On September 30, SOM-INN PORT attended the event “Promoting the blue economy in Europe: strategies and results”, which took place at the Barcelona Biomedical Research Park, organised by the Directorate-General for Maritime Policy and Sustainable Fisheries of the Government of Catalonia and the Centre for Agro-food Economics and Development Research (CREDA).
The meeting brought together representatives of the European Commission, officials responsible for blue economy and fisheries policies from various autonomous communities (Catalonia, Galicia, the Canary Islands, Andalusia and the Basque Country), as well as representatives of public administrations, research centres and other stakeholders linked to the sector. The event was conceived as a meeting and reflection space to share strategies, experiences and tools aimed at promoting the sustainable development of the blue economy and measuring its economic, social and environmental impact.
Throughout the event, issues related to territorial governance, indicator systems, European funding and innovation opportunities were addressed, as well as the different strategies being developed at European and regional level to strengthen the competitiveness and sustainability of activities linked to the sea.
The blue economy encompasses a diverse range of activities related to the sea, the coast and their ecosystems, including maritime tourism, fishing and aquaculture, maritime transport, port activities and shipbuilding. This ecosystem has a significant impact on economic activity, employment and value generation in coastal territories.
Catalonia has a significant role in the European blue economy. During the meeting, the latest available data on the scale of the blue economy in Catalonia and Europe were presented. According to the European Commission’s Blue Economy Observatory, the gross value added (GVA) of the Catalan blue economy represents 3% of the sector as a whole in Europe and 20% of the total in Spain.
Data for 2023 show the scale of this area of activity in Catalonia: The blue economy generated €27.947 billion in turnover, €8.001 billion in GVA and 185,061 jobs.
Innovation and collaboration to advance the blue economy. The event highlighted the importance of having territorial strategies and governance mechanisms that facilitate coordination among the different stakeholders in the maritime ecosystem. In this regard, knowledge, innovation and collaboration between administrations, companies, research centres and other entities are key elements for identifying new opportunities and responding to the challenges facing the sector.
For SOM-INN PORT, attending this event makes it possible to maintain a connection with the main European strategies and trends in the field of the blue economy, as well as to learn about experiences and initiatives that can help identify new challenges and opportunities for the port ecosystem, in order to advance towards a more competitive, sustainable blue economy that generates value for the territory.
07 October 2026
Department of Innovation and Blue Economy