Spanish Maritime Cluster Calls on Next Government for a Blue Economy Strategy

On Tuesday, November 3, during an informational breakfast in Madrid, the Spanish Maritime Cluster (CME) presented a manifesto with ten commitments addressed to political parties, calling on the next Government for a Spanish Blue Economy Strategy that would coordinate sea-related policies and establish a shared roadmap for the various maritime sectors. The proposal was presented by CME chairman Javier Garat, who argued that the sector's economic dimension should be reflected among the priorities of the next legislature.

The Manifesto for the Spanish Blue Economy proposes recognizing maritime activity as a strategic sector and creating a National Blue Economy Investment Plan to modernize infrastructure and drive new industries. It also calls for simplifying regulation and reducing red tape without compromising environmental and safety requirements, fostering blue employment and talent, and promoting innovation, digitalization and the energy transition, along with the development of sectors such as marine renewable energy, blue biotechnology and underwater robotics. The document also demands greater coordination among the ministries with sea-related responsibilities, under the oversight of an economic vice-presidency.

Among the ten commitments, the manifesto devotes a specific section to the merchant fleet, regarded as a strategic asset for the country's economy and autonomy. The CME proposes approving a Fleet Competitiveness Plan, modernizing the Canary Islands Special Register, and creating a dedicated register for the fishing fleet, as well as adapting the administrative and labor frameworks to the specific features of maritime activity. The document also calls for strengthening maritime security and sovereignty, protecting critical infrastructure such as ports and submarine cables, and reinforcing national capabilities linked to trade routes and logistics chains.

The manifesto draws on the 2025 Maritime Sector Agenda, according to which the maritime sectors generated €41,909 million in direct gross value added in Spain, 15% more than in the previous edition, with close to 981,000 direct jobs according to InfoPuertos. Shipbuilding and repair recorded €1,475 million in GVA and 27,343 jobs, with a 194.5% increase in new orders, reaching 150,835 CGT. Shipping contributed €1,203 million in GVA (+3.8%) and 16,316 jobs (+2.8%), while port activities reached €3,459 million in GVA and 33,185 jobs. Regarding traffic, apam_nacionales put the volume handled by Spanish ports at around 557 million tonnes, 19 million TEUs and 74.7 million tonnes of rolling cargo, while Diario del Puerto reported growth of 1.7% to 357 million tonnes, with regular line connectivity up 3.2%, passenger traffic up 3.9% and cruise passengers up 6.7%.

The CME chairman noted that the year was marked by the review of the European Emissions Trading System (ETS), with no significant progress in the European Parliament, and by the lack of definition of the International Maritime Organization's decarbonization framework, which has been stalled for a year. According to data cited by the cluster, the share of new vessel orders using alternative fuels fell from 44% in 2024 to 37% in 2025. The manifesto comes after the Council of Ministers approved Spain's Maritime Strategy 2025-2050, which Garat considers insufficient unless it is translated into concrete measures.