Close ties between Brest and Goa since 2018

The Indian Institute of Technology Goa (IIT Goa) opened its doors in 2018 and relations between France and India received a boost the same year when Sea Tech Week® welcomed a delegation of seven researchers and entrepreneurs from India. These initial exchanges were consolidated in January 2020 with a visit to Brest by the Director of the IIT Goa. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed to support the mobility of researchers and students between the IIT Goa and eight members of the Campus mondial de la mer community, including Ecole navale (the French naval academy), ENSTA Bretagne, SHOM, France Energies Marines and the University of Brest. Originally scheduled for March 2020, the plan by the Campus mondial de la mer community to host its first group of 46 Indian students sadly had to be cancelled due to the pandemic. However, the decision was made soon afterwards to invite India to be the featured country at the 13th iteration of Sea Tech Week® in 2022.

An important contribution to the France-India Roadmap on the blue economy and ocean governance

The partnership between Brest and Goa – and more broadly between Brittany and India – is closely aligned with the Roadmap signed by the French and Indian governments in February 2022. The Roadmap aims to develop relations in the Indo-Pacific between the two countries. The planning, organisation and ultimate success of the 13th Sea Tech Week® will benefit greatly from this bilateral initiative, which enjoys particular support from France’s Ambassador to India, Mr Emmanuel Lenain.

“The blue economy is an important part of France’s strategy for the Indo-Pacific and a driver of our business development, innovation and excellence in science and technology. India is a key figure in the implementation of this strategy.

The Indian government has ambitious goals in the blue economy sector, including maritime transport, ports, shipbuilding and ship recycling, all of which are highly relevant to Sea Tech Week® 2022.

I am convinced that this year’s Sea Tech Week® will make a tangible contribution to the ‘Brest Commitments’, announced at the One Ocean Summit, and to implementing the India–France Roadmap on the blue economy and ocean governance, recently adopted by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. With this Roadmap, France and India, both maritime nations with a presence in the Indo-Pacific, are committing to joint actions aimed at ensuring that this key region is a location for sustainable growth, respect for international law and protection of the ocean.

Sea Tech Week® 2022 provides an excellent opportunity to establish and develop new relationships between French and Indian marine science and technology businesses and laboratories, especially in the maritime transport sector.”

"Featured country" bears fruit

With its approach of inviting a different major maritime nation each time as its guest of honour, Sea Tech Week® is growing in prominence internationally. It is thus now regarded as an important international event, a fact confirmed by Bernard Lamothe, senior advisor at Innovation Norway. A member of the Norwegian delegation in 2018, he will be joining around 30 Norwegian participants who are expected to attend this year.

“When Campus mondial de la mer invited Norway to be the featured country four years ago, we could see the potential of such a role and it went on to generate very productive exchanges and collaborations. Returning to Brest this year will provide opportunities to consolidate these links and develop new ones. And we expect to continue to attend Sea Tech Week® in the future. Having a new theme each time means our experts can showcase their wide-ranging expertise and better understand that of their international counterparts. I can’t think of any sea-related topic that wouldn’t be of interest to them.”

Registration now open!

Registration for Sea Tech Week® 2022 is now open. An early bird rate is available until 31 May 2022.

Sea Tech Week® website: www.seatechweek.eu

@SeaTechWeek / #SeaTech2022

About Sea Tech Week®

Sea Tech Week® is an international event dedicated to marine and maritime science and technology. It attracts over a thousand top international experts to Brest, France, every two years, representing a wide variety of ocean-related disciplines. Sea Tech Week® is a conference including science and technology talks, a professional trade fair, BtoB meetings, company and laboratory tours and a gala evening.

This event provides scientists, companies, clusters, students and others the opportunity to share progress in research and innovation, forge a professional network of contacts and improve partnerships and cooperation.

Sea Tech Week® is organised by Technopôle Brest-Iroise through Campus mondial de la mer, France’s premier community of experts in studying and working with the ocean, located at the tip of Brittany. This event is supported by Brest métropole, Brittany Region, the European Union (ERDF) and Crédit Mutuel Arkéa.

Photo: Maritime transport will be at the heart of Sea Tech Week ® 2022 © DR