ACATMAR's 6th Forum sets a record with 229 participants and puts training at the center of the sea economy
The growth of the nautical industry, the construction of ever larger boats and new investments in infrastructure are expanding job opportunities in Santa Catarina's sea economy. But along with the sector's expansion comes a challenge: to further train the professionals already working and to open new, qualified jobs to meet the demand of shipyards, marinas, workshops and nautical service companies.
The topic was at the center of the debates at ACATMAR's 6th Technical Training Forum, held this Tuesday (the 20th), at the Federal Institute of Santa Catarina (IFSC), Florianópolis-Continente Campus. Organized by the Brazilian Nautical Association and Mundo Mar Consulting, the meeting registered 229 participants, a record since the event was created in 2014, and gathered experts to share knowledge on technology, boat maintenance, safety, innovation and sustainability.
For ACATMAR's president, Leandro "Mané" Ferrari, professional qualification is one of the main needs to sustain the development of nautical activity. During the opening, he stressed that the labor shortage affects different segments, from industry to nautical tourism, and reinforced the importance of bringing together companies, education institutions and government.
"We know about the labor shortage in the sector, and it is at every level, from industry to nautical tourism. Training has always been one of ACATMAR's great mottos. When we started this Forum, in 2014, that was exactly the goal," said Ferrari.
Marina park should increase the demand for professionals in Florianópolis
One example of this new scenario is the Beira-Mar Norte Marina Park, being built in the state capital. According to Florianópolis' municipal secretary of Tourism, Economic Development and Innovation, Juliano Richter Pires, the project should handle about 600 boats, creating demand for different specialized services.
"We will need maintenance, cleaning, engine professionals, sailors and a range of services that Florianópolis had not been paying attention to. This Forum serves precisely to train the people who can fill these roles, attract new service providers and, consequently, generate jobs and opportunities," said the secretary, who reinforced the City's intention to keep the partnership with ACATMAR.
IFSC Marina School aims to train professionals for the sector
Another initiative highlighted during the meeting was the IFSC Marina School project, developed in partnership with ACATMAR since 2025. The proposal is to create, in Florianópolis, a structure focused on professional training and the development of activities tied to the sea economy.
According to Vinícius de Luca, director general of the IFSC Florianópolis-Continente Campus, the Marina School is being planned for an area with almost 300 meters of waterfront, next to the institution, with the goal of becoming the first in Latin America.
"We have been working with ACATMAR since last year on this project. The Marina School will involve different areas of training and also count on the Florianópolis and São José campuses, especially in boat maintenance, engines, fiberglass and design. Here, at the Florianópolis-Continente Campus, the focus will be on the blue economy and services tied to tourism, gastronomy and hospitality," he explained.
Shipyards face a shortage of specialized labor
The difficulty in finding prepared professionals is also felt directly by industry. Amanda Remor, from the marketing area of Grupo Okean, a Forum sponsor, noted that the growth of shipyards and the increase in boat size require ever more specific technical knowledge.
The group, which runs a shipyard in Itajaí, recently completed the delivery of its hundredth boat. According to Amanda, the average size of the boats produced reached 61 feet, while four or five years ago it was just over 50 feet.
"Every time we move to larger boats, we need more technology and specialized labor. The nautical industry is extremely handcrafted and depends heavily on people. In Santa Catarina, we notice that professionals end up circulating among the same shipyards. We need to train more young people so the sector can keep growing," she said.
Brazilian technology and sustainability gain ground
The professionalization of the Brazilian nautical market was also addressed by Januario Gagliardi, from JRG Trading, the official Propspeed distributor for Latin America, who took part in the Forum with the talk "Less barnacle, less carbon."
"Today we have Brazilian companies exporting technology, design and services. The market has become much more professional in recent years, but challenges remain. Sharing knowledge is essential, especially for students and people who never imagined they could work in this segment," he said. In his talk, he addressed solutions to reduce marine growth on hulls and propellers, improving boat efficiency and cutting fuel consumption and carbon emissions.
Training to keep up with the growth of the sea economy
Throughout the day, the Forum presented technical content on smart boat monitoring, cooling systems, engine operation, onboard electronics, safety and rescue along the Santa Catarina coast, nautical glass, fiberglass and composite repairs, and sustainable solutions for cleaning and conserving boats. The program gathered representatives of companies, shipyards and institutions, allowing an exchange of experiences between those already in the market and those who want to learn about the sector's opportunities.
The economic scale of the activity helps explain the importance of qualification. According to the Santa Catarina State Planning Secretariat (SEPLAN/SC), the sea economy accounted for 239,671 formal jobs in 2024, equal to 8.5% of the state's labor ties. Between 2014 and 2024, the number of jobs grew 25%, led by Greater Florianópolis, which gathers 66,895 formal workers linked to the sector. Santa Catarina also accounts for 70% of the national production of sport and leisure boats and gathers 1,028 nautical companies, according to indicators compiled by ACATMAR.
Held since 2014, the Technical Training Forum is part of ACATMAR's actions to broaden access to knowledge, strengthen the nautical production chain and help train the professionals who will be needed in the coming years.
