Blue skills – EC study

The European Commission, specifically the Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE), has launched a year-long study to analyze the needs of the blue economy industry, existing academic and training programs and the resulting gaps in order to develop better policy solutions at the European Union level.

The initiative is based on the premise that the future of the blue economy depends not only on technological advances and policy frameworks, but also on the people who implement them. The study was launched in September 2024 and involved 233 stakeholders from various sectors. It is scheduled for completion in June 2025. The conclusion is expected to be the development of a competency framework to address sectoral and cross-cutting skill needs.

General context

The blue economy, which includes sectors such as maritime transport, tourism, marine renewable energy, marine biotechnology and fisheries, is important for sustainable economic growth and innovation in the European Union (EU). It offers potential for economic development, job creation and environmental stewardship. Achieving these goals, however, requires people equipped with the skills necessary to meet changing demands.

With this in mind, DG MARE commissioned a study to examine skills in the blue economy, identify future needs, and make practical recommendations for fostering a resilient and inclusive workforce. The results of the study are essential to the development of the EU’s blue economy in the face of challenges such as climate change, digitization and globalization.

What are blue skills?

One of the main goals of the study is to develop a consistent, comprehensive and common definition of blue skills. The study proposes that blue skills refer to a comprehensive set of knowledge, values, attitudes, competencies and qualifications that workers should acquire in order to work, develop and support the sustainable development and growth of the blue economy.

These skills should include a wide range of disciplines and technical expertise specific to each sector, as well as cross-cutting competencies, such as knowledge of the oceans, awareness of environmental sustainability, proficiency in digital technologies and the ability to innovate.

The development of blue skills should involve various levels of education and training, from vocational programs to higher education and research. The concept of lifelong learning is an integral part of blue skills development, especially since the dynamic nature of the maritime sector requires constant updating of skills and acquisition of knowledge.

Exploring blue skills

Currently, the blue economy is facing the challenges of an aging workforce and labor shortages, mainly in the offshore renewable energy or specialized biotechnology sectors. Thus, it has become essential to develop a strategic approach to addressing the EU’s blue sector skills shortage.

The study aims to:

• Establish a common understanding of key concepts, such as blue skills and the blue economy;
• assessing current and future skill needs, covering both traditional and emerging maritime sectors;
• Identification of existing education and training programs related to the acquisition of blue skills, including formal degree programs, vocational training, upskilling courses and other capacity-building initiatives;
• Analyze EU-funded blue skills initiatives to identify best practices and areas for improvement;
• Develop targeted recommendations to close identified skills gaps.

Launched in September 2024, the study surveyed 233 stakeholders from all sectors of the blue economy. The study also analyzed more than 200 academic papers and 77 EU-funded projects, identifying trends such as the growing demand for digital and green skills.

Survey results – key findings

The survey results highlight sector trends in the importance of skills, reflecting the priorities and requirements of the blue economy in the short and long term:

• sector-specific skills

Theoretical knowledge is increasingly valued in aquaculture, while offshore wind energy and shipbuilding are moving toward a greater emphasis on practical skills.

Risk prevention skills are highly valued in tourism and shipbuilding, while their importance is declining in infrastructure.

These trends underscore the evolving specific requirements for the sector, driven by innovation, operational needs and security.

• general digital skills

Overall digital skills are on the rise in shipbuilding and offshore wind energy, while in tourism and maritime transportation they remain at a stable, high level.

The role of digital communications is growing modestly in fisheries and shipbuilding, but declining in offshore wind power.

The importance of cyber security is increasing in offshore renewable energy and maritime transportation, while port operations remain a top priority here.

These trends underscore the growing importance of digital skills for innovation and sustainability in all sectors.

• green skills

Knowledge of environmental sustainability is growing in infrastructure and tourism. Port activities and offshore wind energy are experiencing slight declines over the long term, indicating a shift in priorities.

Environmental management and conservation skills are gaining popularity in infrastructure and shipbuilding.

The principles of the circular economy are increasingly valued in infrastructure, shipbuilding and tourism.

• soft and transversal skills

Project management is increasingly popular in infrastructure and aquaculture.

Communication and teamwork are a priority in aquaculture and tourism, and adaptability, resilience and risk management in infrastructure and fisheries.

Ocean literacy is on the rise in fisheries and shipping.

• business and management skills

The role of financial management is increasing in infrastructure, blue biotech and tourism, with port operations remaining a priority.

Customer service is growing rapidly in infrastructure and blue biotechnology, port operations and tourism remain stable, and a smaller role for the customer was noted in offshore wind energy.

Leadership and strategic thinking are rapidly gaining importance in infrastructure, with port operations and aquaculture remaining at the forefront of this criterion.

• skills indicated by respondents

Skills identified by respondents as important to their sectors, and not included in the initial list defined by the survey, are: bioinformatics (blue biotech sector), downstream processing (blue biotech and offshore renewable energy sectors), decarbonization and carbon footprint management (marine transportation sector), GIS (aquaculture, fisheries and offshore wind sectors), alternative fuels (marine transportation and offshore renewable energy sectors).

• new roles and professions

The survey highlights a transformational shift in the blue economy, driven by technology, sustainability and industry challenges. New positions, such as artificial intelligence specialists, blue carbon consultants and marine biologists, reflect the growing demand for advanced expertise and environmental orientation.

• education and training programs

Respondents indicated that they have knowledge of blue skills training programs, with the main focus on maritime transportation, fishing and aquaculture.

Participation in blue skills training is common. The most common are workshops and webinars. In addition, a gap was noted between theoretical and practical training – the latter should be disseminated more. The need for cooperation between industry and education was pointed out, and practical opportunities and curricula should be tailored to the needs of the sector (areas for improvement).

• barriers and solutions

The study identified key barriers to skills development in the blue economy, including challenges in retaining talent due to low career awareness and unclear career paths, limited funding for training and time constraints.

Solutions should focus on stronger collaboration between industry and education and increased funding to remove barriers to training.

More information can be found on the European Commission’s website.

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