Since last Tuesday, a delegation of 14 representatives from the Canary Islands' maritime sector has landed in the port of Rotterdam, in the Netherlands, to participate in the biannual Europort fair, a meeting point for the international maritime industry.
Professionals from the public and private ecosystem of the Canary Islands and representatives of the industry's value chain will be part of one of the world's largest maritime B2B platforms, which attracts **more than 24,000** professional visitors and more than 1,000 exhibiting companies
The Canary Islands Government has attended hand-in-hand with Proexca, with its delegate in Brussels, María José Castellano, who has accompanied the Canary Islands Maritime Cluster and the companies it has facilitated participation for; Boluda & Suárez, Repnaval, Napesca, Grupo Anidia, Astican, La Luz Market, ATI- COM and TMB.
The Canary Islands delegation is accompanied by various entities from Atlantic regions, within the framework of the A3MAtlantic project, representing the scientific and technological, and the business and port sectors
From Madeira, ARDITI and the Observatório Oceânico da Madeira are participating, research and innovation centers dedicated to scientific development and the observation of the marine environment.
From the Azores, representatives from the Chamber of Commerce of Angra do Heroismo (CCIAH), which promotes local business activity, join along with the companies TMG - Transportes Marítimos Graciosenses, Lda, OPERTERCEIRA - Sociedade de Operações Portuárias da Praia da Vitória, Lda, and BENTRANS, linked to maritime transport and port management.
Cape Verde is represented by the Barlavento Chamber of Commerce (CCB) and the Authority of the Special Economic Zone for Maritime Economy in São Vicente (AZEEMSV), entities that represent the archipelago's business and industrial sector. The Centre for Enterprise Learning (CELGhana), an institution that promotes training and entrepreneurship in Ghana, also participates.
The fair maintains an exceptionally qualified visitor profile. **88% of attendees declare having decision-making authority or direct influence in purchasing processes**. This high decision-making density maximizes networking efficiency and the capacity to generate concrete business during the four days of the event. Being able to participate represents an opportunity for Canary Islands port companies to showcase their potential and broaden their horizons before key decision-makers.
Europort 2025 has focused particularly on innovative technology and complex shipbuilding, covering the offshore, maritime, fishing, construction and work vessels, inland navigation, and superyacht sectors. It reflects a strategic response to the sector's most pressing challenges. Firstly, the program is structured around the Energy Transition and Maritime Finance. This emphasis recognizes that decarbonization, driven by IMO and European Union (EU 2050) targets, requires a substantial and diversified flow of capital to overcome banking risk aversion.
The celebration in Rotterdam offers an unparalleled geographical anchor. The city was declared 'European Maritime Capital' in 2024, granting it a leading position in innovation and technology. This environment ensures immediate proximity to a dense industrial cluster that includes superyacht builders, offshore contractors, and research and development (R&D) centers, enhancing technical and commercial relevance
The participation of the Canary Islands delegation is possible thanks to Project A3MAtlantic (1/MAC/1/1.3/0051) "Strengthening sustainable growth and competitiveness of SMEs that make up the productive fabric of the Blue Economy sectors in the Mid-Atlantic," approved in the 1st call for grants of the Interreg MAC 2021-2027 Program and co-financed at 85% with ERDF funds.