In 2023, the German established Blue Economy sectors employ about 564 000 people and generate around €44.5 billion in GVA. The Blue Economy employs roughly 1.4% of the national workforce, in line with the previous year. German Blue Economy represents 1.2% of the overall GVA, decreasing from 1.6% in 2022.
The German Blue Economy is led by Marine living resources in terms of employment, with 27% of blue workers employed in this sector, in line with the previous year. Maritime transport and Coastal tourism contribute each to 23% of the Blue Economy workforce whilst Port activities to 17%.
In terms of GVA, Maritime transport contributes to 38% of the Blue Economy GVA, decreasing drastically from the previous year (56%). Port activities are the second most important contributors to Germany’s Blue Economy GVA (13%).
In 2023, Germany is the largest contributor to EU’s GVA for Marine living resources, Maritime transport, Port activities and Offshore wind energy. Germany is also an important contributor to the EU Blue Economy workforce, employing the largest amount of personnel for Port Activities and Maritime transport, Renewable energy and the third largest for Marine living resources.
In 2024, Germany has the third busiest container port (in terms of gross weight of goods handled) of EU, which is the Port of Hamburg. The port of Bremerhaven ranks 18th, whilst the Port of Wilhelmshaven ranks 25th in EU. In terms of passengers embarked and disembarked in ports, the port of Burgstaaken/Fehmarn is the first ranked in Germany and the 21st busiest in EU. Other busy passengers ports are Rostock (33rd), Kiel (39th) and Norddeich (46th).
At national level several institutional bodies monitor and provide support to the German blue economy, such as the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMV), the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH), the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN), the German Marine Research Consortium (KDM), and the RIFS Potsdam. The Blaue Bioökonomie is an association whose members have committed to contribute to the change to a bio-based economy in Germany supported by R&D in sustainable blue bioeconomy.
At international level, Germany supports partner countries worldwide to strengthen capacity development advancing a sustainable blue economy. For example, Germany supports regional collaboration of relevant actors for an inclusive and sustainable blue economy in the Western Indian Ocean region.
Germany offers a wide range of educational opportunities for those interested in the blue economy activities. For example, the University of Bremen offers a BSc in Marine Geosciences, the Hamburg School of Business Administration proposes a MSc in Shipping, the Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences offers a MSc in Offshore Wind Energy. The Jade Hochschule also provides several opportunities both at bachelor and master level (e.g. BSc in Maritime transport and port industry; MSc in International Logistics Management).
For more national level data, please visit the Dashboards section within the EU Blue Economy Observatory, where you can also find information about Educational and Employment opportunities in the Blue Economy sectors.
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.
Text version
This interactive dashboard presents the evolution of the blue economy for Germany. 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.