B2E participates in the creation of the International Blue Biotechnology Centre

B2E – Blue Bioeconomy CoLAB is the only portuguese collaborative laboratory to join the Monitoring Committee of the working group that will lead the inception of the International Blue Biotechnology Centre.

“The participation of B2E – Blue Bioeconomy CoLAB in this working group is a significant milestone for us. Apart from being a recognition of the work we have developed so far, we are very excited to actively contribute to the growth of blue bioeconomy in Portugal,” alludes Maria Coelho, executive coordinator of the laboratory.

The first meeting of the Monitoring Committee took place in the Matosinhos’ City Hall, on April 26th, with the presence of the minister of Economy and Sea, António Costa Silva, and the secretary of State for the Sea, José Maria Costa.

The International Blue Biotechnology Centre project will be presented in September and is expected to be operating in 2025, in the site of an old refinery in Matosinhos.

According to the minister, the two years will be used “to collect everything that the working group will produce, frame it in terms of public policies, and then mobilize alle partners to get the project up and running”.

Under the protocol signed, the entities involved “propose to collaborate actively to create conditions that allow the conception of a space that will contribute to employment, competitiveness of the region and to the affirmation of Portugal as a leader in innovation and applied research of blue bioeconomy on a global scale”.

“We believe that blue bioeconomy is one of the main areas of growth for the Portuguese economy and this new international centre will allow us to increase our competitiveness in the world,” says Maria Coelho.

Blue biotechnology is an emerging area that uses aquatic organisms such as algae, fish, and microorganisms to produce food, medicines, chemical products and biofuels. Portugal has enormous potential to lead in this area, thanks to its privileged geographical position and its extensive maritime coast.