Portugal may have a “leading role in the exploitation of the oceans”

The director of the Sustainable Oceans Business platform of the United Nations Global Compact project, Erik Gierckshy, said today that projects developed in Portugal could lead the country to take “a leading role in the exploration of the oceans.”

“Portugal is one of the strongest maritime countries in Europe, and although the exploitation of the oceans has only recently begun, a number of projects are already being developed in Portugal. leading role in the exploration and development of the oceans, “said Erik Gierckshy, on the sidelines of a visit to CEiiA – Center for Engineering and Development, held today in Matosinhos, Oporto.

In an interview, the director of the Sustainable Oceans Business Platform said that Portugal has “demonstrated the ability to be ahead”, taking into account the technology developed by research centres and universities along with the industry that operates in the ocean.

“The ocean is free for all those who have high standards, who show great impact and develop great technological solutions and Portugal really showed the capacity to be ahead,” he said.

The Sustainable Oceans Business Platform is a platform developed within the framework of the United Nations’ Global Compact project, which aims to define guiding principles and develop technologies and new business models around the oceans.

This platform, which began in June and ends in 2020, comprises 50 private entities, and CEiiA is the only technological development centre that represents Portugal.

“It is fundamental to have partners who are able to cross different sectors such as transport, underwater exploration and even space, such as CEiia. The contribution of this centre can be very valuable for our platform, both in the development of mobility solutions, but also on the sustainability of the ocean, “he said.

Erik Gierckshy will meet, over the next few days, with some Portuguese government officials to “coordinate and outline the work to be carried out on industries operating in the ocean, and the opportunities that may arise from it.”

According to the director of the Sustainable Oceans Business Platform, the next steps of the project are related to “three essential pillars”: the revision of the regulation of the oceans, the mapping of the opportunities of the oceans and the creation of principles of business sustainability.

“The ocean can be a bet on solving a number of problems since it is our ‘air conditioning’ because 50% of the oxygen is reproduced. So it is important to use industries and the business sector to change mechanisms and prospects of the market, “he added.