Bridging continents: Africa meets Europe

Europort was proud to welcome an African delegation this week, organised by exhibitors Blue Ocean International. Established two years ago and headquartered in the Netherlands, Blue Ocean International fosters collaboration between African and European stakeholders in the ocean economy -  "blue actors," including port authorities, coastal city officials, and maritime professionals. Its mission is to build strategic partnerships across continents in support of a resilient, inclusive, and globally connected Blue Economy.
 

The delegation included municipal officers and port officials from countries including Cameroon, Congo, Angola, Liberia, and Nigeria. The visit was part of an effort to identify collaboration opportunities, explore emerging innovation, and share regional expertise with European counterparts. 
Since its founding, Blue Ocean International has supported several initiatives, including partnerships between the Port of Rotterdam and African ports.  In addition to event-based engagement, the organization coordinates economic missions aimed at connecting European businesses with African markets and vice versa. These missions focus on market access, investment facilitation, and bilateral cooperation.
Blue Ocean International operates an Associate Network open to professionals such as marine scientists, port engineers, urban planners, and ocean policy advisors. The network enables joint proposals, knowledge exchange, and fieldwork across operational regions.