The potential of disruptive innovation to boost job creation in the maritime sector will be explored at the Irish Maritime and Energy Resource Cluster (IMERC) annual conference in Cork today.
The conference will also look at issues surrounding Ireland’s maritime economic development and our capacity to deliver maritime growth.
IMERC director Dr Val Cummins said Ireland derives just 1 per cent of its GDP from the maritime sector. The UK derives 5 per cent, Denmark 11 per cent and Norway 20 per cent.
“The ideas and plans that will emerge from the IMERC Conference will be an important opportunity to drive growth in the figures for Ireland.”
There is a huge opportunity for Ireland to really benefit from its ocean resources in a planned manner for the first time in our history, she added.
Annual dinner
More than 1,800 business leaders and company directors are to attend the Dublin Chamber annual dinner this Thursday, where Bloomberg president and chief executive Dan Doctoroff is the guest speaker.
The event is the biggest of its kind by an Irish business organisation and will take place at the Convention Centre in Dublin this Thursday.
Prior to joining Bloomberg, Mr Doctoroff was deputy mayor for economic development and rebuilding for the City of New York. With mayor Michael Bloomberg, Mr Doctoroff led one of the city's most dramatic economic resurgences, spearheading the effort to reverse New York's fiscal crisis after the 9/11 attacks.
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