In 2023, an armada of maritime events in Nantes and Saint-Nazaire

In 2023, the maritime sector will be more than ever in the spotlight in and around Nantes and Saint-Nazaire. There are already 7 scheduled events to look forward to from May onwards. From offshore wind power to carbon-free maritime transport, through these events Nantes and Saint-Nazaire will be showcasing their ambitions for driving forward the energy transition.

•     FOWT from 10 to 12 May 2023 in Nantes. For its 10th edition, FOWT (which stands for Floating Offshore Wind Turbine), the world’s largest offshore wind power event, will be coming to Nantes for the first time, with 1,000-plus visitors expected to flock to La Cité Nantes Congress Centre. 

•     Innov’Sail from 29 to 31 May 2023 in Lorient. The 6th edition of the International Conference on Innovation in High Performance Sailing Yachts will be hosted at the Cité de la Voile Eric Tabarly in Morbihan. Sail design, foils, electronics, aids to navigation, eco-design, new materials... This is an eagerly awaited opportunity for scientists, naval architects, engineers, sailors, shipowners, sailmakers, yacht- and shipbuilders, rigging specialists and other stakeholders involved in this enthralling and inspiring industry to get together and share their knowledge. 

•     Wind for Good(s) from 1 to 2 June 2023 in Saint-Nazaire: after the success of its first edition in 2021, this international event dedicated to wind-powered maritime transport is back for two days, providing a unique preview of all the future solutions for carbon-free maritime transport. Kite propulsion, inflatable sails, water turbine-equipped energy ships - all these innovative technologies which are helping to lower the carbon footprint of international freight transport will be on show, either as a prototype or on a real-world scale, even with sea-based demonstrations. 

•     The Arch from 23 May to 4 June 2023 starting in Saint-Nazaire: a touring European exhibition to speed up the green transition. On a tour of maritime Europe next April, skipper Francis Joyon will sail his Ultim class trimaran around ten cities (including Copenhagen, Stockholm, Hamburg, Lisbon and Barcelona, ending up in Nantes & Saint-Nazaire). The aim? To symbolically collect 100 winning innovations related to the green transition, including a maximum of 50% French initiatives, to ensure genuine Europe-wide representation. The call is open to companies, startups, NGOs and associations who are addressing the ecological and social challenges with tangible solutions. 

•     Débord de Loire from 30 May to 5 June 2023 in Nantes: this nautical and cultural festival is back for its 3rd edition. The 16 towns and villages along the Loire estuary will be celebrating the river all week long, with a fleet of 200 boats, tall ships, three-masted ships, sail and oar boats and rivercraft of all kinds, ending with a spectacular nautical parade on Saturday 3 June. Meanwhile, the quays will be abuzz with festivities throughout the seven days, with quayside villages, dancing and music of all genres.

•     Seanergy on 20 & 21 June 2023 in Paris: Leading global event on offshore wind power and marine renewables. The full range of technologies will be exhibited: bottom-mounted and floating offshore wind turbines, tidal power, wave power, ocean thermal energy, floating photovoltaics, carbon-free maritime transport, drones, etc. Organised by Bluesign, Seanergy annually brings together more than 3,500 international participants within a vast exhibition area. 

•     Les Assises de l’économie de la mer on 28 & 29 November 2023 in Nantes and Saint-Nazaire: After Lille in 2022, the 18th edition of this annual meeting for the French maritime community (SMEs, large corporations, institutional stakeholders, etc.) will be taking place in Loire-Atlantique in 2023. Talks are set to explore a variety of topical issues including offshore wind power and sharing use of the sea between wind turbines and fishermen.