Tomorrow.Blue Economy sets a course towards a future led by the blue economy

Driving the blue economy forward as a key strategy for economic growth through innovation. This is one of the main goals of Tomorrow.Blue Economy World Congress 2024 which, from November 5 – 7, will bring together over 250 experts, practitioners and community leaders from around the world at Fira de Barcelona’s Gran Via venue to promote the huge potential of the seas and the oceans as a driving force for the economy and the importance of its efficient and sustainable management and care.

The event is organized by Fira de Barcelona and has the support of Barcelona City Council, Port de Barcelona, the leading organization in the field of sustainable ocean economy World Ocean Council and the international alliance of ports promoting digital and sustainable transformation, Smart Ports: Ports of the Future. In its third edition, the event hosts companies and institutions that will showcase innovative solutions, programs and best practices carried out in recent years with the aim of advancing an interdisciplinary approach in this field, including public-private collaboration.

The program will comprise 40 sessions that will address key issues such as climate change, finance, offshore energy, water management, biodiversity, green shipping, smart ports, recreational boating, tourism and careers in the blue economy sector and the use of innovation and sustainability in the port sector. In addition, the Tomorrow Blue.Economy World Congress will feature a 2.000 m2 area and will showcase a dozen specialized start-ups and innovation hubs to present their innovative projects and ideas and will include a series of conferences in which entrepreneurship and financing in the field of this new economic model will take center stage.

Likewise, port authorities from all over the world will take part in Smart Ports: Piers of the Future, a conference promoted by the Port of Barcelona with the aim of driving innovation and the blue economy, as well as strengthening port-city relations in order to establish Barcelona and the Port as a benchmark in the Mediterranean.

The Founder and President of the World Ocean Council (WOC), Paul Holthus, said “WOC’s ongoing collaboration with the City and Port of Barcelona and our alignment with the Smart Cities World Expo are demonstrations of the collaboration we develop to drive global private sector leadership, collaboration and action in support of sustainable cities and seas.”

The Barcelona City Council’s Deputy Mayor for Economy, Finance, Economic Promotion and Tourism, Jordi Valls, remarked that ‘this year there is a clear and ambitious commitment to give a leading role to the blue economy within the Smart City framework. During the congress we will debate and reflect on cities that are firmly embracing the sea in their policies, and we will become aware of parameters such as sustainability, innovation, and the array of opportunities that are brought to all sectors of the economy that are linked to the maritime environment”, emphasized Valls.

The President of the Port of Barcelona, Lluís Salvadó, explained that “Smart Ports: Ports of the Future is celebrating its sixth edition, positioning Barcelona as the capital of port innovation. Our commitment to lead the smart transformation of ports is expanded with a strategy focused on the blue economy.” Along these lines, he added “the creation of a technological hub with the BlueTechPort as a key element to promote innovation in the sector to promote a sustainable industrial revolution, using marine resources efficiently and opening up spaces for disruptive companies to test their technologies in real environments, generating a quality economic engine.”

World summit and knowledge platform
To strengthen the Barcelona summit as the leading global summit on the blue economy, the WOC has chosen Tomorrow.Blue Economy World Congress as the venue for the Sustainable Ocean Summit and the Global Blue Finance Summit, the only global, high-level, multi-sectoral meeting designed uniquely by and for the private sector to explore the great economic, financial and social opportunities offered by activities related to the marine environment under criteria of sustainability and efficiency.

According to the EU Blue Economy Report, the blue economy accounts for more than 1.6% of the GDP of the 27 countries of the European Union and provides employment for more than 3.6 million people in Europe. In turn, Barcelona has stood out in recent years as a leading city in the promotion and development of activities related to the blue economy with a 4 billion euro turnover, according to data from Barcelona Activa. Barcelona has two entities – the City Council and the Port of Barcelona – as promoters of this benchmark model, which encourages and promotes social sustainability and economic development.

Tomorrow.Blue Economy World Congress, Tomorrow.Mobility World Congress and Tomorrow.Building World Congress are held alongside Smart City Expo World Congress 2024, the world’s largest event on cities and urban innovation that is expected to bring together more than 1,100 exhibitors, representatives of 850 cities and more than 600 speakers.