The Swedish established Blue Economy sectors directly employ almost 106 300 people and generates around €5.6 billion in GVA (2021). The Blue Economy has had a positive, albeit limited, impact on the Swedish economy and employment rates.
In Sweden, the share of Blue Economy GVA to the national economy has increased steadily since 2012 until reaching 1.7%, its highest point in 2017 and 2019. Then it decreased to 1.1% in 2020, the same level as in 2012 and 2014, mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic this time. It has mildly recovered since then, reaching 1.2% of the overall national GVA in 2021.
Similarly, the share of Blue Economy jobs to national employment was increasing until reaching 3.2%, its highest level in 2017. Then it decreased to 1.9% in 2020, as in 2012 and 2014, mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It has mildly recovered since then, reaching 2.1% of the overall national GVA in 2021.
The Swedish Blue Economy is dominated by Coastal tourism, which contributed 67% to Swedish Blue Economy jobs and 55% to its GVA in 2021. The relative importance of the Coastal tourism sector has decreased due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Coastal tourism was the sector most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, with employment decreasing by 41% and GVA by nearly 46% in 2020.
It is followed by the Maritime transport sector, which is also an important contributor, representing 14% of the Swedish Blue Economy jobs and 21% of GVA. Next is the Shipbuilding and repair sector, contributing with 11% to the Swedish Blue Economy GVA and 8% of the employment.
Text description of images at the bottom of the page
In the EU, Sweden ranks 6th in terms of GVA and 7th in employment for Maritime transport; and 6th in terms of GVA and 8th in employment for Coastal tourism; and 7th in terms of GVA and 10th in terms of employment for Shipbuilding and repair.
The largest container ports in Sweden are: Göteborg (21th in the EU), Trelleborg, Stockholm, and Helsingborg. In total, Swedish ports handle approximately 4.1% of total EU cargo operations.
The ports of Helsingborg, Ystad and Gotland (Baltic sea) are in the top 20 of EU ports by number of passengers the 12th 26th, and 38th, respectively, in 2021.
The Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management (SwAM) is the responsible government agency tasked to protect, restore and ensure sustainable use of freshwater resources and seas including fisheries management.
The Swedish Institute for the Marine Environment has the Swedish government's mission to transfer knowledge between researchers, authorities and decision-makers. Through expert mediation, research reviews, analyses and syntheses, the institute contributes knowledge and advice for sustainable management of the sea.
The Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth (Tillväxtverket) promotes economic growth and regional development in Sweden, including activities related to the blue economy. They may provide information on funding, support for business development, and economic initiatives in the maritime and coastal sectors.
Other national sources of information on the Swedish Blue Economy are:
- Swedish Maritime Administration (Sjöfartsverket).
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.
Figure 1: Sweden: Evolution of the Blue Economy Established Sectors (2021)
This figure consists of two pie charts that illustrate key aspects of Sweden’s Blue Economy in 2021.
- Left Pie Chart: This chart represents the percentage of employment across various established sectors within the Blue Economy. Each sector is depicted as a segment of the pie, with the size of each segment corresponding to its share of total employment. For example, if the segment for "Coastal Tourism" occupies a larger portion, it indicates a higher percentage of employment in that sector compared to others.
- Right Pie Chart: This chart shows the percentage of Gross Value Added (GVA) for each established sector. Similar to the left chart, each segment reflects the contribution of that sector to the overall GVA of the Blue Economy. A larger segment signifies a greater economic impact from that sector.
Together, these charts provide a visual representation of both employment distribution and economic contribution within Sweden’s Blue Economy, highlighting the sectors that play significant roles in both areas.
Figure 2: Sweden: Evolution of the Blue Economy established sectors (2009-2021)
This figure consists of two tables that illustrate the evolution of established sectors within the Blue Economy in Sweden from 2009 to 2021.
First table:
- Structure: The first table has 11 rows and 14 columns.
- Column Overview:
- First Column: Lists the established sectors of the Blue Economy, from row 2 to row 10.
- Columns 2 to 14: Display the number of persons employed (in thousands) for each year from 2009 to 2021.
- First Row: Contains the headers, namely: the title followed by the years from 2009 to 2021, one for each column.
- Last Row: Contains the percentage of national jobs attributed to each sector for each year.
- Structure: The second table mirrors the first, also containing 11 rows and 14 columns.
Second table:
- Column Overview:
- First Column: Again lists the established sectors of the Blue Economy, from row 2 to row 10.
- Columns 2 to 14: Present the Gross Value Added (GVA) for each year (in million euros, M€) from 2009 to 2021.
- First Row: Contains the headers, namely: the title followed by the years from 2009 to 2021, one for each column.
- Last Row: Displays the percentage of national GVA for each sector for each year.
Figure 3: Sweden: Evolution of the Employment by Blue Economy Activity (2009-2021) - Persons employed
This table provides a comprehensive overview of employment trends in Sweden’s Blue Economy from 2009 to 2021. It consists of 44 rows and 16 columns, with the first row serving as the header that outlines the content of each column, namely: the title followed by the years from 2009 to 2021, one for each column.
- The first three columns include:
- Blue Economy Sector
- Sub-Sector
- Activity
- The next 13 columns display the number of persons employed in each activity for each year from 2009 to 2021. Each cell in these columns contains numerical data representing the employment figures for that specific activity and year.
- The last row (row 44) the last row of the table summarises the total number of persons employed for each year, providing a clear overview of employment trends across the entire Blue Economy.
Overall, this table encompasses 7 sectors, 13 sub-sectors, and 42 activities, making it a valuable resource for analysing how employment in Blue Economy has evolved over the specified period in the specific country.
Figure 4: Sweden: Evolution of the GVA by Blue Economy Activity (2009-2021) - M€"
This figure provides a comprehensive overview of the Gross Value Added (GVA) across various activities within the Blue Economy. It consists of 44 rows and 16 columns with the first row serving as the header that outlines the content of each column, namely: the title followed by the years from 2009 to 2021, one for each column.
- The first three columns include:
- Blue Economy Sector
- Sub-Sector
- Activity
- The next 13 columns display the GVA values for each activity from 2009 to 2021.
- The last row (row 44) summarises the totals for each year.
The table encompasses 7 sectors, 13 sub-sectors, and 42 activities, allowing for a detailed analysis of how the GVA has evolved over the specified years. This structured format facilitates comparisons across different sectors and activities, highlighting trends and changes within the Blue Economy in Sweden.