PYMAR and CUNEF Universidad join forces to shape the future leaders of the naval industry: the alliance that connects talent, finance and industry
16 April 2026
PYMAR y CUNEF Universidad have embarked on a new chapter in their strategic alliance. Yesterday, PYMAR CEO Almudena López del Pozo and Ana I. Fernández, Rector of CUNEF Universidad, renewed the collaboration agreement that sustains the Naval Industry Financial Training Program, a pioneering initiative in Spain that equips naval engineering students with advanced financial skills during their PYMAR internship programme.
This groundbreaking partnership, established in 2024, addresses the growing demand for professionals who bridge the gap between technical excellence and strategic financial vision. The numbers underscore PYMAR’s pivotal role in this ecosystem: over €4,970 million in financial guarantees issued and 832 vessels delivered, representing a total value exceeding €14,870 million.
In the words of Almudena López del Pozo “the alliance with CUNEF Universidad is instrumental to forging top-tier talent, capable of leading projects of immense technical and financial complexity. The Spanish naval industry is a global benchmark for professionalism and quality, and we are committed to sustaining this excellence by investing in those who will drive it forward”.
Ana I. Fernández pointed out that “this partnership with PYMAR showcases our commitment to a transversal education, connected to today’s industrial and technological challenges. Our goal is to ensure that future naval engineers integrate a robust financial vision to lead complex, sustainable, and international projects, providing them with a distinctive professional edge that will ease their entry into the job market.”
PYMAR Grants: The Springboard for Naval Talent in Spain
PYMAR internship grants are designed to enable students pursuing an Official Master in Naval Engineering, a Bachelor in Naval and Oceanic Engineering, or another industry-relevant engineering degree to do a three-month internship in a private shipyard. For many of them, the internship represents their first direct contact with the industry, and it serves to kickstart their career in the naval sector.
With over 60 applications—the highest number in the programme’s history and a clear testament to its rising prestige among engineering students—the 2025 edition marked a historical milestone. In total, PYMAR has invested €1.4 million in this initiative, benefiting nearly 500 students and consolidating PYMAR Grants as a prime gateway to Spain’s private naval sector.
The Minister of Industry Rewards Intern Excellence
Each edition of the programme concludes with the Best Internship Report Awards, recognising participants’ academic rigour and creativity. In 2025, the Minister of Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu, presented the awards during the closing ceremony of the PYMAR General Assembly, highlighting the exceptional quality of the students’ work and the importance of investing in young talent in a strategic sector for the Spanish economy.
The 2026 edition is set to launch: the application period for PYMAR Grants will open in the coming days, offering a new generation of engineering students the chance to train in a Spanish private shipyard this year.
