Within the #EU4Business program, funded by the European Union and the German government on November 7th-10th at the World maritime exhibition Europort in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, Ukrainian Maritime Cluster organized the Ukrainian pavilion, where the leading enterprises of the marine industry of Ukraine were presented.
Europort it’s a large European platform that traditionally host numerous conferences, thematic workshops, networking events, and seminars in close cooperation with partners and industry organizations. With an average attendance of 25,000 professional visitors and 1,000 exhibiting companies, Europort ranks among the world’s largest platforms for B2B meetings and knowledge exchange.
Development of the maritime sector of Ukraine and integration into the European community are important steps to support the state economy. Therefore, as part of the EU4Business program, the Ukrainian Maritime Cluster is implementing the project “Integration of Ukraine into the European Maritime Community”, which includes a cycle of working visits to leading European maritime organizations.
The Ukrainian Maritime Cluster is the organizer of the Ukrainian Pavilion at the exhibition. The Ukrainian stand represent shipbuilders and ship repair specialists, service providers, manufacturers of maritime equipment, engineering bureaus, project organizations, innovative companies, and educational institutions.
“Thanks to the support of our partners, the European Union and the German government, the Ukrainian Maritime Cluster is implementing its tasks step by step: currently it is the integration of the maritime industry of Ukraine into the world and European community at the international maritime exhibition EUROPORT. It is important for us that the voice of Ukraine is heard in the pan-European discussion, and we hope that we have succeeded in this,” noted Artem Vashchylenko, the Chairman of the UMC Supervisory Board.
Representatives and members of the Ukrainian Maritime Cluster, SMEs of the maritime industry, who were presented at the stand of the Ukrainian pavilion, were able to demonstrate their own innovative products and advanced domestic technologies.
“Members of the Ukrainian Maritime Cluster are players in the following industries: shipping, shipbuilding, ports and engineering, blue business of SMEs. And they are interested in the transfer of technologies, access to innovations, the development of foreign cooperation and the attraction of foreign investments,” emphasizes Olena Zhukova, Executive Director of the Ukrainian Maritime Cluster.
The organization of the Ukrainian pavilion at this exhibition was made possible thanks to grant support from the European Union and the German government. Was secured a designated stand, curated visual elements for the Ukrainian pavilion, and produced an engaging promotional video. Informational materials on Ukraine’s maritime industry and the Ukrainian Maritime Cluster are now available in both English and Ukrainian.
The Ukrainian pavilion was also attended by honored guests from European Shipbuilding and Maritime Equipment Association (SEA Europe) – by René Berkvens, SEA Europe Chairman, and Christophe Tytgat, Sea Europe Secretary General.
“…In these terrible times we all have got new friends and Sea Europe in this sense is very honored to have you onboard. We all realize that it is a very hard situation for business. But looking at your slogan “Ahead with Ukraine”, I think if we unite, if we stay together, we will come to a prosperous future. And we all are willing, it is a mightfull fact that only together we can be strong, we can lift of the situation”, stressed Christophe Tytgat to the Ukrainian delegation.
In addition, in 2023, the following activities have already taken place within the project:
- https://maritimeukraine.com/30-05-2023/
- https://maritimeukraine.com/12-06-2023/ https://maritimeukraine.com/12_07_2023/
- https://maritimeukraine.com/02-10-2023/
This trade mission to Rotterdam has become possible due to the support of the international cooperation program “EU4Business: Recovery, Competitiveness, and Internationalization of SMEs”, which is co-financed by the European Union and the German Government. The grant call of proposals is implemented by the Business Development Fund, the strategic implementer is the German federal company “Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH”. The programme aims to support Ukraine’s economic resilience, recovery and growth, create better conditions for the development of Ukrainian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as well as support innovation and exports. Read more: www.eu4business.org.ua
Its content is the sole responsibility of the Ukrainian Maritime Cluster and does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union, the German government, GIZ, the BDF.