Edition I · MMXXVI · Strictly By Invitation

Galápagos
Maritime Summit

The first integrated maritime governance dialogue convened within the Galápagos National Park, bringing together 15 to 20 senior decision-makers from government, science, industry, and international institutions to advance the Galápagos Maritime Declaration: a preliminary framework for ocean stewardship integrating security, conservation, science and industry — the foundation for a binding instrument to be formally adopted in a future edition.

Dates 17 — 19 November 2026
Location Puerto Ayora, Galápagos
Format Invitation Only
GMS 2026
— First Edition —
15–20 Senior
Decision-Makers
III Days of
Closed Dialogue
I Declaration of
Galápagos
Begin
Time to Summit · Tiempo al Summit
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DAYS · DÍAS
--
HOURS · HORAS
--
MINUTES · MINUTOS
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SECONDS · SEGUNDOS
November 17, 2026 · Puerto Ayora, Galápagos

The Galápagos Maritime Summit is not open to the public. It is not a networking event. It is a closed strategic dialogue — convened exclusively for the senior leaders who hold direct authority over maritime regulation, certification, and operations in environmentally sensitive territories.

Held within the Galápagos National Park — UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site — the Summit brings together no more than 20 senior figures from international maritime authorities, classification societies, flag state regulators, expedition cruise operations, and technical industry leaders. Three days. No press. No public sessions. No exhibitions.

Participation is strictly by invitation. No press. No public sessions. No commercial exhibitions. What is shared in the room stays in the room — except for one document: the Galápagos Maritime Declaration, presented as a preliminary framework at this Summit, laying the foundation for a global reference for operations in sensitive ecosystems.

Galápagos is not a backdrop. It is the argument.
Why Galápagos · Por qué Galápagos

The world's most
consequential
maritime setting.

The Galápagos Islands are not a backdrop. They are the argument.

Declared a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site in 1978 — among the first in the world — the Galápagos archipelago represents the planet's most intact oceanic ecosystem. 97% of its territory is protected. Its waters host species found nowhere else on Earth. Its name alone carries a weight that no conference center can replicate.

Convening a maritime dialogue here is not symbolic. It is strategic. The decisions made about maritime operations in Galápagos set the global standard for what responsible maritime activity looks like in any sensitive ecosystem — from Antarctica to the Arctic, from the Amazon delta to the Coral Triangle.

1978
UNESCO Heritage
97%
Protected Territory
I
Summit. One Declaration.

Three
strategic pillars

The Summit is built around three interconnected lines of dialogue, designed to produce concrete, applicable outcomes rather than theoretical commitments.

— 01 —

Operational Safety

Definition of operational frameworks applicable to maritime activities in environmentally sensitive ecosystems. Risk management, classification standards, and incident response in protected territories.

— 02 —

Sustainable Operations

Alignment of technical, operational and certification standards between Europe and Iberoamérica. Next-Generation Technologies for Zero-Impact Maritime Operations and the balance between tourism, operations and conservation.

— 03 —

International Cooperation

Establishment of concrete mechanisms for cooperation between maritime actors across jurisdictions. Positioning Galápagos as a global reference point for maritime governance in protected environments.

— 01
Ecuadorian Navy ESMENA · Capitanía Puerto Ayora
Confirmed
— 02
Parque Nacional Galápagos Official institutional delegation
Confirmed
— 03
Leading Expedition Cruise Lines Premium Maritime Operations — Galápagos
In Coordination
— 04
International Regulatory Body Global Maritime Governance · Senior Level
Under Executive Agenda Review
— 05
Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore — Aliado Técnico
Confirmed
— 06
Global Industrial Technical Partner Piping Systems & Maritime Infrastructure
In Coordination
— 07
European Port Authority National Port System — Southern Europe
In Coordination
— 08
European Maritime Regulatory Authority Merchant Marine Directorate — Southern Europe
In Coordination
— 09
Official Airline Partner Galápagos Routes — Under Coordination
In Coordination
— 10
European Diplomatic Mission Consular Representation — Southern Europe
In Coordination

In keeping with institutional protocol, the names and insignia of participating organizations are published progressively — upon completion of each entity’s corporate and legal authorization process. Confirmation of participation precedes, and remains distinct from, authorization to display an institution’s brand.

