Bilbao has hosted the second assembly of Merchant Marine Collectives, held yesterday afternoon in the emblematic Yohn Jauregia (Yohn Palace), where the State Federation of Merchant Marine Officers (Femar) has been formally established. The creation of Femar responds to the will to unite and coordinate the representative associations of Merchant Marine senior officers —captains, chief engineers, and officers—, as well as the university schools of nautical studies, with the aim of jointly defending their professional attributions, their role in maritime administration, and their natural positioning in the technical-managerial spheres of the sector.
During the assembly, the provisional name of the federation was approved, as well as the formation of a provisional board of directors, chaired by Agustí Martin Mallofré, president of the Catalan Association of Merchant Marine Captains (Accmm). On it, Erik Font Fabra is listed as secretary, Santiago Torre as vice-secretary, Patxi Joseba Odiaga, president of the Basque Association of Merchant Marine Captains (Avcmm), as vice-president, and Manuel Romero and Idoia Ibáñez as members.
Among the main lines of work agreed upon, the drafting of the statutes, the definition of the adhering entities, the legal defense of professional attributions, institutional dialogue with the Administration, and the call for a third assembly in A Coruña in October 2026 stand out, where the definitive consolidation of the federative structure is anticipated.
Femar is born with a state-wide, integrative, and cross-cutting vocation, committed to the unity of the collective, institutional political neutrality, and an active presence in the spaces where the future of the Spanish Merchant Marine is decided.
