News Archives - WestMED

portuguese westmed-atlantic national event 2024 with people gathered in a conference room

WestMED-Atlantic national event 2024 | Digital Transformation and Sustainable Blue Economy: Strategic Cooperation for Innovation

20 December 2024/in News /by National Hub Portugal

This Portuguese WestMED-Atlantic sea basin strategy national event took place on December 16, 2024 at the Hydrographic Institute – Lisbon, Portugal and online. It was attended by over 60 participants representing a wide range of stakeholders from public as well as private organisations.

Key aspects and conclusions:

The Sea Basins Event brought together experts, policymakers, and stakeholders to explore the transformative potential of digitalization and cooperation in advancing the blue economy. Held in a hybrid format at the Hydrographic Institute in Lisbon and online, the event focused on fostering innovation, promoting sustainability, and enhancing interregional collaboration across maritime sectors. This platform served as a crucial opportunity to share knowledge, best practices, and strategic initiatives aimed at addressing challenges and unlocking opportunities within the Atlantic and Mediterranean regions.

Panel I: Digitalization, Cooperation, and the Blue Economy

Carlos Pinho, Lead Manager of Portugal Blue Digital Hub, highlighted the transformative role of the Blue Economy Digital Innovation Hub in driving digital and environmental transitions. He emphasized the importance of fostering entrepreneurship and developing solutions based on Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, and Big Data. The initiative’s recognition by the European Commission underscores its significance in advancing sustainable innovation.

Siham Fellahi, Finance Inspector and Head of Mission at the Blue Economy PMU, presented an overview of Morocco’s Blue Economy development program. She elaborated on the ongoing strategy to integrate innovation, showcasing sustainable projects driven by digital solutions. Her presentation also emphasized the pivotal role of digitalization and interregional cooperation in boosting competitiveness and sustainability.

Sébastien Cann, Business Development Manager at Pôle Mer Bretagne Atlantique, focused on the strategic importance of digitalization in optimizing operations, fostering economic growth, and achieving environmental goals. He illustrated his points with examples from their strategic roadmap, innovation projects like the Blue Shuttle Interreg initiative, and efforts such as the Digital Twin of the Oceans.

Javier Hernandez Noriega, CEO and Founder of the Navy Marine Andalusian Cluster, showcased ongoing and completed projects that leverage digitalization to advance a sustainable blue economy. He highlighted the significance of Atlantic-wide cooperation frameworks in driving innovation and achieving breakthroughs in this sector.

Lucia Castro Diaz, Manager at DIH DATAlife, shared the potential of the EDIH Network in fostering cooperation and innovation. She detailed DIH DATAlife’s history, partnerships, and services, providing examples of successful digitalization projects in Galicia that contribute to regional and interregional growth.

Panel II: Recent Dynamics in the Maritime Basins and Initiatives for a Sustainable Blue Economy

Susana Grácio from Turismo de Portugal shared insights on the Blue Tourism Best Practices Guides and the Sustainable Tourism Plan 2023. She underlined the importance of achieving environmental, economic, and social sustainability, particularly for SMEs, through strategic guidelines and best practices.

Eduardo Silva, Professor at ISEP and Researcher at INESC TEC, highlighted the integration of smart technologies and digital systems to enhance environmental sustainability. As the Pilar IV Coordinator for the Atlantic Strategy, he shared measures aimed at improving data accessibility and digitalization initiatives that support sustainable ocean management under the “Healthy Oceans” pillar.

Telmo Geraldes Dias, Head of the Technical-Scientific Data Management Center Division at the Hydrographic Institute of the Portuguese Navy, presented the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC-PT). He explained its role in coordinating marine data stakeholders and promoting a unified oceanographic management system. His presentation highlighted the NODC’s contributions to climate variability detection, marine resource sustainability, and national security.

Conclusions:

The Sea Basins Event underscored the critical importance of digital transformation and collaboration in shaping the future of the blue economy. The discussions revealed that integrating smart technologies and fostering interregional cooperation are essential for achieving sustainable growth, enhancing operational efficiency, and addressing environmental challenges. Speakers demonstrated how innovation and digital tools can serve as catalysts for both economic progress and ecological preservation.

Moreover, the event emphasized the value of sharing best practices and successful initiatives across regions. By leveraging the expertise and experience of various stakeholders, it is possible to build a resilient, inclusive, and forward-looking maritime economy. The insights provided by the speakers highlighted actionable pathways to address current challenges while paving the way for long-term sustainability.

