The Belgian established Blue Economy sectors employ about 45 200 people and generate around €6.5 billion in GVA. The Blue Economy has had a mediocre impact on the Belgian economy and employment rates in 2023. The contribution to the national overall GVA of the Blue Economy sectors has increased to 1.2% (in 2022, it was 1%), so as the share of blue jobs to the national workforce, which passed from 0.8% in 2022 to 0.9% in 2023.
The Belgian Blue Economy is dominated by Living resources, which contributes to the 41% of the blue economy jobs but only to 17% of the GVA in 2023. Maritime transport and Port activities generate the largest GVA - €2.1 billion and €2.0 billion, respectively - and employ 12% and 29% of the Blue Economy workforce. The relative importance of Maritime Transport has increased notably in terms of GVA moving from €1.3 billion (24.3%) in 2022 to €2.1 billion (32.1%) in 2023.
In the EU, Belgium is the 4th largest contributor in terms of GVA for Renewable energy (roughly 11%), the 5th largest for Maritime transport (about 4%) and the 6th largest for Port activities (about 6%) in 2023. In the same year, Belgium is the 4th largest contributor in terms of employment for Renewable energy (about 8%) and 7th largest for Port activities (about 3%).
In 2024, two of the 50 busiest ports measured as gross weight handled are in Belgium: the Port of Antwerp-Bruges ranked 2nd while the Port of Gent ranked 31st in EU. Antwerp-Bruges also reported the largest number of passengers embarked/disembarked (excluding cruise passengers) in the country, ranking 96th, whilst Oostende ranked 464th.
The importance of the Blue Economy is recognised by the Belgian government, which has the ambition to become a maritime nation, focusing mainly on established sectors such as fishing and aquaculture, and sand extraction, but also on more innovative sectors such as ocean energy, and carbon capture and storage.
Several official bodies monitor the evolution and performances of blue activities, such as the Federal Public Service – Mobility and Transport, the Federal Public Service Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment – Marine Environmental Policy, the Federal Public Service Economy, the Royal Belgian Institute for Natural Sciences - ODNature, the Flemish Agency for Agriculture and Fisheries, the Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) and the statistical national institute STATBEL.
The Blue Cluster is an independent and neutral partner supporting Flemish companies developing and promoting offshore activities.
Currently, there are several opportunities to acquire education and skills within the country at bachelor, master and PhD level within the blue economy domain. Examples include a BSc in Nautical Sciences and BSc in Marine Engineering at the Antwerp Maritime Academy, a master in Maritime and Air Transport Management at the Antwerp Management School, and a MSc in Advanced Ship Design and Offshore Renewable Energies offered by the University of Liège.
Marine Strategy Framework Directive: Economic and Social Analysis (ESA)
As part of the MSFD reporting obligations, Member States must provide an Economic and Social Analysis of the blue economy. This analysis is integrated into the broader reporting package under Articles 8, 9, and 10, which includes:
- The status of marine waters;
- The determination of GES;
- Environmental targets to achieve GES.
The Economic and Social Analysis (ESA) report for the 2024–2029 cycle is presented below in PDF format. This document is available in English translation, with the original language included where applicable.
The full reports submitted under Articles 8, 9, and 10 are available here: MSFD Reporting Portal.
For more information on the implementation of the MSFD, visit the European Commission’s MSFD page.
For more national level data, please visit the Dashboards section within the EU Blue Economy Observatory, where you can also find more information about Educational and Employment opportunities in the Blue Economy sectors.
Text version
This interactive dashboard presents the evolution of the blue economy for Belgium. It is designed to provide insights into key economic indicators over time.
At the top of the dashboard, there is a drop-down menu that allows users to select one of the following data categories:
- Employment: Number of jobs and workforce trends in the blue economy sectors.
- Gross Value Added (GVA): The contribution of the blue economy to the national economy.
- Turnover and Gross Profit: Revenue and profitability metrics of blue economy industries.
- Investment: Capital investment levels in blue economy sectors.
Once a category is selected, the main panel updates to display relevant visualisations, such as line charts or bar graphs, showing trends over time. These visualisations are accompanied by labels, legends, and tooltips to ensure clarity and accessibility.
The dashboard is navigable via keyboard and compatible with screen readers. All interactive elements are clearly labeled, and data visualisations include alternative text descriptions summarising key insights.