Following the kick-off meeting held in October 2025 in A Coruna to officially launch the project, the partners of Atlantic Bridge’s project gathered once again in Le Havre for a key Steering Committee meeting, marking an important step forward in the project’s implementation.
This meeting follows directly the kick-off session, during which the foundations of the cooperation were established, including project governance, the organisation of working groups, initial strategic directions, partners’ commitments…
This new Steering Committee represents a important moment, with a dual objective: to review progress on the first actions undertaken and to further strengthen coordination of incoming actions.
Hosted by the EM NORMANDIE’S team, the gathering of the full consortium in he French’s city Le Havre was a good opportunity to act decisions together and to make progress on the methodological aspect of the project.
Beyond operational follow-up, the Steering Committee in Le Havre also helped reinforce the collective dynamic of the partnership, fostering knowledge exchange, aligning priorities, and preparing the next key phases of the project.
Wednesday, April 8th : Kick-off work
The first morning of work provided an opportunity for the Lead Partner, Eixo Atlántico, to revisit the foundations of the project and ensure a shared understanding among all partners. The Secretary General recalled the overall objectives, expected outputs and key milestones, with a particular focus on the 2026 work plan (Work Package 1). This session also reaffirmed the project governance and the role of each partner in contributing to the collective ambition of building a common strategic framework for Atlantic coastal cities.
Progress was reported regarding the implementation phase.
The partnership collectively validated the methodology for the territorial analysis, which constitutes the first major deliverable of the project.
Each partner is now expected to carry out a detailed diagnosis of their territory by the end of June 2026, identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges. This analysis is conceived as a factual snapshot rather than a forward-looking exercise, and will be supported by stakeholder consultations based on a shared interview guide. These coordinated efforts will form the basis for the future strategic framework and ensure consistency across territories while allowing flexibility to reflect local specificities.
The working session of wednesday morning also helped to determine the non-UE valid destination for studying visits. The confirmed destinations are : Tanger (Morocco), Terre-Neuve (Canada), Buenos Aires (Argentina), La Havana (Cuba), and Cap Verde (Cap Verde).
In the afternoon, partners took part in a field visit of the Le Havre port area, combining a guided bus tour with on-site observations on foot. This immersive experience offered a concrete perspective on the scale and complexity of one of Europe’s major industrial and port infrastructures. Participants were able to better understand the operational, logistical and environmental challenges faced by such a territory, particularly in terms of land-sea integration, industrial activity and ecological transition. This visit provided valuable context for the project, directly connecting the strategic discussions of the morning with real-world dynamics and reinforcing the relevance of Atlantic Bridge’s approach to sustainable coastal development.
Thursday, April 9th : Field visit
On Thursday morning, partners took part in a guided boat tour of the Port of Le Havre, offering a closer and more detailed view of its infrastructures and operations. This visit provided valuable insight into the functioning of large-scale port activities, particularly the logistics and organisation surrounding container shipping. By observing the port from the water, participants were able to better grasp the interactions between maritime flows, industrial zones and urban areas, further illustrating the core challenges addressed by the project.
The meeting concluded with a final working session dedicated to aligning the partnership on upcoming milestones. In particular, partners determined the dates of the next steering committee : from 08 to 12 december in the city of Sligo. The partners will be hosted by the Atlantic Technological University’s team.
This closing exchange consolidated the progress made during the two days, while maintaining a strong collective dynamic and shared commitment to the next phases of implementation .
Leave a Reply