Support programmes for employment and entrepreneurship in the economic sectors linked to the sea (Blue Economy)
The diagnosis of the Coastal Plan shows that the multiplying effect of the activities that are specifically maritime is greater than that of the rest of the activities that are currently taking place in the coastal areas of the city. For every direct job, 1.73 are generated indirectly and inductively (compared to an average of 1.10 for coastal activities) and for every euro generated directly, maritime activities generate 1.17 directly and inductively (compared to an average of 0.98 for coastal activities).
Faced with the opportunity to promote the development of maritime activities with a high multiplier effect, Barcelona is prioritising the development of the potential of the city’s blue economy. In particular, carrying out activities whose innovation focus is on sustainability and technology so that they become a vector for job creation and economic and social development in the city and a key element of the city’s coastline.
Commitment to the blue economy is an example of one of the paths towards becoming the city of the Barcelona Green Deal, Europe’s 2030 Agenda and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, making a considerable contribution to economic sustainability and the creation of quality jobs, through innovation and technological transference. The development of the blue economy offers greater resilience to the manufacturing and business sector, contributing to the diversification of the economy and the generation of quality employment, while promoting innovation and modern and sustainable infrastructures.
What are we doing?
As part of the Government Measure to Promote the Blue Economy in Barcelona, programmes are currently being developed to support blue employment and entrepreneurship, although the strategy has a more cross-cutting scope. In order to promote the blue economy, i.e., the series of activities that foster sustainable social and economic maritime development, the strategy establishes 15 projects and 43 measures divided into 8 areas of action, relating to the following goals:
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Identify missing links in the respective value chains and promote sustainable transformations
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Develop the Olympic Port as the city’s prime location for sustainable blue economy companies
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Search for business models that are disruptive, transformative and scalable, as well as sustainable
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Carry out specialist sector-specific reskilling in the blue economy
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Conduct a detailed study of the city’s blue training offer to strike a balance between the training offer and market demand
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Improve the job placement model, adjusting training to needs and trends in the professional world and designing training and collaboration agreements that promote quality employment in this area
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Strengthen cooperation with existing employment-promoting initiatives channelled through organisations and economic players in the coastline districts
Specific blue economy projects currently under way:
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The B-Blue entrepreneurship programme
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Study of new occupations / Reskilling
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InnovaBlue (collaborative innovation programme)
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Support for investment funds
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Organising and hosting international events
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Blue economy public-private table