For more information about this event, contact Lorella Ciuti (WestMED National Hub Portugal)

AIDARA is born: the association for desalination and reuse of water

20 December 2024/in News /by National Hub Italy

The Italian Association for Desalination and Reuse of Water (AIDARA) is born in Bari on 20 December 2024.

Thanks to the teamwork of 11 founding members and the Technical Assistance from WestMED Italy, Italy can finally equip itself with an aggregation of skills and operators in the field of desalination and reuse of purified water, two aspects almost inseparable for a careful and circular management of water resources.

AIDARA includes universities and the world of research & innovation, engineering and industry as well as utilities and public administrations – all focused on ecology and environmental sustainability, with the aim to act as:

– a reference for Italian administrations that evaluate and/or implement an investment for the desalination of water and/or for the recovery and reuse of purified water in their respective territories;

– an interlocutor of the Italian industrial system for interested foreign operators (public and private).

AIDARA is in the process of collecting expressions of interest from other potential new partners.

For more information contact Leonardo Manzari (WestMED Italy) or mail: associazioneaidara@gmail.com

Announcement poster EMD in my country 2024

Join the European ‘EMD in my country’ campaign with your blue event!

6 December 2024/in News /by Communication team

Are you planning a blue event between 1 April and 31 October 2025? Join EU’s ‘European Maritime Day In My Country 2025′ campaign to boost its exposure. From beach clean-ups to educational tours or seafood fairs – all events promoting the sustainable Blue Ecomomy, are welcome!

More than 500 events all over Europe joined this campaign last year – thus making real waves.

EU promotion for your event
As a token of appreciation for your dedication, you will receive promotional materials to share with event participants and you can label your event as part of this EU-wide inititive. Thus giving it more weight. All events will also be proudly featured on the dedicated website for extra promotion.

Seize this opportunity to bring ‘EMD In My Country 2025’ to your country. Complete the application form by 10 March 2025, and join this inspiring campaign. Don’t forget to indicate the number of expected participants in your application, you will receive the promotional material according to this information.

High profile attention. Will the new European Commissioner for Fisheries and Ocean visit your event?
This year the European Commissioner for Fisheries and Ocean, Costas Kadis, may attend a number of selected ‘EMD In My Country’ events, as part of his dialogue with stakeholders and coastal communities. Will your event be among the chosen ones to receive this high profile attention?

For more information visit the EMD in my country webpage

Register your event here!

More about the European Maritime Day 2025 in Cork, Ireland

Call for workshops for the European Maritime Days 2025

2 December 2024/in News /by Communication team

The Call for workshops for the EMD 2025 in Cork, Ireland, is now open!

The European Maritime Day (EMD) is the annual two-day event during which Europe’s maritime community meet to network, discuss and outline joint action on maritime affairs and sustainable blue economy.

Stakeholders – businesses, science, government, NGOs – are involved in the EMD in many ways. Thematic workshops organised by maritime stakeholders are at the core of the conference. Workshop organisers design, organise and manage their own sessions. Each workshop lasts 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Workshop organisers design and manage their own workshop.

At the EMD 2025, up to 20 high-quality workshops will be selected (with several workshops running in parallel) under the following themes:

Coastal communities (challenges and opportunities)
Maritime security and surveillance.
Blue energy (marine renewable energy, alternative fuels, energy transition, decarbonisation, desalination, port adaptation etc.)
Enablers (marine research, innovation, technology, observation, blue skills, MSP, digitalisation, investment etc.)
Maritime cooperation (regional, sea-basins, Civil Society, stakeholder relations etc.)
Food security (blue biotechnology, aquaculture, fisheries, algae, biodiversity etc.)

All that is necessary is to fill in this form and submit your online application before 30 December 2024 at 17:00 CET.

The EMD is the place where ‘Ocean Leaders Meet’. It provides an engaging and completely interactive experience to catch up on the current state of play on a broad range of issues concerning the blue economy and the marine environment and to discuss ways of moving forward. It features a large number of inspirational speakers, thematic sessions, stakeholder workshops and pitch sessions organised by stakeholders and the European Commission. The EMD targets professionals from businesses, governments, public institutions, NGOs and academia as well as EU citizens interested in the sea.

European Maritime Day 2024 will take place in Cork, Ireland on 21 – 23 May 2025.

