The Portuguese Sea Cluster, represented by Fórum Oceano, and the Maritime-Marine Cluster of Andalusia (CMMA) have signed a memorandum of understanding at the San Telmo Palace, headquarters of the Ministry of the Presidency, Interior, Social Dialogue and Administrative Simplification of the Andalusian Government. The signing included the participation of Carlos Costa Pina and Rubén Eiras, president and general secretary of Fórum Oceano, and Javier I. Noriega Hernández, president of the CMMA. The event was chaired by the Vice-Minister of the Presidency, Tomás Burgos, with a welcome by José Enrique Millo Rocher, Secretary General of Foreign Action, Cooperation and the European Union.
The main objective of this agreement is to strengthen cooperation between both entities to promote the Blue Economy in Andalusia and Portugal, especially in the Algarve and Alentejo regions. The alliance seeks to foster mutual trust and establish a strategic collaboration for the exchange of knowledge and the development of projects in the field of the Blue Economy, both regionally and internationally.
Both organizations will cooperate in the execution of projects financed by the European Union, promoting the creation of mixed financial mechanisms and establishing alliances between Portuguese and Andalusian companies. They will also focus on creating a networking network to facilitate mutual support and the exchange of skills and experiences in the management of ocean clusters. The memorandum also includes the promotion of sustainable investments and the growth of the Blue Economy, in addition to facilitating the transfer of knowledge between companies and researchers from both regions.
The signing of this memorandum also seeks to facilitate the access of CMMA companies to the innovation centers of the Blue Hub, led by Fórum Oceano, and to the European Digital Innovation Hub 'Portugal Blue Digital Hub'. These centers will serve as collaborative work spaces for the development of business projects accelerated by the Andalusian cluster. In addition, collaboration between members of both organizations will be encouraged to carry out joint projects, events and alliances that enhance synergies between Portugal and Andalusia.
During the event, Tomás Burgos underlined the importance of the Cohesion Policy of the European Union and the Interreg program for territorial and cross-border cooperation, highlighting the opportunities that these initiatives offer for the partners of both entities. For his part, Javier Noriega has highlighted the importance of this alliance to optimize the transfer of knowledge and multiply business opportunities in the field of the Blue Economy, promoting sustainability and innovation.
Noriega also recalled that the CMMA already participated in the creation of the Atlantic Maritime Alliance between Andalusia and Portugal through the Atlazul Project, which further reinforces cooperation between both regions. This strategic collaboration is seen as a historic opportunity to strengthen the maritime economy and create a prosperous future for both regions.
Rubén Eiras, general secretary of Fórum Oceano, has highlighted that the integration of the three regions in the AAA Euroregion offers unique opportunities for strategic cooperation to boost competitiveness and promote employment. Carlos Costa Pina, president of Fórum Oceano, has highlighted the importance of an integrated strategy that generates wealth based on sustainable Blue Economy businesses, highlighting digitalization, decarbonization and circularity as key drivers of new sources of income.
Sources: The Digital Strait
