Mataró Marina Barcelona hosts 1st Refit Conference

Spanish Mataró Marina Barcelona has hosted its 1^st Refit Conference under the organisation of the Barcelona Clúster Nàutic, Daevi and Varador 2000, aiming to generate a debate to detect the needs and challenges of this sector to boost its growth.

Directed towards professionals linked to the maintenance and repair of boats, the meeting has strengthened training and networking in this sector, and has also facilitated a dialogue between business and administration, as the event was attended by the manager of Ports de Catalunya, Joan Pere Gómez.

David Bote, mayor of Mataró, introduced the conference before the ‘Present and Future of the Refit Sector in Catalonia’ meeting commenced, involving Toni Tió, president of Barcelona Clúster Nàutic, along with the representative of Ports and the CEO of Varador 2000, Xiqui Mas.

Tió asked for the collaboration of the administration in order to consolidate this sector as an economic engine of Catalonia, a petition Gómez has taken note of.

“The nautical sector is an economic motor and I am aware of that, in the towns, the company that creates more employment is always the port,” he commented.

Mas stressed that the activity is growing and that in order to follow this rhythm, it is necessary to promote specialised training in the sector.

The second meeting focussed precisely on the training needs of the sector, including the director of the Institut de Nàutica de Barcelona, Feliu López Vidal, and the co-ordinator of the CFGM of the Manteniment embarcacions esportives i d’esbarjo of the Institut Miquel Biada of Mataró, Sergi Novo.

According to López, the training responds to part of the needs of the companies, although it is true that the catalogue should be expanded with more specialised training.

The representative of the Institut de Nàutica added, "We have zero unemployment and we have high demand of companies that want to host dual education students, so the balance is positive, and we look forward to the development of the professional training law of 2015 in order to offer a broader catalogue of training.”

Novo also agreed, emphasising the need to extend the hours of the dual FP company so that students can specialise more. 

Jotun has been in charge of the training paper ‘The new regulations on anti-fouling’, compiled by Gemma González, yachting concept director, and Eduardo Díaz, senior technical support yachting.

The representatives of this multinational of paintings have shed light on the new regulations in biocides, the substances that prevent life from growing in this case on the hull of the ship, and stressed the need to combine protection and aesthetics in the anti-fouling, which represents a very important part of the refining sector.

Eli Martín, director of marketing and communication at Daevi, presented the paper ‘Advantages of using the cover in the refit’.

In relation to the protection products for refit work that Daevit produces, Martin stated, “It is better to prevent it than to cure it, it is worth more to protect than to clean it”.

Eloy Bautista, technical director of Eceleni, lead the ‘3D printing arrives to the refit sector’ discussion. The conversation addressed the possibilities of introducing this new technology into the industry to make some of the spare parts necessary for the repair of boats. Bautista declared that 3D printing represents a revolution, since it enables people to manufacture pieces that may no longer be for sale and also with sustainable biodegradable materials, although it cannot solve everything.

As well as the training, the networking has been a key factor in the 1^st Refit Conference.

Joaquim Arnó, president of the Consorci de Promoció Turística Costa del Maresme, emphasised at the end of the conference the need to promote nautical bases in the Maresme, halfway between Barcelona and the Costa Brava. He also stressed the importance of specialised training to boost the sector.

Ignasi Bendicho, captain of Mataró Marina Barcelona, thanked the organisation of the 1^st Refit Conference in the capital of Maresme, in facilities designed to meet the needs of large ships.

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