The Canary Islands Maritime Cluster, within the framework of the actions foreseen in the INTERREG-MAC 2014-2020: SMART BLUE project, organises the presentation event in the Canary Islands of the Strategic Plan and the R+D+i aid for the naval sector.

The meeting took place on 10 April at 11:30 am in the Femepa assembly hall, and lasted two hours, during which the speakers had the opportunity to present the Strategic Plan for Small and Medium Shipyards and the auxiliary industry, and the attendees were able to express their doubts and clarify relevant issues.

The document presented aims to strengthen the position of Spanish shipyards and their ancillary industry, and to defend European specialised naval leadership in the face of an increasingly developed Chinese industrial sector.

The meeting was attended by 5 speakers, such as the president of the Canary Islands Maritime Cluster, the Director General of Industry and SMEs of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism, the director general of the Soermar Foundation and Technology Centre, the technical director of the Soermar Foundation and Technology Centre and the director of the Canary Islands Government’s Agency for Research, Innovation and the Information Society.

Among the aspects discussed by the attendees, the need to support the development of the shipbuilding industry, with specific aid to reach the sector in the Canary Islands.

The Soermar Foundation, which is in charge of drawing up the strategic plan, will begin a second phase in the summer to draw up a feasibility study that will lead the way for the shipyards and their auxiliary industry.