For security and confidentiality reasons, the identity of individual participants is not disclosed publicly until after the Summit concludes. Requests for participant information prior to that date are reviewed internally and require the organizer’s express authorization. / Por motivos de seguridad y confidencialidad, la identidad de los participantes no se divulgará públicamente sino hasta después de concluido el Summit. Las solicitudes de información sobre participantes antes de esa fecha se gestionan internamente y requieren autorización expresa del organizador.

Ecuador · Participantes Nacionales

Participantes
Institucionales Invitados

Ecuador's maritime and conservation institutions, participating as invited institutional guests in accordance with official authorization protocols.

Ecuador 2026
Armada del Ecuador
ESMENA Galápagos — Escuela de la Marina Mercante Nacional
ESMENA
Capitanía de Puerto Ayora
CAPAYO
Autoridad Marítima Nacional

Armada del Ecuador

ESMENA Escuela de la Marina Mercante Nacional — Extensión Galápagos
CAPAYO Capitanía de Puerto Ayora

The national maritime authority of Ecuador, responsible for sovereignty over territorial waters, maritime safety, and ocean governance across the country's aquatic spaces — including the Galápagos Marine Reserve. Participation confirmed through ESMENA Galápagos and the Puerto Ayora Port Authority.

Participante Institucional Invitado
Conservación

Parque Nacional Galápagos

Ministerio del Ambiente, Agua y Transición Ecológica

Custodian of the world's most intact oceanic ecosystem and UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site (1978).

Participante Institucional
Fundación Charles Darwin
Investigación

Charles Darwin Foundation

Fundación Charles Darwin para las Islas Galápagos

International scientific institution leading research and conservation strategy in the archipelago since 1959.

Participante Institucional

Institutional Authorization Note · Nota de Autorización: The insignia and names of participating Ecuadorian institutions are displayed pursuant to official authorization. This designation confirms participation as invited institutional guests and does not constitute sponsorship, strategic partnership, patronage, or institutional endorsement of the Summit's organizing entity. Participation is confirmed in accordance with each institution's respective authorization and governance frameworks.

Allies · Aliados

Technical & Institutional Allies

Bureau Veritas
Aliado Técnico · Technical Ally

Bureau Veritas

Global classification society and certification body, supporting the Summit's technical dialogue on maritime standards in protected ecosystems.

This section reflects only alliances with explicit authorization for public disclosure. The scope, terms and conditions of each alliance remain confidential between the parties. Additional technical allies will be published progressively as their respective authorization processes are completed; information beyond what is shown here is provided internally and solely under the organizer’s express authorization. / Esta sección refleja únicamente las alianzas con autorización expresa para su divulgación pública. El alcance, los términos y las condiciones de cada alianza son confidenciales entre las partes. Nuevos aliados técnicos se publicarán de forma progresiva conforme se completen sus respectivos procesos de autorización; información adicional a la aquí mostrada se entrega de forma interna y únicamente bajo autorización expresa del organizador.

Preliminary Program

Three days of strategic
dialogue

A precisely structured itinerary balancing closed technical sessions, networking in maritime environments, and territorial immersion in the archipelago.

01
Day One 17 Nov

Strategic Opening

— DAY Arrival of participants
16:00 Welcome reception & strategic networkingCharles Darwin Research Station
18:30 Networking cocktailMaritime setting — in coordination
20:30 Official Opening DinnerRoyal Palm Galápagos · Curio Collection by Hilton · Lava Lounge
02
Day Two 18 Nov

Summit Sessions

09:00 Official opening
09:30 Classification Standards for Operations in Protected Marine Territories
10:30 Incident Prevention & Environmental Response in Sensitive Ecosystems
14:00 Regulatory Convergence: Europe–Iberoamérica Maritime Framework
17:00 Drafting Session: Galápagos Maritime Declaration — Preliminary Framework
19:00 Networking dinnerMaritime setting — in coordination
03
Day Three 19 Nov

Immersion & Closure

— AM Territorial immersionLas Grietas · Los Gemelos · Santa Cruz
— PM Consolidation of agreements & final session
CLOSE Presentation of the Preliminary Framework — Galápagos Maritime Declaration
The Venues

Three settings,
singular environments.

