On March 7th and 8th, we attended the 11th edition of the Nautical Congress, which filled the auditorium of Euskalduna Bilbao with an atmosphere charged with enthusiasm and anticipation.

Quico Taronji was the one who presented the event. He began by recalling the beginnings of the Nautical Congress in Madrid in 2013 and the journey taken to reach halfway across Spain.

This path allowed them to grow and learn from experts, as well as to establish relationships between companies, institutions, and administrations.

The Congress as a driving force to promote sustainable nautical industry

The importance of this celebration for the region and its nautical industry was emphasized by the director general of BASQUETOUR, Daniel Solana.

His vision highlighted the potential of the congress as a driving force for nautical and quality tourism in Euskadi.

The speakers offered an optimistic perspective on the future of nautical activities. The economist and writer Fernando Trías de Bes shared his hopeful vision, emphasizing that the love for the sea and navigation knows no economic barriers.

Next, Inma Shara, one of the only five female symphony orchestra conductors in the world, took over the congress. She highlighted the value of intangibles in the success of companies and teams.

The debate focused on sustainability, as it is increasingly present, both in the sentiment of nautical users and in the effects on companies in the nautical sector. Matías Salazar, partner of Sustainability and Good Governance at KPMG, defined the three axes that determine corporate governance in sustainability matters: regulation, markets, and society.

Promotion of nautical training and the challenges and opportunities of this sector

Nautical training took center stage in the first debate session of the Congress, with various relevant figures from the sector participating.

In this block, the currently available options for nautical training were presented, as well as the lines of action of ANEN, which focus on dissemination and communication to highlight the professional opportunities offered by the sector.

In this eleventh edition, there was the first all-female debate session in the history of the congress. Five women professionally dedicated to the maritime sector analyzed the challenges of this sector from their different experiences.

Nautical events, their legacy, and blue tourism destinations concluded the first day of the Congress, with representatives from various entities highlighting initiatives to promote nautical activities as an economic and cultural driving force in various regions.

The second day of the congress was marked by interventions from maritime administration and a debate on the evolution of the work of the Recreational Navigation Codification Commission, thus closing a day and a half full of reflections, exchange of ideas, and inspiring visions for the future of nautical activities in Spain.