The Belgian established Blue Economy sectors employ about 41 000 people and generate around €5.2 billion in GVA. The Blue Economy has had a mediocre impact on the Belgian economy and employment rates in 2021.
In Belgium, the contribution to the national overall GVA of the Blue Economy sectors has decreased to 1% (in 2021, it was 1.1%), whilst the share of blue jobs to the national workforce is stable at 0.8%.
The Belgian Blue Economy is dominated by Living resources, which contributes to the 41% of the Belgian Blue Economy jobs but only to 18 the GVA in 2022. Port activities generate the largest GVA (€2.1 billion, equals to 40% of Blue Economy) and employs 30% of the Blue Economy workforce. The relative importance of Living resources and Port activities sectors has remained stable in terms of employment and GVA on a year-to-year basis.
In terms of employment, Living resources and Coastal tourism follow with 21% of blue jobs, however these two sectors amount to 19% of the GVA altogether. The second sector in terms of GVA is Maritime transport, which contributes to 27% of the Belgian blue economy.
In the EU, Belgium is the 6th and 7th-largest contributor in terms of GVA and employment respectively in Port activities, but has increased by almost 3% in terms of GVA on a year-to-year basis. It is also the 7th and 11th-largest in Maritime transport. Some of the busiest container ports in the EU are in Belgium: Port of Antwerpen (2nd), Port of Valencia (7th), Port of Zeebrugge (19th), Port of Cartagena (25th), Port of Genta (23rd). Belgium ports do not rank high for passengers embarked and disembarked in all ports. Indeed, the top-ranked port in 2021 is Zeebrugge, with 79 000 passengers (rank 322nd).
In 2023, two of the 50 busiest ports measured as gross weight handled are in Belgium: the Port of Antwerpen ranked 2nd while the Port of Gent ranked 23rd in EU. These same two ports also reported the largest number of passengers embarked/disembarked (excluding cruise passengers) in the country, ranking 459th and 482nd.
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 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, such as BSc in Nautical Sciences and BSc in Marine Engineering at the Antwerp Maritime Academy, or the 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.
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.