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  • The world fishing fleet state according to the FAO

    The nutrition of the human has made fishing an essential practice and consequently has been the origin of the naval construction. This sector has been able to contribute in each moment f history solutions that have covered the needs of the fishing industry.

    In recent years, the fishing sector is facing big challenges due to a demand for greater profitability and performance, in addition to obey the different regulations regarding respect for the environment in all its aspects. To meet these challenges, the sector has reduced direct costs as the number of employees and has also been benefited by the price of fuel.

    As for the challenge of being more environmentally friendly, the gases such as CO2 and NOx have become a growing problem in a global perspective. To reduce these emissions, many governments plan to replicate land-based emissions taxes on emissions from ships in their fishing activities.

    While steps are being taken in the above mentioned, legislative changes are taking place regarding the specifications of fishing vessels, such as in the European Union, which foresees in the middle of the year 2017 to adopt a new regulation that grants to the Commission European competence to adapt the requirements for determining the continuous power of the engine to the technical developments and possible changes in the international ISO standards.

    World capture fisheries and aquaculture productionAccording to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in its latest biennial published report on the state of world fisheries and aquaculture (SOFIA), estimated that in 2014, there were 4.6 million fishing vessels, with Asia and Africa being the regions with the highest number of registrations, since they account for 90% of the total number of vessels worldwide.

    From a technical point of view, according to the same FAO report, 64% of registered vessels are engine-powered, an increase of 7% compared to the previous report for 2012. This report also states that in 2014, approximately 85 per cent of the world’s motorized fishing vessels were less than 12 meters long, and these small vessels dominated in all regions.

    In terms of capacity, and if we focus on Europe, the EuroStat Service estimates that in 2015 the European Union had a combined capacity of 1.6 million gross tons and a combined engine power of 6.4 million kilowatts. It is also noted that almost one-fifth (18.2%) of the EU-28 fishing fleet is registered in Greece. In terms of capacity, Spain, France, Italy and the United Kingdom had the largest fishing fleets, accounting for 53.9% of gross tonnage and 55.6% of engine power in 2015.

    There are positive data in the sector, such as the profitability of the sector. The European fishing fleet continues to be profitable, with net profits of 770 million euros in 2014, more than 50% above last year’s profits, according to the latest annual report prepared by the European Commission which also foresees record profits in the year 2016.

    In the case of Spain, it recorded a net profit margin of 16.5%, the third highest percentage in the EU, only surpassed by Slovenia (35.7%) and the United Kingdom (18.3%). Ireland, Latvia, Estonia and Portugal also had a profit margin of more than 10% in 2014.

    The outlook for fish and fisherie products trade by 2025, according to FAO, is also positive. Trade will continue to be high, driven mainly by increased consumption of fishery products, trade liberalization policies, globalization of food systems, technological innovations in shipbuilding, product development conservation, packaging and transport.

    All these data suggest that in the medium and long term the fishing fleet will continue to grow or will need to introduce elements of innovation in the existing fleet. Therefore, the naval sector has the opportunity to continue growing and providing added value to this sector with solutions that are more respectful of the environment and that can be applied to the current fleet, as well as the building of new ships according to the new demands of the ship-owners and legislative requirements in all respects.

    In this sense, Zamakona Yards has implemented the latest concepts of design and construction, as well as the most advanced technology in engineering and naval architecture in all the constructions, repairs and refit for the fishing vessels.

    If you want to read the full report of the FAO, you can download it here

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  • Canary Islands and Norway seek to consolidate and deepen their relations

    On February 6th, the President of the Government of the Canary Islands Fernando Clavijo and the Minister of Economy, Industry, Trade and Knowledge, Pedro Ortega, held a working meeting with the Norwegian ambassador to Spain, Helge Skaara, to analyse the commercial, economic and social ties between the Canary archipelago and the Nordic country.

    It should be noted that Norway and the Canary Islands maintain a historical relationship in different areas, where the tourism was the forerunner of this relationship. Today, the Norwegian tourist sector in the Canary Islands registers about 400,000 tourists a year (10% of the country’s population), which is reinforced by the existence of direct flights between the two destinations. Also, the Canary Islands has a Norwegian community resident in the islands of about 3,000 Norwegian citizens who mainly live in the south of Gran Canaria.

    The commercial and economic relations between the Canary Islands and Norway are being fruitful, as Norwegian companies consider the Canary Islands as a business platform for West Africa for specific sectors and, on the other hand, an enormous potential in sectors such as tourism, energy Renewable and blue economy. Currently there are 16 Norwegian companies from different sectors and many of them operate under the Special Zone of the Canary Islands regime (ZEC) that offers important tax advantages for these companies.

    In the specific case of Norwegian companies operating in the offshore and oil and gas sectors, both the public administrations of the Canary Islands and the private sector for naval repair and auxiliary services for the extractive industry have joined forces to make the islands, and in particular, the Port of Las Palmas, stand as a strategic hub. This, together with the geographical proximity with the Gulf of Guinea, has aroused the interest of the Norwegian private sector specialized in the provision of technical assistance to this industry.

    This interest has materialized in the implementation of some Norwegian companies that seek alliances with the Canary Islands private sector to generate integration in the local business sector, synergies and mutual benefit. The alliance between Zamakona Yards and the prestigious Norwegian company Coast Center Base (CCB) is a clear example of these alliances. The resulting company CCB ZAMAKONA OFFSHORE SL will invest jointly 20 million euros for the development of a repair centre for oil platforms with a total area that occupies 6,000 square meters in the Port of Las Palmas where the first phase is already executed with the construction of the building that houses the main workshop, offices and storage areas.

