The Spanish Maritime Cluster (CME), an organisation with more than 50 members representing 800 organisations, whose current president is Federico Esteve Jaquotot, held the prize-giving ceremony for the "Miguel Pardo" awards on December the first.
At the event, Alberto Toca Gutiérrez-Colomer, company C.E.O., received the International Profile Award on behalf of STREAM. The award, sponsored by the Management of the Naval Sector, was given to Stream for its position as leading LNG operator in the Atlantic Basin, with a growing presence in the Pacific Basin.
Alongside Stream, the companies receiving awards under other categories at this first edition of the "Miguel Pardo" awards "a tribute to their promoter and former president of the CME" , were: Banco Santander (Competitiveness), ACLUNAGA (Promotion of training in the auxiliary industry), the Basque Maritime Forum (Promotion of training in the traction and supply industries), Sener (Innovation Technology), Españoles en la Mar (Spaniards at Sea) programme on RNE/Radio Exterior (Communication), Fundación Aulamar (Social well-being) and Ecomar (Environment).
Spain's Leading Cluster
President Federico Esteve explained that "the Spanish Maritime Cluster is now the leading Spanish cluster in terms of output and employment, giving the maritime sector the scale it needs to undertake major projects, set up consortia and run cooperative actions, which are the basis for the European Framework Programme and for the new guidelines of the National R&D&I Plan and the Government programme Ingenio 2010".
The mayor of Madrid, Alberto Ruiz Gallardón, closed the award ceremony stressing Madrid's close relationship with the maritime sector, "despite what geography may misleadingly imply", since the city is home to "over 60 maritime transport companies, which represent 12% of the national total and 21% of the sector's turnover".
.
