The President of the Xunta with the Mayor of Vigo inaugurated Navalia.

The sixth edition of the International Fair of the Naval Industry of Vigo closes its doors with a leap of quality in terms of external promotion. And I weighed not to have overcome the barrier of the 25,000 visitors in this edition, if there has been a significant increase in the international presence. Thus, the number of visitors from other countries has increased by 30% over the last two citations of the Vigués event.

This morning Javier Arnau, director of the fair, confirmed that these figures place Navalia as the most important event in southern Europe within the naval sector. In this regard, Arnau explained to the media that, to a large extent, the new international connections of Galician airports have contributed to this growth. At the fair several delegations have been seen so far unusual at the event coming from Latin America or Africa, highlighting countries such as Namibia, Algeria, Libya or South Africa.

Arnau stated that this edition confirms the recovery of the naval sector and advanced that in the coming weeks several Galician shipyards will make known new contracts that have been taking place in the past months.

Navalia dismisses its sixth edition by increasing the presence of international visitors by 30% and with an impact of 11 million euros in Vigo. The Daren Shipyard, a company related to the complaint against the Spanish Taxi-Lease, took advantage of its presence at the event to reiterate its collaboration with Galicia and Spain

As for Navalia's impact on the city itself, Arnau explained that the hotel occupation has been around 90% and that professional visitors have left a cost in Vigo of 11 million euros.

Finally, with regard to the turnover of this fair, Arnau said that it is difficult for the moment to give a concrete figure, pending the next news that the shipyards are expected to move in the coming weeks, but that it is expected to exceed the 4 billion of the 2014 edition.

Navalia 2016 welcomed the sector most punished in recent years by tax lease with optimism

On the other hand, and given recent information in the media questioning the presence of the Daren shipyard in the Vigués event (a company related to the complaint against the Spanish Taxi-Lease) representatives of the Dutch firm in Navalia, they took advantage of their assistance to reiterate their collaboration with Galicia and Spain. At questions from journalists about their connection with this complaint, which paralyzed the work of the Spanish shipyards for years, Carlos González, Damen's spokesman at the fair, said that a "trial in the European Union and in the media, which has been extended over time, and that he finally" recognized "that the Taxi-Lease Galician is perfectly valid and we are delighted and accept it."

The Minister of Development, Ana Pastor, attended the closing day of the event, where she was able to learn first-hand about the developments of the sector on a wide tour of the Ifevi. In statements to the media, Pastor reiterated his portfolio's support in the fight on two fundamental issues: the Taxi-Lease and the Sea Highway. In this regard, the Minister recalled that maritime traffic has grown by more than 30% since the launch of this highway. With regard to the expansion platforms of the Rande Bridge, the Minister recalled that it is her job to ensure compliance with the delivery deadlines, April 2017, but it is the concessionaire who is responsible for deciding to award them.

"Daren is a global shipyard dedicated to shipbuilding and we cooperate with shipyards and the Galician naval industry," said González, who added that more than 30 Spanish people work in the Dutch company in different departments.

During these statements González was accompanied by the President of Navalia, José García Costas, who claimed to be very "happy" and satisfied with the presence of the Dutch shipyard. "The world of business and life is like this, but business continues to walk and there is no alternative but to move on," said García Costas, who reiterated that the issue of the Taxi-Lease will be the courts that have the last word.

Text: Jorge Alonso
Photographs: Navalia Press Office