Today at 18.30 pm at the Arsenale of La Spezia, the Sea Future & Maritime Technologies 2016 event officially opened. Until May 28th La Spezia with its Arsenal will represent the capital of the sea economy, bringing the Gulf of Poets and the our country in the center of the Mediterranean.
Beyond 110 companies and 27 foreign military navies will be protagonists of the most important international event organized in Italy.
The event is characterized as a business hub and technical-scientific comparison, a format that takes into consideration all aspects of the integrated maritime policy and which is based on the 'Blue Growth' strategy, as indicated by the European Commission.
The international relevance of the event is confirmed by the foreign navies interested in refitting and upgrading, which involves the industrial poles of the Italian Navy arsenals and by over one hundred exhibitors from all over Italy and other European countries.
As stated, during the press conference of 17 May, by Admiral Donato Marzano, Navy logistic commander and coordinator of the Navy's support for the initiative, "The Navy is able to express dual capabilities by making available some assets of the line of logistics products such as work plants, arsenals, study and research centers with highly professional staff ".
The ships disused by the Italian Navy represent, in fact, a good business for the smaller foreign navies, because they are a guarantee of reliability over time, as they are designed and built in Italy, where shipbuilding and its related industries are the expression of the highest level of technology and innovation, Made in Italy manifesto in the world. The implementation of the naval emergency program guarantees the maintenance and increase of national and international technological advantage in the shipbuilding sector.
Refitting and selling the units of the Navy no longer in line, constitute an advantageous alternative to demolition, since they generate work for the national shipbuilding industry. The use of the Navy's arsenals in refitting activities is a further added value in terms of skills and structures.
The foreign Marine Participants will in fact be offered the possibility of embarking on units of the Italian Navy, in line or in the near future disposal, even for short trips at sea, such as class units Mistral, unit class Soldier, unit class Minerva and class minesweeper unit Lerici.
"The event was born from an idea of EPS and is the result of a great collaboration between our company, the Chamber of Commerce of Riviere of Liguria, the Navy, the Ligurian District of marine technologies, the La Spezia Port Authority, the Region Liguria and the Italian Trade Promotion Agency - explains Cristiana Pagni - SEAFUTURE & MT 2016 is a manifestation of hope and trust in the capabilities of our country; an expression of our potential in terms of innovation, competitiveness and development, not only for La Spezia and Liguria, but for the whole Italian system. The Blue Economy represents about 5,4 million jobs and generates an annual GDP of almost 500 billion euros in EU countries; further growth opportunities are expected, especially in some areas, in a country that, like Italy, is 2/3 surrounded by the sea. In fact, although we are able to express highly innovative technologies, systems, know-how and products with very high added value, Italy does not yet have an appropriate “showcase” for the marine economy sector. In this sense, it is necessary to make a qualitative leap to meet the challenges of competition on a global scale. We are sure that it is necessary to have a sea that is safe from an environmental point of view and protected from a geo-political point of view. And we are convinced that Italy should be a leader in the Mediterranean not only for international solidarity missions and for the defense of the EU borders, but as an economy capable of innovating its competitiveness through the strength of its industrial system by large companies and especially by SMEs, which are the backbone of the sea economy. We have organized the 5th edition of SEAFUTURE & MT 2016 precisely in order to achieve these objectives".
SEAFUTURE & MT 2016, through Advanced Bilateral Meetings (B2B), will offer companies new business opportunities, thus establishing a direct link between end consumers, shipyards, defense industries, the naval system and companies throughout the supply chain.
In this context, the SEAFUTURE AWARDS Award was also created, aimed at enhancing experimental, master's or doctoral theses, developed in industries or laboratories of university departments, research centers, aimed at products or processes in the field of marine technologies, which they can possibly be used in different sectors (dual use) and have a low environmental impact.
The event program does not only include advanced bilateral meetings, but also conferences and seminars on wider topics:
- Conference “The future of Armed Forces logistics, new technologies, dual use, retrofit opportunities and recycling”;
- Seminar "Unmanned and marine robotics";
- Conference “Financial support for the development of marine technologies and dual use for small and medium-sized enterprises through European funds and other forms of access to credit”;
- “Cyber Security - EUNAV FORMED Mission” Conference;
- Seminar "Additive Manufacturing";
- Conference “Integrated maritime policy”;
- Seminar "LNG and maritime environmental challenges: from policy issues to real life sustainible projects";
- Business Conversation “The importance of internal and external communication of 2.0 companies in the driving sectors of the sea economy”.
On Wednesday 25, at 21.00, at the Civic Theater of La Spezia it will also be possible to attend a concert by the Italian Navy Band, for which 350 tickets are available for free to the citizens at the Theater ticket office.
SEAFUTURE & MT 2016 is organized by the special company of the Chamber of Commerce of the Riviere of Liguria 'La Spezia EPS', in collaboration with the Navy, the Chamber of Commerce of the Riviere of Liguria, the Port Authority of La Spezia, the Ligurian District of Technologies marine and the Tecnomar Consortium, Unioncamere Liguria / Rete EEN Consorzio Alps and the Municipality of La Spezia, with the patronage of the Liguria Region, and with the strong support of the Government through the High Patronage of: Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Economic Development and Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport.
