Barcelona ranks first in Europe and fifth in the world in maritime innovation. In addition, the city has a productive fabric of more than 1,600 companies in the blue economy, a sector with a significant degree of implantation, with 51,238 million workers linked to it - 4.3% of employment in Barcelona - and a turnover of 11,190.7 million euros (5% of the city's total).
These are some of the relevant indicators and figures published by the Barcelona Blue Economy Observatory, which allow us to analyse some of the main areas that make up this sector and its contribution to environmental sustainability and social development. The core of the Observatory is made up of the UB Chair on Sustainable Blue Economy, the Port of Barcelona and, on behalf of Barcelona City Council, Barcelona Activa, the Area Management of Economy and Economic Promotion, and the Strategic Office of the Coastal Area of the Municipal Management.
The 2024 edition focuses on the key indicators of the blue economy: talent, employment, economic agents and turnover, the role of the Port of Barcelona as a key player, tourism, the power of knowledge, research and training, and major blue events, which are crucial elements of Barcelona's international outreach. In short, the indicators reflect the great diversity and complementarity of blue infrastructures and services that project the city towards a bluer future.
The University of Barcelona and the environmental consultancy Tecnoambiente created the UB Chair on Sustainable Blue Economy to promote teaching and research in this field and provide documentation for economic activity in this sector. The aim is to promote the sustainable use of marine and coastal space and its natural resources, based on the principles of social justice, blue economy and ocean equity. It is led by Miquel Canals, professor at the Faculty of Earth Sciences and founder of the UB's Consolidated Research Group on Marine Geosciences.
