“Catalonia finds in the Azores a strategic partner committed to building solid bridges of scientific, technological, economic, and social cooperation,” stated Artur Lima, Vice-President of the Regional Government of the Azores.

“We can build bridges between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean; we can connect researchers, bring companies closer together, develop European projects, and share data and knowledge. We can also pilot new solutions for decarbonization, the blue economy, biodiversity, and the digitalisation of our ports,” highlighted Rui Reis, the Government of Catalonia’s delegate in Portugal.

Representatives from both regions spoke at the opening session of the international forum “Smart Oceans: Sustainability, Technology, and Economic Growth,” which runs until Tuesday in Angra do Heroísmo, Terceira Island.

The Vice-President of the Azorean government—who oversees Science, Innovation, and Development—noted that, despite the distance between them, the two regions are united by their “commitment to knowledge” and the “conviction that the transition to a sustainable economy is increasingly built through networks.”

“Protecting marine biodiversity and developing emerging technologies applied to the oceans do not allow for isolated responses. They require robust international alliances, cooperation, and enlightened public policies,” he emphasised.

Artur Lima emphasised that the Azores “are not merely a vast maritime territory,” but rather “a region of excellence for innovation, sustainability, and research.”

“Here in the Azores, we unhesitatingly accept—commensurate with our scale, of course—our responsibility to meet global sustainability goals.

We aim to be pioneers in marine propulsion, the decarbonization of port infrastructure, and the empowerment of our coastal communities,” he added.

The official expressed hope that the meeting currently taking place in Angra do Heroísmo would yield “concrete solutions” to protect the sea and boost the economies of both regions.

This sentiment was echoed by the Government of Catalonia’s delegate, who suggested that the forum should serve as “a starting point for new cooperative initiatives.”

“May the Azores and Catalonia cease to be merely two territories separated by geography and instead become two territories linked by a shared ocean agenda—an agenda rooted in knowledge, innovation, sustainability, and European cooperation—because the future of the ocean is also the future of Europe. And Europe will be stronger if it knows how to turn the diversity of its territories into a shared strength,” he noted.

Rui Reis highlighted that both territories view the ocean as “a space for knowledge, innovation, and economic opportunity,” advocating for greater cooperation among governments, universities, and businesses.

“The Azores hold a truly unique position in the Atlantic, boasting extraordinary natural and scientific wealth and unique experience as an island and oceanic territory. Catalonia possesses a highly developed ecosystem of science, technology, innovation, industry, and port activity, with Barcelona serving as one of the Mediterranean’s major maritime gateways. We therefore have different yet complementary experiences. We should not view this complementarity as a mere difference; we must transform it into an advantage,” he stressed.

Rui Reis highlighted that both territories view the ocean as “a space for knowledge, innovation, and economic opportunities,” advocating for greater cooperation among governments, universities, and businesses.

“The Azores hold a truly unique position in the Atlantic, boasting extraordinary natural and scientific wealth and unique experience as an island and oceanic territory. Catalonia possesses a highly developed ecosystem spanning science, technology, innovation, industry, and port activity, with Barcelona serving as one of the Mediterranean’s major maritime gateways. We therefore have different yet complementary experiences. We should not view this complementarity merely as a difference; we must turn it into an advantage,” he emphasized.

The forum “Smart Oceans: Sustainability, Technology, and Economic Growth” brings together representatives from both regions in Angra do Heroísmo.

Speakers from the Azores include the regional directors for Maritime Policy and for Science, Innovation, and Development, as well as representatives from the University of the Azores, Okeanos, Blue Azores, Terinov, Nonagon, Lotaçor, Portos dos Açores, and the Observatory for Ecosystems and Digital Infrastructures.

The Catalan delegation includes BlueNetCat, the Port of Barcelona, Ports de la Generalitat, the Fundació Barcelona Capital Nàutica, and DETA (Disruptive & Emerging Technology Alliance).

The United Nations Ocean Decade Collaborative Centre for a Sustainable Ocean Economy is also represented at this initiative.