For more information, visit the EMD event website

Joint WestMED Maltese-Italian event on sustainable maritime development with BlueMissionMed and the Malta Maritime Forum

2 December 2024/in News /by Communication team

On 15 November 2024, WestMED’s National Hubs from Italy and Malta, together with BlueMissionMed-National Hub Malta and the Malta Maritime Forum (MMF) organised a joint Maltese-Italian event titled: ‘Navigating the Future: Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Maritime Development in the Mediterranean.’ The event was hosted by Xjenza Malta and took place in Villa Bighi, Kalkara, Malta. This was the 2nd joint event between Italy and Malta after its first edition in 2023 that took place in Catania, Italy.

Objective
The objective of the event was to foster collaboration among stakeholders in the maritime sector, including policymakers, industry leaders, and researchers, to drive innovation, decarbonisation, and sustainability. It aimed to explore practical solutions, enhance governance, and promote public-private partnerships to address challenges being faced by the Mediterranean maritime industry to ensure resilience and competitiveness. For the second year in a row, Malta and Italy, collaborated forces towards the delivery of a joint event but also ensured that the event applied a more inclusive way towards the countries of the Southern shore through invitation of Southern shore panelists. Next to participants from Italy and Malta, the event also welcomed stakeholders from Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya.

Decarbonization
A central theme of the event was the urgent need to decarbonize the maritime industry. This can be achieved through the adoption of alternative fuels, improving vessel efficiency, and leveraging digital technologies. Participants emphasised the importance of aligning efforts across stakeholders, with policy makers focusing on policy required to develop the market and private sector playing a leading role in operational advancements and the adoption of new technologies.

Public-private partnerships
One important outcome was the recognition of public-private partnerships as essential for driving innovation in the maritime sector. Collaborative hubs that bring together governments, private companies, and academia were highlighted as critical tools to address challenges such as decarbonization and digitalization. To sustain private sector engagement, attendees stressed the need for harmonized policies and financial incentives to encourage investment in sustainable technologies and operational improvements.

Authorities and research institutes
The discussions also explored the evolving roles of authorities and research institutes in overcoming knowledge gaps and aligning strategies to address sustainability challenges. Authorities were called upon to create an enabling environment through streamlined policies and targeted support for innovation. Research institutes were urged to focus on real-world challenges, ensuring their findings are actionable and well-integrated into policy-making and industry practices.

Maritime clusters
Maritime clusters were identified as vital enablers of innovation, providing platforms for collaboration among government bodies, private enterprises, academic institutions, and local communities. Clusters were indicated as ideal to address challenges like resource allocation, governance, and the adoption of new technologies. By fostering collaboration, clusters help stakeholders achieve shared goals such as sustainability, digital transformation, and competitiveness.

Regional cooperation
The event also highlighted the importance of regional cooperation among Mediterranean nations to tackle common challenges. Enhanced collaboration between regulatory authorities and research institutes was seen as essential to avoid duplicating efforts, optimize resources, and deliver impactful solutions. Engaging youth and promoting gender equality in maritime research were also highlighted as vital steps to bring fresh ideas and inclusive perspectives to the sector.

Moving forward
The event provided a valuable platform for networking, bringing together stakeholders from diverse sectors to foster collaboration, share innovative ideas, and align efforts toward sustainable maritime development and decarbonisation in the Mediterranean It also served to highlight the synergies across initiatives such as the Westmed and the BlueMissionMed. It also showcased funding opportunities available through Xjenza Malta.

Therefore, moving forward, the next step is to engage interested stakeholders by disseminating relevant information, facilitating access to resources, and supporting collaborative project proposals to drive actionable outcomes.

Group photo during launch of WestMED's Technical Group on Sustainable Touriusm

WestMED makes its mark at the International Sun&Blue Congress 2024 in Almería, Spain

2 December 2024/in News /by Communication team

The Sun&Blue Congress, held on November 20, 21 and 22 in Almería, has established itself as an international benchmark in the field of Sustainable Tourism and the Blue Economy, attracting participants and projects from all over Europe and the Mediterranean. This event featured high-impact side events ranging from capacity sessions to hackathons

The WestMED Assistance Mechanism not only empowered quite a few of these sessions, but a promotional stand was also set up right in front of the main auditorium, welcoming a continuous stream of interested visitors.

