The program for the International Sea Fair, held in the Sanapú area from May 22nd to 24th, includes visits to the Salvation and Navy vessels, sailing baptisms, water displays, and the usual boat trips within the port.
The fair will feature 53 exhibitors, including companies from the marine and maritime sector, nautical activities, fashion, public institutions, and academic and sports entities.
The Ports of Las Palmas Foundation building is hosting parallel sessions this Thursday, May 21, with a delegation from Martinique as the guest territory, to explore ways of collaborating with the Canary Islands for the development of the blue economy and tourism
From the diverse marine life along the island coasts to the sands of Las Canteras beach, and from the environmental evolution of the marine environment to the use of artificial intelligence for prediction, some thirty experts and specialists, many from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, will present their extensive knowledge of Canary Island waters at Fimar 2026 in a series of talks and presentations open to the public. The dissemination of scientific knowledge, as well as the professional opportunities available in these fields, are among the main attractions of the 15th edition of the International Sea Fair, which takes place from May 22nd to 24th at the Sanapú dock in the Port of Las Palmas.
The fair's program, which is free to enter, includes the usual boat trips within the port, introductory sailing experiences and water demonstrations, children's activities, and visits to the Maritime Rescue and Navy vessels, as well as a helicopter rescue demonstration at sea. The event also features 53 exhibitors, including companies from the marine and maritime sector, nautical activities, fashion, and public, academic, and sports institutions.
The International Sea Fair is an event promoted by the Gran Canaria Island Council and the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria City Council and Ports of Las Palmas, and organized by Infecar, Feria de Gran Canaria and the City of the Sea Council of the Gran Canaria capital.
Presentations to disseminate ocean knowledge
At this year's Fimar conference, various experts from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC) will address issues such as where the plastic we throw into the sea ends up, the chemistry between ligands and iron that makes marine life possible, a study of the minimum sizes of fish species in Canary Island waters, the breeding of seahorses in the Islands (the JANTO project), innovation in artisanal fishing (the ILUMINA project), the use of marine invertebrates in food, maritime traffic, Portuguese man-of-war, the displacement of sand on Las Canteras beach, and the prediction of ocean behavior using AI, among other key issues affecting the marine environment of the Archipelago.
In total, the university's specialists (around thirty) will offer 27 informative lectures open to the public between Friday, May 22nd and Sunday, May 24th. All lectures will begin at 10:30 a.m.
In addition to these presentations, there will be an opening talk by Jorge Rapp Cabrera, a researcher at the Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands Consortium (PLOCAN), entitled "Ocean Mission: Learn, Create, and Help," on Friday the 22nd at 10:30 a.m. There will also be a presentation on RedPROMAR: Citizen Science in Action to Protect the Ocean in the Canary Islands, given by Héctor Toledo Padilla (Las Palmas Department of Environment, Climate Change, and European Projects), on Saturday, May 23rd at 10:30 a.m.
The full program of talks and presentations, offered in the designated space within Fimar, can be found on the fair's official website at the following link. https://feriainternacionaldelmar.com/programa-2026.
Exhibitors
In total, Fimar 2026 will feature 53 exhibitors with their spaces distributed throughout the fairgrounds, which will also include a food area and live music. Fashion and art will be combined in this setting with companies from the marine and maritime sector, nautical activities, boats and accessories, various faculties and programs of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), sports organizations, professional and civic associations, insurance companies, and firms connected with tourism, nature, and the sea.
The complete list of exhibitors can be found on the official website of the fair, at the following link. https://feriainternacionaldelmar.com/catalogo-de-expositores-2026.
Nautical activities
The International Sea Fair is designed as a complete experience for marine enthusiasts, perfect for families and free of charge. Among the activities scheduled from 10:30 a.m. to 18:00 p.m. on Friday, May 22nd and Saturday, May 23rd are introductory sailing and lateen-rigged boat trips, demonstrations of adapted sailing, radio-controlled boats, canoeing, and traditional sailing.
On Sunday, May 24th, a final round of sailing baptisms is reserved, from 10:30 a.m. to 14:00 p.m., and a Grand Nautical Parade, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., which will once again offer one of the most iconic images of the fair at sea.
Boat tour
Fimar 2026 will once again offer attendees the opportunity to explore the Port of Las Palmas from the inside, with free boat tours scheduled by the organizers. Tours on Friday, May 22nd, are scheduled for 12:00 PM and 16:00 PM. The same activity is planned for Saturday, May 23rd, at 11:00 AM, 12:30 PM, 14:00 PM, 17:00 PM, and 18:30 PM. And for Sunday, May 24th, at 10:30 AM, 12:00 PM, and 13:30 PM.
No prior registration is required for these excursions, and access to the boat in the Fimar area will be on a first-come, first-served basis.
Visits to the Salvation and Navy ships
As in previous years, visitors to Fimar will also be able to tour the interior of the tugboat Miguel de Cervantes, belonging to the Spanish Maritime Safety and Rescue Society (SASEMAR). On Friday, May 22nd and Saturday, May 23rd, tours of the vessel will be available from 10:30 a.m. to 13:00 p.m. and from 16:00 p.m. to 20:00 p.m. On Sunday, May 24th, the public can access the rescue vessel at 10:30 a.m. and 13:00 p.m.
On the other hand, the Navy will also have one of its vessels available at Fimar for public visits, at the same times.
Helicopter rescue demonstration
On Sunday, May 24, starting at 12:45 pm, Fimar has scheduled a Maritime Rescue demonstration: a helicopter rescue operation that will show the public how to proceed in these cases of extreme emergency at sea.
children's workshops
The grand sea fair in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria will have a wide range of workshops in the children's area set up in the Sanapú venue, from zero to three and six years old: crafts related to the sea and the environment, varied games to enjoy as a family, scooter and minicar circuits and a soft play and construction area guarantee fun for the youngest audience this year.
These children's activities will be available to the public from 10:30 a.m. to 20:00 p.m. on Friday, May 22 and Saturday, May 23, and from 10:30 a.m. to 15:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 24.
Workshops for collaboration with Martinique
Before all this program, the Marine-Maritime Innovation Centre of Gran Canaria, located in the edition of the Ports Foundation of Las Palmas, hosts on Thursday, May 21, a series of parallel events to Fimar, within the framework of the theme to which the fair dedicates this edition: The Outermost Regions and the Sea.
The meeting is scheduled from 9:00 a.m. to 13:00 p.m., with the opening remarks by the Councilor for the City of the Sea of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Pedro Quevedo; the President of the International Cooperation Commission of the Territorial Collectivity of Martinique, Patricia Telle; and the Director of the Maritime Cluster of the Canary Islands, Elba Bueno.
In this context, a delegation from Martinique, including representatives from the public and private sectors, will present their knowledge in different presentations, contrasting it with that presented by specialists from Ciudad de Mar de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the TIDES Institute of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the Canary Islands Maritime Cluster itself, and companies from the Islands, regarding the peculiarities of both territories, the development of the blue economy, and tourism around the marine environment.
This event is organized in collaboration with the Gran Canaria Island Council and the Gran Canaria Economic Promotion Society (SPEGC), and the Marine Maritime High Technology Incubator (IAT).
