The Central American Commission for Maritime Transport (COCATRAM), through its Executive Directorate, participated in the Seventh Workshop of the Blue Ports Initiative (BPI), held from February 10 to 12, 2026, in Vigo (Galicia), Spain, at the invitation of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
The Blue Ports Initiative aims to transform fishing ports into drivers of sustainable development by integrating, in a balanced manner, the economic, social, and environmental dimensions. Through this platform, fishing ports from around 20 countries — and in this edition with representation from more than 25 ports across Africa, Asia, and Latin America — collaborate in capacity building, the design and implementation of strategic plans, and the exchange of experiences aimed at consolidating sustainable port management models.
The Workshop was held at the Port of Vigo, internationally recognized as a benchmark in the “blue growth” strategy and in building the “port of the future,” based on innovation and sustainability. The meeting brought together nearly fifty port representatives and sector authorities, consolidating Vigo as a key point on the international fisheries and blue economy agenda.
This seventh edition continued the progress achieved at the previous workshop, which focused on climate change adaptation, and further explored port infrastructure as a strategic element for the development of the blue economy. In this context, the main challenges and strengths related to the design, modernization, and management of infrastructure under environmental, social, and economic sustainability criteria were addressed.
Since its creation in 2019, the annual BPI workshops have helped consolidate an international cooperation network that promotes best practices in fishing ports, strengthening the port-city relationship, the social dimension of sustainability, and long-term strategic planning.
For COCATRAM, participation in these forums reaffirms its commitment to continuing to support initiatives that strengthen the sustainability of ports in the Central American region and promote the adoption of international standards.