An international showcase of sustainable initiatives
Within the framework of the congress, several meetings highlighted the European and Mediterranean commitment to sustainable tourism and the ecological and digital transition:

An Internal meeting CPMR-Intermediterranean Commission Task Force on Culture and Sustainable Tourism was organized by CPMR-IMC with the support of the Ministry of Tourism and Andalusia Exterior (Junta de Andalucía), through its public enterprise Turismo Andaluz.
The second joint Annual Forum of the Interreg Euro-MED Sustainable Tourism Mission with the title ‘Climate Adaptation in Tourism – Building capacity and policy integration,’ was organized by the Sustainable Tourism Mission of the Interreg Euro-MED Program. Stephanie Vella (WestMED Malta), participated in the expert panel whereby the main conclusion was that the Tourism sector should place more efforts towards its Climate change adaptation as there are many topics that may affect or are already affecting its development.
The Official launch of the Western Mediterranean Sustainable Tourism Technical Group was organized by WestMED Initiative in a full room with more than 50 people. It also included the participation of Vincent Fravel (DG Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of the European Commission), Yasmin Schinas-Romeu (Head of Regional Cooperation and Maritime Safety of the European Commission), as well as members of Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), World Ocean Council (WOC), Ascame, CRPM and Interreg Office. ASCAME, CPRM and WOC are actively involved in this new Technical Group as they are part of the Group’s Advisory Committee. The WOC also took the opportunity to present their upcoming ‘Community of Leadership on Sustainable Tourism within the Mediterranean’ and explored potential synergies with the WestMED Technical Group. This event was moderated by the WestMED National Hubs from Spain (Marta Pascual) and Malta (Stephanie Vella).
The first hackathon by WestMED’s newly formed Technical Group on Sustainable Tourism attracted great interest from stakeholders to become involved in project proposal developments and be part of a consortium in order to apply for project funding. Two proposals were further advanced towards the EMFAF 2024 funding call at this WestMED Hackathon Session. Two other NEW proposals were also mentioned. The WestMED Assistance Mechanism offered their assistance to further help develop these proposals.
The Dialogue “Alliance for the Sea” organized by AGAPA (Agency for the management of agriculture and fisheries of Andalusia) was moderated by Marta Pascual (WestMED Spain). It consisted of a dialogue between Gunter Pauli (creator of the ‘blue economy’ concept) and José Manuel Martínez, the DG of Fisheries and Aquaculture of the Junta de Andalucía. During this session, ways were explored in which fisheries can benefit from and be part of Blue Economy developments. The main conclusion was that the Fisheries sector has many opportunities to explore under the Blue Economy Paradigm and were encouraged to do so – whereby the WestMED Assistance Mechanism can help.
The final dissemination event of the ECO-CRUISING FU_TOUR project was organized by X23-The Innovation Bakery in collaboration with ASCAME (Association of the Mediterranean Chambers of Commerce) Celia Murcia (Coordinator of the westMED Assistance Mechanism) participated as panel member of the roundtable where the discussion focused on engaging younger generations, digital tools and sustainable tourism. ECO-CRUISING FU-TOUR is one of the projects supported at the proposal stage by the WestMED Assistance Mechanism. This session provided a platform to consolidate lessons learned from the project and explore the transformations necessary to meet evolving demands in the sector. Central to this transformation is a strong policy commitment to adopting and financing sustainable alternatives. However, the shift cannot rest on policymakers alone; the industry itself must actively embrace change, alongside enhancing the current offerings within the sector. Equally vital is investment in skills development, particularly for younger generations. Training programs must address the growing need for expertise in sustainability, digitalization, and marine conservation. These competencies are essential to building a cruising industry that harmonizes economic growth with environmental stewardship. The participants to this session had the opportunity to experience virtual reality through the technology developed in the project and explore the future options of sustainable cruising.
An internal event by the NaTour4CChange Project was organized by Interreg Euro MED with the support of IUCN and Junta de Andalucía
An ’employment opportunities’ session was organized by blue-jobs (represented by Celia Murcia) during which job opportunities like Regenerative Tourism Manager, Pesca-tourism Guide, and Marine Environmental Educators were explored, challenges in coastal tourism jobs, including seasonality and sustainability skills gaps were discussed, and strategies were shared for aligning coastal tourism with marine conservation goals.

Financing sustainable blue projects
A final session on the main stage was specifically focused on financing blue projects. This session consisted of three different panel discussions. Marta Pascual (WestMED Spain) kicked off this session by highlighting that there are many financing opportunities to develop sustainable blue project ideas, that project owners could and should benefit from.

The first panel discussion focused on ‘Blue financing opportunities’ and was moderated by Yasmin Schinasi (Policy Officer for Regional Cooperation and Maritime Security at the European Commission and WestMED project manager on behalf of DG MARE), while Thanos Smanis (WestMED’s central team) took part in the expert panel on ‘Examples and Best Practices in Blue-Financed Projects’ where he explained that with the existing funding opportunities some projects presented during this congress have been able to prosper (such as EU WeMED_Natour, Eco-cruising Fu_tour, PESCATOBAL Association projects). He explained that these projects had received direct support, as an example of how the WestMED Assistance Mechanism helps projects find funding and/ or project partners.

