on construction by supplying technological systems. The Embassy highlights the case of Wassp, an Auckland-based company and leader in multibeam sonars due to their high precision in exploring the seabed and the water column. This company, the diplomatic mission explains, "has worked with several Galician shipyards on the integration of its equipment."
It used to be much rarer to establish trade relations with New Zealand. One of the milestones occurred at the end of the last century, when the Hijos de J. Barreras shipyard built the Aratere. Since 1999, this ferry has connected the country's two main ports, Wellington and Picton, across the Cook Strait. It is a 150-meter-long vessel and now operates under the name Interislander. That delivery paved the way for other shipbuilding industries in southern Galicia, such as Armón, which delivered the oceanographic vessel Kaharoa II to the country in 2024.
Moaña-based manufacturer Aister adds to the list of examples by using propulsion systems from the Australian firm Hamilton Jet for the HS60 series, high-speed patrol boats made of high-performance aluminium for the Spanish Civil Guard's Maritime Service. In the commercial sector, Vigo-based CS Marine, dedicated to providing solutions and products for surface protection in the marine industry, supplies Propspeed's non-stick coatings to the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula. Propspeed, also located in Auckland, is a leader in propeller protection.
The New Zealand maritime industry's commitment to further expanding into the Galician market intensified this week at the Vigo Nautical Club, where companies from both countries met to explore new opportunities. The meeting showcased the offerings of firms such as Boxfish Robotics, creator of a lightweight and easy-to-use ROV; C-Tech, at the forefront of carbon fibre solutions manufacturing; and Tait Communications, a leading multinational in critical communications systems.
"New Zealand offers a highly accessible market, recognized for its ease of doing business and stability," stated Nicolas Walbridge, who emphasized that Galicia is a region "with strong synergies with our country." The diplomat emphasized his country's interest in new markets, such as security and defence, where they have entered by contracting vehicles from Urovesa.
Source: La Voz de Galicia