CONSORTEX outcomes may contribute to a more resilient, collaborative and competitive Atlantic Shipbuilding Industry
Over the past three years, seven partners from five European countries have worked together to promote the competitiveness and internationalisation of the Shipbuilding sector and its ancillary industry in Portugal, Spain, France, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. The outcomes of the CONSORTEX Interreg Atlantic Area funded project will be presented during a virtual event happening on the 30th of March 2021.
During the CONSORTEX Final Event, the partnership will present some of the main achievements and outcomes of the project, sailing across the journey that started in 2017. Among the results, there is the constitution of cooperation groups, consisting of European SMEs specialised in the manufacture of built-in packages for vessels and marine structures (Deck, Vessel Design, Accommodation, Engine Room, Bridge and Offshore Energy).
The cooperation groups are the basis for setting up Interregional Export Consortia, focusing on combining expertise and assets to address international markets and new business opportunities. The objective is to promote the competitiveness and internationalisation of the Shipbuilding sector and its ancillary industry in the European Atlantic Area. Besides the Consortia Presentation, the CONSORTEX partners will present the Virtual Catalogues of products and services supplied by each consortium, a relevant tool to search for business opportunities abroad.
“It is true that the Covid-19 pandemic has generated a serious problem for us in a project in which face-to-face contact between companies was very important. However, it is no less true that throughout these three years we have reached an important list of achievements”, says Víctor Lejarreta, from Alium Consulting/Foro Maritimo Vasco, the Project Coordinator.
“We analysed the role of the maritime industry in our regions and its value chain and drafted a special methodology for consortia incorporation, with a Manual and Working Templates. We researched the Shipbuilding worldwide market, seeking business opportunities. We gathered six cooperation groups involving 35 companies, which have a total annual turnover of 570 Million euros and employ 6,600 people. We arranged four rounds of virtual meetings involving those companies. The last round took place during the Consortex Virtual Congress, held at the beginning of March. We drafted a Business Plan proposal for each consortium, and we suggested a Letter of Intent for business collaboration between companies”, referrers the coordinator highlighting the wiliness of companies in being involved in the project.
Participation in the Final Event is free upon registration here.
Further details on the programme area available here.
Foro Marítimo Vasco leads CONSORTEX project, which gathers the partners Fórum Oceano - Associação da Economia do Mar, Associação das Indústrias Navais, MTU - Munster Technological University, National Maritime, Clúster del Sector Naval Gallego and Bretagne Pôle Naval. With a total budget of over € 1.6 million and an ERDF incentive, through the INTERREG Atlantic Area programme, of almost € 1.3 million, CONSORTEX will end in March 2021.
