The Port Olímpic will have its own stand at the Moll de la Fusta dock to show the entire nautical ecosystem how the transformation and new use project is progressing
Talks and round tables will also be held to disseminate the objectives of the Blue Economy Hub, the sustainability projects currently underway and the role the Port Olímpic will play in the America’s Cup
From 11 to 15 October, the Port Olímpic will be participating in the Barcelona Salón Náutico International Boat Show to showcase its focus on the blue economy, innovation and sustainability, the pillars of the current transformation.
This will be the second time that the Port Olímpic has participated in this major industry gathering since BSM started managing it in 2020. Under the slogan ‘The Future is Blue’, the Port Olímpic stand, measuring 130 square metres, will be a meeting point where the entire nautical ecosystem can learn first-hand how the port is becoming a new urban environment committed to generating economic activity associated with the sea and to the dynamism of its nearby setting, with which it hopes to build bridges.
In the opinion of the First Deputy Mayor and president of BSM, Laia Bonet, ‘participating in the Boat Show is once again a clear display of the Port Olímpic’s focus on becoming the best platform for the growth and development of the city’s blue sectors. We want the entire nautical community to learn how the Port Olímpic is being transformed to become a seaport in the heart of the city, a modern, sustainable environment open to citizens, sailing fans and companies whose business is committed to the sea’.
The Port Olímpic stand, located on the Moll de la Fusta dock, will feature a model animated with videomapping, allowing visitors to see first-hand the physical changes which are beginning to take shape on the ground. This year will also feature the Blue Economy Hub, a project currently being set up to make the Port Olímpic a hub of business activity in the fields of nautical activities and services, innovation, technology, the circular economy and sustainability.
The Barcelona Salón Náutico International Boat Show will open on Wednesday 11 October at 12 noon. This will kick off the programme of round tables and presentations that the Port Olímpic has planned for its stand. The first activity will be a conversation between the director of the Zoo de Barcelona, Antoni Alarcón, and the biologist and researcher at the Institute of Marine Sciences, Xavier Salvador. This dialogue will take stock of the seabed recovery project that the Port Olímpic is undertaking by creating a biogenerated reef around the port facilities, an initiative which not only improves the quality of the water but is also fosters biodiversity in the zone.
The following day, 12 October, David Serrano, corporate director of ESG at BSM, and Narcís Armengol, dean of the Association of Industrial Engineers of Catalonia, will participate in a round table on current sustainability and innovation projects to achieve a net positive impact for port activities, mitigate the effects of the climate crisis and adapt the port to the challenges of global warming, in line with the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda.
Just like last year, the sailing companies working in the Port Olímpic will also visit the stand. On the afternoons of 12 and 14 October, they will be participating in round tables on the experiences they offer and the opportunities being created by this new era in the Port Olímpic.
The blue economy will be featured on Friday 13 October. The event entitled ‘The Port Olímpic: A showcase for the blue sectors’ will help to disseminate the work underway to attract companies for the Blue Economy Hub being created on Moll de Mestral and Dic de Recer sea wall. The event will feature Olga Cerezo, director of the Port; Anna Majó, director of Business Innovation at Barcelona Activa, and representatives from the leading companies that have confirmed their participation in this new economic environment being created at the Port Olímpic.
The 37th America’s Cup will also make a stop at the stand of the Port Olímpic, which will be the base port for the youth and women’s regattas being held as part of this major sailing event. On Saturday 14 October, ‘This is how the Puig Women’s America’s Cup is being planned’ will focus on how the first women’s regattas in the history of this major nautical event are being organised. Participants will include Aurora Catà, vice-president of America’s Cup Event Barcelona (ACE Barcelona); Mack Dalton, manager of the Youth & Puig Women’s America’s Cup; and several sailors from the participating teams.