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  • REPNAVAL starts the New Year with a full house!

    REPNAVAL, the shipyard, belonging to our group, Zamakona Yards in Las Palmas De Gran Canaria, has started the New Year in the best way possible, with a near capacity occupancy. What better way to start the year than with marvelous weather of 24ºC and multiple projects in our shipyard.

    We would like to thank our loyal customers for once again entrusting their vessels to us to repair and put into condition to return to sea again.

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  • The new slipway Number 4 with a máximum capacity of 5500 Tons

    Since finishing the adaptation work on our slipway Nº 4 of our REPNAVAL Shipyard at the Port of Las Palmas which can service vessels up to 126 M length and 5500 Tons we haven’t stopped working on vessels which we could not accommodate previously with our limited capacity. Thus, recently, we have drydocked the Vessel “Angel” (before, “Caliope”) of 113 M and 3500 Tons and we are now drydocking the pontoon Koca Yusuf of 92 M length and 27.5 M width. All of which means that the effort and investment we have made w justifiable as shown by the enthusiastic reception and demand of our customers for the drydocking of their vessels.

     

    Carro Repnaval

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  • Fully operational our new hydraulic workshop in the Canary Islands

    Now our high-end hydraulic services for repairs and installations in the Canary Islands are 100% operative.

     

    Zamakona Yards, together with its partner, GS-Hydro, is now offering this range of services at its installations at the Port of Las Palmas, thus enhancing and expanding the extensive services of this type already offered by our Group to its customers.

     

    The hydraulic workshop, located at our facilities in the Port of Las Palmas is equipped with the latest generation of hydraulic equipment and highly qualified, expert personnel in order to guarantee the best hydraulic installations from 1/4″ to 8” working at pressures from 10 to 690 Bar. The shop also offers Fabrication/Pressing of hoses from 1/8” to 2” (6000 Bars)

    GS-Hydro is also a World leader in non-welded piping technology, a service also available in the Canary islands.

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  • The Spanish Hospital Ships, “Juan De La Cosa” and “Esperanza Del Mar” repaired in Zamakona Yards

    Recently, we’ve successfully carried out repairs and maintenance simultaneously on the two emblematic government owned hospital ships, Juan De La Cosa and Esperanza Del Mar.

     

    It occurred that the two vessels were repaired simultaneously. The vessel Juan De La Cosa was repaired at Zamakona Pasaia yard at San Sebastian and the Esperanza Del Ma” at our yard, Repnaval, in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

     

    Both projects were offered at public bidding and our proposals were the winners. We take great pride in being able to offer our services to these two emblematic vessels which are carrying out such important work in attending to the needs of our fishing men in the areas where they are working.

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  • It´s been opened the first Offshore training center of Canarias, Gran Canaria closer to the Offshore industry

    Recently it has opened the first training center that provides the rescue qualifications needed work on platforms. The Offshore Center, created and managed by the Stier Group, is approved for obtaining the Boiset and Opito titles. Until the creation of this center, to get these trainings was necessary to go to the Scottish city of Aberdeen. Now you can get them here in Las Palmas, which undoubtedly represents an added attraction to this important industry to choose our ports as a base for repairs and maintenance of their ships.

     

    We want to congratulate the Stier Group for this important initiative.

     

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  • Mr. Roberto Reyes Alzola receives Port Award from Fundación Puertos de Las Palmas

    Yesterday was held at CICCA in Las Palmas, the 21st edition of the Port Awards presented annually by Fundación Puertos de Las Palmas. These awards are the professional public recognition to institutions, companies and professionals that with its activity or career have had a prominent role in the Las Palmas De Gran Canarias’ Port.

     

    On this occasion, the Award of the modality “Professional Life in Port Environment” which is awarded in recognition of professional careers, has been given to Mr. Roberto Reyes Alzola, Mr. Roberto for his friends.

     

    Mr. Roberto was the Managing Director of our Shipyard Repnaval from 1990 to 2009, the year he retired. The award recognizes his long career as a naval engineer which highlights the direction of our shipyard in Las Palmas.

     

    It was the president of the Port Authority of Las Palmas himself, D. Luis Ibarra, who gave him the important distinction in a crowded auditorium full of representatives of all companies and organizations that work in the port.

     

    We here want to join in publicly this tribute as we can fully recognize his professionalism, commitment and dedication to his passion, boats.

     

    Congratulations Mr. Roberto!

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  • Nayra Sánchez Jefa de Buque en Zamakona Yards

    A continuación reproducimos el reportaje que  el periódico LA PROVINCIA dedica a nuestra compañera Nayra Sánchez de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

     

    JEFA AL MANDO EN EL ASTILLERO

    Nayra Sánchez es una pionera: la primera mujer en ejercer como jefa de buque en el grupo Zamakona Yards dentro del Puerto de Las Palmas. A sus treinta años de edad, y después de haber completado su formación como ingeniero técnico naval en la Universidad de Las Palmasde Gran Canaria, Sánchez es ya una pieza importante dentro de la empresa, dirigiendo distintos proyectos de reparaciones de barcos, en los que puede tener a su cargo desde un pequeño equipo hasta “30 o 40 personas”, dependiendo del caso.

     

    (more…)

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  • Marina Läroverket visit our shipyard in the Canary Islands

    The 6th of March Marina Läroverket from Sweden paid us a visit with two groups of 15 people each. The students on board the sailing ship Älva study for two years to become captains.

     

    Their visit had a special focus on environmental questions. One day, when these captains are sailing their own ships, we hope they remember us and we will gladly provide them technical assistance.

     

    Thanks guys.

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