Representatives of RERA S.D. and FESB (Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture, Split University) organised the 2nd stakeholder meeting of the CLIPPER Project on 20 April 2018 in Split, Croatia as a side event during the 10th Days of Croatian Small Shipbuilding and the Fair of Tourist Attractions.
The meeting focused on "How to increase the role of small shipbuilders within the shipbuilding sector?" The invitation was sent to all the manufacturing and engineering companies that are already cooperating, or have the potential to cooperate, with the shipbuilding sector. Four companies replied and participated in the workshop/stakeholder meeting.
Gorana Baničević gave participants an overview of the CLIPPER project activities, and the lecturers at the workshop/stakeholder meeting, Prof. Ivica Veža and Prof. Marko Mladineo from FESB, Split University discussed with invited entrepreneurs about the value chain in maritime industries in Split-Dalmatia. Special emphasis was placed on interconnections among the material suppliers, suppliers of equipment and spare parts, design and development service providers, end users etc.
Principally, the suggestions and conclusions from the audience/entrepreneurs were directed towards the following:
1) The shipbuilding industry of Split-Dalmatia County consists of 30 SMEs with shipbuilding as the main business activity. The fact is that 2 large shipyards have been restructured into a dozen SMEs grouped into 2 holdings. Therefore, shipbuilding SMEs of Split-Dalmatia County are offering almost all type of ships and vessels, plus other marine structures and ship equipment, to the market. Furthermore, the domestic ship-owners, in cargo or passenger business, could increasingly exploit the potential of the domestic shipbuilding industry.
2) All important suppliers for the shipbuilding industry (grouped into equipment suppliers, component suppliers, and suppliers of raw materials) can be found within Split-Dalmatia County, but most of them are potential suppliers of the shipbuilding industry, they are not actually collaborating with the shipbuilding industry. This fact represents enormous potential for the development of the whole shipbuilding supply chain within Split-Dalmatia County.
