€142m for Three Major Coastal Facilities

Barcelona will invest €142 million in three new coastal facilities set to open between 2027 and 2028, strengthening its position as a global hub for the sustainable blue economy, according to the city council’s Info Barcelona portal. The projects are part of a broader transformation of the city’s 5-kilometre coastline into a zone for sport, innovation, and public access to the sea, including the redevelopment of Port Olímpic and Pavelló Blau.

  • A centre for maritime and nautical engineering at the new entrance to Port de Barcelona, featuring specialist simulators and tech labs, will open in 2028. It is being developed with UPC, Port de Barcelona, and the Government of Catalonia and will be managed by Fundació Barcelona Capital Nàutica.
  • The Blue Tech Port at Sant Bertran wharf, due in 2028, will support maritime tech start-ups and host international organisations. Promoted by Port de Barcelona, it will be managed by the World Trade Center.
  • A public ocean literacy space at Port Olímpic, opening in 2027, will offer exhibitions, immersive experiences, workshops, and debates. Managed by the Institut de Ciències del Mar – CSIC, it aims to boost public engagement with marine science and sustainability.

UNESCO Ocean Decade Hub to Launch in 2025

Barcelona will host the UNESCO Ocean Decade Collaborative Centre (DCC) starting in 2025, a global hub for knowledge and coordination in the sustainable ocean economy, as confirmed by the city council. The DCC, backed by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, will operate until at least 2030. It will focus on generating knowledge, driving innovation, and fostering international partnerships. The Barcelona Capital Nàutica Foundation will manage its staff and budget. The centre will begin with a director and two specialists, expanding to five staff after its third year. It is being developed in collaboration with Port de Barcelona, the Government of Catalonia (Generalitat), ICM-CSIC, and BlueNetCat, a network of over 800 Catalan maritime researchers.

The DCC will help consolidate a Blue Economy Impact Investment Fund based in Barcelona and promote international events like Tomorrow.Blue Economy.

Expanded Strategy Includes Freshwater and Start-ups

For the first time, Barcelona’s blue economy strategy includes freshwater initiatives to improve resilience to droughts and floods. Measures include sustainable urban drainage systems, water reuse projects, and optimisation of the city’s water cycle. The B-Blue entrepreneurship programme, run by economic agency Barcelona Activa, will now support start-ups in both marine and freshwater innovation. Since 2021, B-Blue has accelerated 32 projects and helped mobilise €39.5 million in venture capital. Raquel Gil, fifth deputy mayor and president of Barcelona Activa, said the updated strategy has a triple ambition: integrating freshwater projects, expanding international outreach, and strengthening public-private collaboration. The Public-Private Blue Economy Table will continue as a governance platform, aligning companies, research centres, universities, and citizens.

Local Economic Impact

The blue economy already supports over 54,000 jobs in Barcelona and generated €11.19 billion in turnover in 2024, equivalent to 5% of the city’s total economy. According to a 2024 report by the Ministry for Agriculture, the blue economy in Catalonia represented a business volume of €15,000 million in 2021, with 104,000 people employed across the region.

Primary sources: Ajuntament de Barcelona, Barcelona City Council, bcnroc.ajuntament.barcelona.cat, ajuntament.barcelona.cat, Ramon. Reported by barna.news, Sophie Guibert, barcelonactiva.cat, treball.barcelonactiva.cat, firabarcelona.com, Mirage News.