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ence and exploration. Another focus is clean “smart” technol- national Trade Administration. Through our in-country pres- ogy for use in marine transportation. ence at U.S. embassies abroad, our trade experts have in-depth

In many cases, growth and demand abroad is higher than in market knowledge and connections to buyers of U.S. products the U.S. domestic market. For example, some parts of Europe and services, as well as market expertise in the marine tech- have a strong interest in port development, while in the Indo- nology sector. And so, we bring these skillsets to the show,

Paci? c, countries are looking for the latest technologies to along with several foreign buyer delegations. monitor coastal ? ooding. More and more, we’re seeing grow- Our value is knowing the key players and opportunities ing opportunities driven by evolving global trends in technol- to bring U.S. businesses and prospective foreign buyers to- ogy, demographics, and sustainable development. gether. We do this by arranging business-to-business (B2B)

Examples of market opportunities include: matchmaking meetings based on their mutual needs and in- • The United Kingdom’s maritime economy is the terests. Because the U.S. Commercial Service screens buy- largest in Europe, the ? fth-largest in the world for U.S. goods ers in advance, we know they are interested in U.S. marine exports and the largest market in the world for U.S. service technologies and ready to do business. This arrangement is a exports. Technologies are in demand for smart ports, decar- real advantage for U.S. exporters, particularly for small and bonization solutions, and green innovations for shipping and medium-sized businesses, compared to searching for suitable offshore wind energy. Technology is also sought for intelli- foreign business partners interested in marine technologies on gent and autonomous ships, and autonomous underwater ve- their own. hicles that are sensor agnostic. For example, the Royal Navy Through networking opportunities, U.S. businesses will is seeking to develop a range of fully autonomous systems for hear from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and surveillance, reconnaissance and underwater data gathering, prime contractors about overseas projects and their supplier among other uses. needs, participate in general networking activities, and learn • Italy will invest $3.1 billion (2.8 billion euros) by about U.S government export programs. 2026 to modernize its ports. These investments are part of Businesses attending previous Discover Global Markets the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, Italy’s strategy to events have noted several bene? ts of the two-day event. kickstart its economy since the Covid-19 pandemic. Much of Among these are the time and resources saved from having to this spending is earmarked to increase port capacity and will travel to meet contacts, new leads generated, insights gained require new port technologies and services. Other funding will for honing export strategies, and obtaining real-time market make ports more ecologically sustainable, or more ef? cient information from experts to understand in-depth, what is go- and secure through digitalization. This is in addition to $2.5 ing on internationally beyond what is seen in the media. billion (2.3 billion euros) in investment already planned for the Ports of Genoa. U.S. companies with innovative solutions How does the business-to-business matchmaking work? in these sectors may bene? t from increased spending. On the Blue Economy registration form, a U.S. company • India’s maritime sector envisions an overall invest- enters their information into a database platform about their ment of $45 billion across ports, shipping, and inland wa- product or service and the markets they are looking to sell to. terways categories by 2030. The focus will be on improving About a month ahead of the event, participants can search the infrastructure, ef? ciency, services, capacity building and lo- database to identify potential partners and arrange matchmak- gistics. It will also expand ship building and promote a safe ing meetings. U.S. businesses can also arrange meetings at the and sustainable “green” maritime sector. By 2030, India plans event. U.S. Commercial Service industry experts will also be to reach 140 million tons per year transiting its national wa- facilitating B2B meetings on the conference ? oor. terway network. To reach this goal, the Inland Waterway Au- thority of India plans to develop and modernize 5,000 km of

What are some recommendations on how to best pursue

Inland Waterways. India needs state-of-the-art port and ma- international opportunities? rine technologies such as equipment and services for security, Contacting the U.S. Commercial Service is a great place to logistics, vessel tracking, oil spill detection and contingency start. Our trade specialists can help develop a customized ex- preparedness, dredging, and underwater exploration and map- port strategy that identi? es priority markets with the strongest ping. potential for export success. For more information on our ser- vices and events, visit the Marine Technology Team website

Could you give some insight on the business-to-business trade.gov/marine-technology-industry, or your contact your local U.S. Commercial Service of? ce at matchmaking and industry expertise at the show? trade.gov/commercial-services-of? ces-us.

The U.S. Commercial Service is the trade and investment promotion arm of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Inter- www.marinelink.com 21

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