As Hungary is a landlocked country, the Blue Economy is not a main contributor to its economy as a whole. It represents approx. 0.6% of both national GVA and employment. All in all, the established Blue Economy sectors in Hungary directly employ nearly 27.6 thousand people and generate approx. €1 billion in GVA (2023).
The relative size and share of employment in the Hungarian Blue Economy has remained relatively stable since 2009, and was not impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In terms of GVA, the Blue Economy contribution to national GVA reached its highest level in 2018 in nominal terms, with more than €1 billion (representing about 0.9% of total GVA of the national economy).
The largest Blue Economy sector in Hungary is Shipbuilding and repair, contributing 44.5% to the country’s Blue Economy GVA and 26% to its workforce (employed mainly in the manufacturing of instruments for navigation). It is followed by Port activities, with a contribution of more than 26.5% to the Blue Economy GVA and nearly 29% to its workforce (mainly in warehousing and storage, cargo handling, and construction of water projects). The third largest sector is Marine living resources, accounting for nearly 25% of the country’s Blue Economy GVA and 41% of its workforce (mainly employed in the sale of fish and seafood products within the hotel, restaurant, and catering sector). Hungary has a long tradition of fish farming. Since it stopped commercial fishing in inland waters in 2016, the bulk of the domestic fish supply comes from freshwater aquaculture.
The Port of Hamburg, the Germany's largest seaport, plays a significant part as a transhipment, storage and distribution centre for Hungary’s seaborne foreign trade. The excellent connections in hinterland traffic and the well-established logistics chains make the Port of Hamburg an important market partner. Over 85 % of the goods handled in Hamburg are transported by rail, the proportion of containerized cargo is almost 100%. In addition to the Budapest terminals, other important terminals are Dunajska Streda and Kosice in Slovakia.
While Hungary lacks a coastline, its engagement with the blue economy is primarily channeled through water management, sustainable aquaculture, and environmental innovation.
The General Directorate of Water Management (OVF) is Hungary’s central authority for water management, overseeing the protection and sustainable use of water resources. It actively participates in international frameworks such as the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR), focusing on pollution reduction and hydromorphological assessments.
Other national sources of complementary information on the Hungarian Blue Economy are:
Text version
This interactive dashboard presents the evolution of the blue economy for Hungary. 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.