During an extraordinary General Assembly in November, SEA Europe endorsed the application of the Ukrainian Maritime Cluster as associate member.
SEA Europe (The Shipyards’ & Maritime Equipment Association of Europe)represents the European shipbuilding industry in 15 nations, encompassing the production, maintenance, repair, retrofit and conversion of all types of ships and floating structures, commercial as well as naval, including the full supply chain with the various producers of maritime systems, equipment material, and services.
The main players of the Ukrainian maritime sector are shipping, shipbuilding, ports, and engineering. According to data of the pre-war period this sector generates an annual turnover of € 1,4 billion and creates more than 50,000 direct jobs in 1200 companies. The Ukrainian Maritime Cluster is a national cluster association, which started from the Mykolaiv region and expanded to Kherson, Odesa, and Kyiv. The association currently represents the Ukrainian maritime sector towards the international maritime community.
“On behalf of SEA Europe members, I very much welcome the Ukrainian Maritime Cluster to the family of European shipyards and maritime equipment manufacturers. Some SEA Europe member-companies have offices and/or industrial activities in Ukraine and have taken care of Ukrainian families working in the local companies after the war. There has therefore been a close link with Ukraine’s maritime community. I am confident that the involvement of Ukrainian maritime companies in SEA Europe will be a mutual benefit for all of us”, says Christophe Tytgat, SEA Europe’s Secretary General.
“I am very grateful for SEA Europe to accept the Ukrainian Maritime Cluster as its new associate membership. In these very difficult times for our companies, cooperation with and learning from our European colleagues will no doubt be instrumental in rebuilding and enhancing the maritime activities in my country”, adds Olena Zhukova, Executive Director of the Ukrainian Maritime Cluster. “As Ukrainian Maritime Cluster, we are fully committed to planning future reconstruction of Ukraine and cooperating with our European partners to develop joint projects”, Mrs Zhukova concluded.
We are grateful to our European colleagues from SEA Europe for their trust, strong support and the opportunities opening up by the future cooperation.
We welcome Cluster members to the ranks of the Shipyards’ & Maritime Equipment Association of Europe! We are moving towards victory with the full support of our European colleagues!