In the final session, Marta Pascual moderated the expert panel on ‘Financing the future.’

Awards
As part of this congress, on the 2nd day, the “Red Nacional de Turismo Marinero“, an initiative supported by WestMED’s Spanish National Hub, received the Sun&Blue Award for the “Best Tourism Cooperation’ initiative 2024.

The Living Ports project (also supported by the Sea Basins Assistance Mechanism ), managed by the Port Authority of Vigo, received the Sun&Blue Award in the category ‘Best Port Decarbonization.’

With this extensive involvement throughout the event, the Sun&Blue congress edition proved to be an excellent platform to promote the WestMED Initiative and practical support offered by the WestMED Assistance Mechanism.

(majority of the photos, courtesy of Sun&Blue Congress 2024)

Launch of S3 Thematic partnership “Shipbuilding Propulsion Systems Alliance” with 30 partners from 3 EU sea basins

30 November 2024/in News /by Communication team

Maritime transport and Ports probably represent the core sector, to win the challenge of sustainability of the Blue Economy, considering its impact in terms of Gross Value Added (GVA) and jobs creation across the EU and its neighbouriung regions.

Greening the EU maritime transport is therefore pivotal to ‘green’ the EU blue economy at large (including tourism, aquaculture, biotechs, marine renewable energy).

But a green transition for the EU maritime transport sectors requires a common vision to equip ports and fleets in a coherent way, within a network capable to ensure their operativity.

Therefore, within the work of the WestMED Technical Group on Green Shipping,the strong need emerged to re-configurate the shipbuilding supply chain and create the production capacity to equip the fleets with propulsion systems, using alternative fuels.

Shipbuilding Propulsion Systems Alliance
For this reason the WestMED Technical Group on Green Shipping, the EU Seabasin Assistance Mechanism, promoted by CINEA and DG Mare, have supported a dedicated Smart Specialisation (S3) Thematic Partnership in this area, encountering the interest of the impacted territories where shipbuilding operations are mostly located, and involving different stakeholders – authorities, research and innovation centres, businesses and investors.

The newly launched S3 Thematic partnership “Shipbuilding Propulsion Systems Alliance”, led by Region Liguria, Região capital de Portugal, Region Attica, brings together 30 partners – including Regional Bodies, Businesses, Cluster Organisations, Research & Innovation Centres and Civil Society Organisations – from 5 EU Member states and 4 non EU partner countries spread across 3 EU Sea basins (Mediterranean Atlantic, Black Sea).

The initiative, more specifically, aims at:

Speeding up the modernisation and renewal of the supply chains related to the production/refitting of propulsion systems, as well as to the delivery of the fuel, for each type of alternative fuel.
Accelerating the replacement/refitting of traditionally propelled fleets to diversify, renew, revitalise the sector across Europe and its neighbourhoods;
Fostering the adoption of innovative fiscal and financial schemes, to allow shipowners, shipbuilders and related stakeholders to achieve greater impact and sustainability for their investments.

For more information on this Partnership, visit the S3 Community of Practice page of the European Commission

Salem Miladi presenting at WestMED national event in Tunis on November 4, 2024

WestMED, RebootMED and BlueMissionMED boost sustainable blue economy efforts amongst stakeholders in Tunis

9 November 2024/in News /by Communication team

On 4 November 2024, the WestMED National Event in Tunisia on the blue economy was organised in partnership with the REBOOTMED project and the BlueMissionMed project. The objective was to enhance synergies between three major European projects that focus on strenghtening the sustainable blue economy in the region and discuss major developments related to specific fields: greeen shipping, fisheries & aquaculture and tourism.

This event was also organised in close collaboration with the Tunisian national coordinator of the WestMED Initiative, the General Secretariat for Maritime Affairs, the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.

The event brought together more than 130 guests, including the EU delegation in Tunis, sectoral managers involved in the different themes, national authorities, researchers, universities and civil society.

Regarding green shipping, The WestMED presentation focused on Tunisia’s progress in implementing the energy transition in the Tunisian maritime fleet and adapting port infrastructure to this transition. Discussions in the afternoon workshop highlighted the need to draw up a roadmap for adapting ships and port infrastructure to the new regulatory requirements of the IMO and the European Union.

