PATCH ports target manufacturing

There’s good reason for PATCH member ports to want to promote joint ventures with manufacturers at the exhibition.

Some of the PATCH member ports, including Ostende and Zeeland, are diversifying by developing high-tech and innovative green business clusters within or near the ports. By locating manufacturing businesses nearby, larger segments of supply chains can be fulfilled within one business community.

By meeting marine, energy, transport and logistics suppliers at the exhibition in Farnborough this week, PATCH aims to improve expertise and network with potential new customers and investors.

Simona Margarino, PATCH spokesperson, said to Maritime Journal: “Encouraging agglomeration of activities and links between business clusters across the port partners gives cross channel opportunities especially to small companies, many of whom have not started, or do not have the capacity, to look for international contracts. By exhibiting at this trade fair PATCH is promoting existing manufacturing clusters and businesses in or near the ports and promoting ports as investment locations, having added and catalytic value over an inland location.”

What’s more, for small and medium sized ports, trans-national collaboration is a way to acquire know how, share costs and maximise return on investment.