Cartagena advances naval industry through training and infrastructure upgrades

The city of Cartagena and Navantia have signed an agreement to establish the Qualification Center for New Industries (NIQ). This center aims to address labor shortages in the naval, energy, and defense sectors by providing specialized training in fields such as welding, robotics, piping, and technologies related to the energy transition.

The facility will be located in a repurposed 960-square-meter building formerly used by Navantia’s Apprentice School. The program is designed to be flexible, adapting to industrial demand, and will serve both active workers seeking updates and unemployed individuals looking to enter these sectors.

In a separate development regarding maritime infrastructure, the Spanish Navy is preparing a 26-million-euro consultancy contract to support NATO commitments. This includes a 14-million-euro project to modernize the La Algameca Naval Station in Cartagena. The planned upgrades involve adding 1,000 meters of docking space, increasing the total berthing line to 1,250 meters with a minimum depth of 12 meters. The expansion aims to allow simultaneous docking of all naval units based in Cartagena and accommodate NATO vessels.