EU 2025 Blue Economy Report shows 4.82 million jobs in 2022

The European Commission's 2025 Blue Economy Report recorded 4.82 million jobs and near EUR 890 billion turnover in 2022, with offshore wind reaching 18.9 gigawatts across 11 member states. The findings show how marine renewables and emissions cuts align maritime sectors with the EU Green Deal, relevant to Indian coastal and offshore industries.

Based on Eurostat data from 2021 and 2022, the report shows the EU blue economy employed 4.82 million people in 2022, up 16% year-on-year, with turnover near EUR 890 billion and gross value added rising 33% to EUR 250.7 billion. Coastal tourism, which had fallen 64% in GVA in 2020, recovered to contribute 33% of blue economy GVA and over half the workforce by 2022. Offshore wind capacity reached 18.9 gigawatts across 11 member states.

Offshore wind, coastal tourism, maritime transport, shipbuilding, and marine living resources are the affected sectors. Ocean energy investment reached EUR 48.53 billion in 2022, over half of global investment, and marine renewables GVA rose 42% to EUR 5.3 billion with profits up 56% to EUR 4.1 billion. Offshore wind grew 1049% between 2013 and 2022, maritime transport 99%, shipbuilding and repair 73%, and marine living resources 44%.

Maritime operators should track decarbonisation gains: transport emissions fell 10% per tonne of freight between 2013 and 2022, while the fishing fleet cut CO2 emissions 31% and fuel consumption 17% relative to 2009. Preliminary 2023 figures from the Joint Research Centre indicate EUR 263 billion GVA and 4.88 million jobs. Indian maritime and offshore wind developers can benchmark against the EU's model linking marine renewables and sustainable tourism to climate targets.

Key figure — EU blue economy employment: 4.82 million people in 2022, up 16%