SmartBlue conference on Blue Growth strategies in Funchal

The SmartBlue project, which objective is to promote the competitiveness, innovation and internationalisation of marine and maritime companies operating in the blue economy in the Macaronesian regions, organised a conference in order to present the Blue Growth strategies of the Macaronesian regions of Europe at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Funchal (Madeira).

The strategies presented have been developed within the framework of the activity that promotes the definition of blue economy or cluster strategies aligned with regional development strategies and programmes such as RIS3, the EU Integrated Maritime Policy, the Blue Growth strategy or the Atlantic Maritime strategy.

The conference was presented by Jorge Veiga França, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Funchal (ACIF-CCIM), Filipe Porteiro, Regional Director for Sea Affairs of the Government of Azores, Ara Oliveira, Deputy Regional Director of Land and Environmental Management of the Government of Azores and Octavio Llinás, Director of PLOCAN. During the presentation, the Regional Agency for the Development of Research, Technology and Innovation (ARDITI) explained the blue economy strategy of Madeira, the consultant Simbiente presented the blue economy strategy of Azores and the Maritime Cluster of the Canary Islands explained the strategy of the Canary Islands. Finally, the Macaronesian Marine Maritime Alliance and the new SmartBlue project were presented, which will facilitate the Alliance consolidation as a network of clusters of the blue economy in the biogeographical zone of the Macaronesia.

Furthermore, during the conference, Madeira UBQ, Rota dos Cetáceos and Acosta Ingeniería Subacuática explained their capacities related to the marine and maritime activities to the attendees.

The SmartBlue Project was approved in the first call for projects of the INTERREG V-A Spain-Portugal MAC (Madeira-Azores-Canaries) co-operation programme 2014-2020 and is 85% co-funded with ERD funds. The project is led by the CMC, working with its partners: CETECIMA, PLOCAN, the Regional Science and Technology Fund of Azores (FRCT), the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Azores(CCIA), the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Madeira (ACIF- CCIM), and the Regional Agency for the Development of Research, Technology and Innovation (ARDITI). It also has participants associated with SmartBay Ireland (an Irish Company that manages the marine renewable energies test bed in Galway Bay), the Regional Department of Sea Affairs of Azores and ENAPOR from Cape Verde.


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