We're pleased to announce the upcoming Disaster-Resilient Boatbuilding Symposium with the aim to enhance the capacity of Barbados and the Caribbean region to design and construct boats that are durable, disaster-resistant, sustainable, and suited to local environmental conditions. There is a strong interest from partners and stakeholders to learn more about resilient boatbuilding techniques and technologies that are emerging and that can be adapted to the Barbados context. This event offers a unique opportunity for knowledge exchange and learning about the historical and cultural importance of boatbuilding in Barbados.
The Symposium will take place from
Tuesday, March 17 - Wednesday, March 18, 2026, at the Hilton Barbados Resort. The following are key expected core objectives:
- Coordinate opportunities for knowledge exchange for local Barbadian boatbuilders and academic institutions, including SJPI.
- Facilitate solution-based panel discussions around innovation and technology challenges to disaster-resistant boatbuilding.
- Provide opportunities for participants to engage in live demonstrations (boatbuilding models) at interactive workshops, exhibits and on-site boatyard and fishing locations across Barbados.
- Host networking opportunities for participants and wider sector actors.
At the closing of the Symposium, participants will have a deeper understanding of the most modern techniques and technologies for building disaster-resilient boats, including innovations in materials, design, and construction practices in the global market that can be adapted to the Caribbean and more specifically the Barbadian context.
Fibreglass Boat Building at B & F Marine Ltd: Photo credit: SVI Khyle Pooler