By: Marek Grzybowski

ENMC shared with the national clusters relevant developments and used the video calls for clusters to connect. Topics discussed were, amongst others, sustainable finance and opportunities of the blue economy and the EU mission.  

The objectives of the European Network of Maritime Clusters are to establish an efficient framework for maritime sectoral cooperation, focused on vocalizing the specific maritime interest to European policymakers toward a European sea level playing field.

As new President, he said: I wish to reinforce the link between the European clusters and help their members cooperate more. Furthermore, we need to strengthen our voice at the European Union level and at the European Commission.

An exclusive interview for eBlue Economy> Marek Grzybowski 3 questions for Fabrice Maire, President, European Network of Maritime Clusters

Marek Grzybowski: In December 2021, you were elected the new European Network of Maritime Clusters’ President. We congratulate you. ENMC has been operating on the market for over 15 years. Unfortunately, the last two years have been tough for maritime clusters. What is the mission and objective of this organization?

Fabrice Maire:

Thanks a lot for your congratulations! Indeed, after being a Vice-President of the ENMC, it is time for me to take a new role as President. I have to admit that it was a massive surprise for me, I had never thought I could take this responsibility, and I am delighted that people believe in my competencies and support me.

I will do the best I can to fulfill this position and contribute to the connection of national maritime clusters and support through the European maritime sector in these next years. And more than for me, it is an honor for the Luxembourg Maritime Cluster to take this new role and highlight a landlocked country at the European level with the support of the entire sector behind us.

The COVID crisis has impacted the maritime clusters. However, there have been pretty several positive developments as well. The European maritime clusters see opportunities in the blue economy and cooperation regarding decarbonization.

The objectives of the European Network of Maritime Clusters are to establish an efficient framework for maritime sectoral cooperation, focused on vocalizing the specific maritime interest to European policymakers toward a European sea level playing field. As new President, I wish to reinforce the link between the European clusters and help their members cooperate more. Furthermore, we need to strengthen our voice at the European Union level and at the European Commission.

The times are ready to enhance the maritime dialogue with the EU-based maritime associations.

Marek Grzybowski: We can see that the pandemic will continue. This significantly impacts maritime transport, maritime tourism, shipbuilding, ports, and fishery. What activities were undertaken by European Clusters at that time?

Fabrice Maire:

ENMC reached out to the national maritime clusters and connected the network via video calls during that time. We can say the same for each cluster to help its respective members. For an EU network gathering people during this crisis appeared more manageable. Indeed, it was much simpler to find expected dates and discuss digitally with digital meetings. In some way, it makes us closer than during the previous years as we could see each other digitally more often, and it is a significant point and a good one that we can keep from this period.

However, it could never completely replace face-to-face, and it is why we are delighted to have had the opportunity to invite the national maritime clusters for the 2021 ENMC Annual Meeting in Luxembourg.

Although not everyone could attend the meeting, we organized a hybrid one, but it was already a win in this current context. Besides the Annual Meeting, the members shared time at the Gala of Shipowners that the Luxembourg Maritime Cluster organized the day before to allow the clusters to meet Luxembourgish stakeholders and spend a pleasant evening.

ENMC shared with the national clusters relevant developments and used the video calls for clusters to connect. Topics discussed were, amongst others, sustainable finance and opportunities of the blue economy and the EU mission.

Marek Grzybowski: During the pandemic, digitization in maritime industries developed dynamically. Maritime clusters are vulnerable to cyber-attacks. We live in a time of new threats. We operate in an economy of 4.0. What goals and activities do you see in future activities for European clusters?

Fabrice Maire:

From my point of view, it is a moment where we should work altogether and share our knowledge and skills. We are all vulnerable to these common attacks. More we will share, better and faster would be our reactivity, competencies, and limitation of the risks. I believe each cluster member should share their issues, analyze them, and search how we could help the companies we represent and find solutions. It makes no doubt that one company from a country could offer a solution to another company in another country