The Director of the Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands (PLOCAN), José Joaquín Hernández Brito, took part yesterday, 12 November, in the institutional opening of the fourth Net-Zero MAR Alliance Congress, held in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria to advance the decarbonisation of maritime transport and port operations.
The event is taking place from 11 to 13 November across Tenerife and Gran Canaria, bringing together institutional representatives, port authorities, shipping companies, energy firms, technology organisations and research bodies. PLOCAN is participating as one of the host organisations, alongside the port authorities of Las Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Baleària Canarias and Alimia Shipyards.
The opening session was followed by a programme addressing the implications of international and European regulation, the decarbonisation of vessels at sea, green corridors and the potential of emerging technologies. The congress also covers onshore power supply for ships, known as OPS, terminal electrification and the deployment of renewable energy in port settings.
PLOCAN’s participation is linked to its membership of the Net-Zero MAR Alliance since 2025 and to its contribution to developing solutions for the sector’s energy transition. The infrastructure supports marine renewable energy generation, the development and testing of decarbonisation technologies, energy efficiency and smart energy management, particularly for port and blue-economy applications.
The agenda on 12 November also included a maritime visit to the Port of Las Palmas, the Astican shipyard and PLOCAN’s facilities. This activity introduced participants to infrastructure and testing capabilities associated with marine innovation and the development of technological solutions under real operating conditions.
The final day of the congress focuses on renewable energy in ports, offshore wind, the electrification of terminal machinery, vocational training for sustainable maritime mobility and updated studies on onshore power supply for ships. The programme concludes with a visit to the Canary Islands Institute of Technology to learn about renewable-energy and hydrogen-production projects.
Through its participation in the forum, PLOCAN is strengthening cooperation with leading stakeholders across the maritime and port ecosystem and reinforcing its contribution to cleaner, more efficient maritime transport aligned with European and international climate objectives