Participants insisted on the urgency of developing this roadmap, if the deadlines required by these regulations are to be met. The multitude of alternative fuel choices available requires the collaboration of transport and seaport stakeholders to make this transition a success with minimal negative effects.

The second theme discussed was the development of sustainable aquaculture and fisheries and the need to use new technologies in this field, while preserving the environment and ecosystems. The workshop worked in four sub-groups to determine how the fisheries and aquaculture sector contribute to the achievement of all the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as the measures to be taken to overcome the difficulties and challenges hindering the achievement of the SDGs in this sector. (overview outcomes)

The third theme was Sustainable tourism. The Ministry of Tourism presented its vision for Tourism 2035 (see press article), as well as new initiatives for developing sustainable tourism; in particular thematic routes and the Destination Management Organisation (DMO). Next to this, the Ministry of the Environment presented its roadmap for the blue economy, detailing the priority actions to be implemented to ensure sustainable blue tourism. The Sahel and Sahara Observatory also highlighted the contribution of Ecosystem Accounting of Natural Capital. Closing the session on tourism, the Agence du Tourisme de Corse presented the best practices adopted by the region to encourage the transition towards sustainable and responsible tourism.

These are some of the main recommendations that came out of the ensuing discussion:

EU: Allocate specific funding for sustainable tourism and prioritise green practices.
Programmes and initiatives, including the new WestMED Technical Group on Sustainable Tourism: Improve project and programme coordination, promote nature tourism throughout the year, and develop legal frameworks for pescatourism.
Regional involvement: Empower regions to define and implement sustainable tourism strategies.
Public-private partnerships: Strengthen partnerships to foster innovation, resilience, and adaptation to climate change.

Guests representing both public and private sectors, including the the Tunisian National Tourist Office, the Mauritanian Ministry of Tourism, the Sicilian Region, and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of CAP BON (TN), shared insights on how these recommendations fit into their strategies, emphasising product diversification, local capacity building, and off-season tourism promotion.

The event underscored the need for continued collaboration to integrate these recommendations across the Mediterranean and a good example of how three Blue EU initiatives can bundle their collective efforts to help make this happen.

Memorandum of understanding between the Algerian incubator ‘Leancubator’ and the Tunisian Maritime Cluster

20 October 2024/in News /by National Hub Tunisia

As part of the Blue Economy Conference held on 15 October in Algiers, an agreement was signed by Mr Harizi, Managing Director of the Algerian incubator ‘Leancubator’ , and Mr Ezzedune Kacem, Chairman of the Tunisian Maritime Cluster. The signing took place in the presence of the Minister for the Knowledge Economy, Start-Ups and Micro-Enterprises, and the Inspector General of the Ministry for Fisheries and Fish Production.

According to Mr Harizi, the agreement provides for ‘the creation of opportunities for Algerian players in the blue economy, through international cooperation, the exchange of expertise between the two countries and support for innovation between them, with joint projects to be launched in the coming months.

For his part, Mr Kacem stated that the aim of these agreements was to create maritime clusters in all the countries of North Africa, and then to establish an organisation bringing together all the clusters in the region. He stressed the need for collaboration between the Tunisian cluster and its Algerian counterpart, which is currently being set up.

For further information, please contact Salem Miladi (WestMED National Hub Tunisia): tunisia@westmed-inititiative.ec.europa.eu

people sitting on stage during callmeblue event in Tunisia on 14 October 2024

WestMED Tunisia presents maritime cluster actions during CallmeBlue event

15 October 2024/in News /by Egbert Hoogstad

On 14 October 2024, WestMED’s National Hub Tunisia particpated in a workshop organised by the Cluster Maritime Tunisien, titled ‘Maritime clusters, catalysts for the development of the blue economy’.

This workshop was part of the European CallmeBlue project, which aims to strengthen synergies between maritime clusters in the North and South and to promote regional maritime dynamics.

The event brought together players from the maritime sector to strengthen opportunities for collaboration, identify innovative projects, encourage collaboration between public companies and institutions and private companies, and involve environmental protection institutions and civil society in the debate on the blue economy.

The National Hub presented the objectives and priorities of the Westmed project and outlined the results of the work of the technical and discussion groups, emphasising the cluster’s role in developing relations between the various players in the maritime world in order to create synergies and development opportunities.

The Secretary General for Maritime Affairs presented the objectives and priorities of the national strategy for the blue economy and emphasised the role of the maritime cluster as a catalyst for the development of the blue professions.