Charles Darwin Research Station — Inspiration Complex main hall, with presentation stage and ocean views
Charles Darwin Research Station — Inspiration Complex, configured for technical sessions
— The Inspiration Complex Estación Científica Charles Darwin · Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz
— 01 —
Main Venue

Charles Darwin Research Station

The Inspiration Complex of the world's most iconic conservation institution — host to the main technical sessions and opening reception.

Capacity 80 pax
Location Puerto Ayora
Days I, II
— 02 —
Official Dinner

Royal Palm Galápagos

Curio Collection by Hilton. A five-course tasting dinner with wine pairing in the exclusive Lava Lounge, followed by a private tour of the volcanic lava tunnel.

Setting Lava Lounge
Cuisine 5 Courses
Day I — 20:30
— 03 —
Networking Experience

Maritime Experience

Networking sessions in a maritime environment within the waters of the Galápagos archipelago — in coordination with international maritime sector actors.

Setting Maritime
Format In Coordination
Days I, II
Official Hotel & Opening Dinner

An evening within
a volcanic lava tunnel.

As an official hotel of the Summit, Royal Palm Galápagos welcomes participants with preferential rates — and sets the stage for the opening evening: a five-course tasting dinner inside the Lava Lounge, a millennia-old volcanic tunnel beneath the Galápagos highlands.

Official HotelOpening Dinner Venue

Preferential rates available for Summit participants.

Lava Lounge dinner setting with candlelit tables
The volcanic lava tunnel illuminated
Lava Lounge dining venue
Five-course tasting cuisine
Natural entrance to the lava tunnel

Royal Palm Galápagos · Curio Collection by Hilton

“

The Galápagos Maritime Declaration is presented as a preliminary framework — the foundation of what is intended to become the global reference for maritime operations in fragile ecosystems.

— I —
Operational Principles
— II —
Technical Priorities
— III —
International Cooperation
The Social Legacy

A lasting legacy for
island health.

Beyond the dialogue, the Summit leaves a tangible mark — strengthening healthcare across the Galápagos Islands for the communities who live where the ocean meets the land.

— 01
Telemedicine
Portable diagnostics and remote care reaching Isabela and rural communities across the archipelago.
— 02
Maritime Care
Strengthened hyperbaric capacity for the divers and fishermen whose lives depend on the sea.
— 03
Specialized Brigades
Ophthalmology, cardiology, and nutrition missions bringing specialist care to the islands.

A fully transparent model — medical equipment delivered directly to local health centers, with notarized records and zero intermediaries.

Dates 17 — 19 November 2026Three consecutive days
Location Puerto Ayora, Santa CruzGalápagos Islands, Ecuador
Format Closed · By invitation15–20 senior decision-makers
Registration No feeParticipation is institutional, not commercial
Travel Self-fundedNot covered by the Summit — travel insurance recommended
PNG Fees USD 200 entry · USD 20 TCTStandard Galápagos National Park fees
Press & Media · Prensa y Medios

Cover the
first edition.

The Galápagos Maritime Summit 2026 is the first international maritime forum held within the Galápagos National Park. Media organizations interested in covering the event are invited to contact the Summit Secretariat.

El Galápagos Maritime Summit 2026 es el primer foro marítimo internacional realizado dentro del Parque Nacional Galápagos. Los medios de comunicación interesados en cubrir el evento pueden contactar a la Secretaría del Summit.

Media Accreditation · Acreditación →
MEDIA CONTACT
Summit Secretariat
info@tf-ims.com
ACCREDITATION
Media accreditation is subject to approval by the Summit Secretariat. Space is limited given the closed nature of the event.
— Engagement —

Become part
of the conversation.

Participation is by invitation only. Invitation requests and technical partnership inquiries are reviewed individually and confidentially by the Summit Secretariat.

Request an Invitation → Technical Partnership →
Organized by
TF Federation Group LLC
Miami, Florida · United States

LIVE UPDATES · ACTUALIZACIONES EN TIEMPO REAL

This page is updated as the Summit program consolidates. Participants, sessions and venues are confirmed progressively and reflected here as each stage is finalized. / Esta página se actualiza conforme el programa del Summit se consolida. Participantes, sesiones y sedes se confirman de forma progresiva y se reflejan aquí a medida que cada etapa queda definida.

@galapagosmaritimesummit @tf.federation