Round table: Blue economy, fisheries sectors and maritime transport

Summary

Report of the round table on the blue economy held at the Symposium of European Marine Academies in Marseille in March 2025. Moderated by Frédéric Moncany de Saint-Aignan, it brought together Javier Garat on the fisheries sector and coastal communities, François Lambert on the role of public authorities and training, and Jean Zanuttini on wind-powered shipping with the Neoline project.

General information

• Event title: Round table on the blue economy (the fourth in a series of meetings devoted to maritime issues)
• Organiser: Académie de marine
• Date: 25 and 26 March 2025
• Venue: École nationale supérieure maritime (ENSM), Marseille campus
• Moderator: Frédéric Moncany de Saint-Aignan, Chair of the Board of the École nationale supérieure maritime, former President of the Cluster maritime français, member of the Académie de marine
• Theme: The blue economy in Europe: state of play, challenges and proposals ahead of the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC)
• Report prepared by: Deep Blue

Presentation of the symposium

This round table, the fourth in a series of meetings devoted to maritime issues, deals with the blue economy, understood as all economic activities linked to the oceans, the sea and coastal areas. The discussions aim to combine diagnosis and operational proposals ahead of the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) announced in Nice, with a focus on two sectors in rapid transition: the fisheries sector and maritime transport.

The meeting is organised in several stages: an initial macroeconomic framing by the moderator, a substantial contribution by Javier Garat on the fisheries sector and coastal communities, a presentation by François Lambert on the role of public authorities and training issues, a contribution by Jean Zanuttini on the Neoline project and the decarbonisation of maritime transport through wind propulsion, then a series of exchanges with the audience involving in particular Marc van Peteghem, Peter Thomson, Fanny Pointet, Catherine Chabaud, Colomban Monnier and other participants. The session ends with a summary of the messages to be taken to the UNOC.

Participants

Moderator

• Frédéric Moncany de Saint-Aignan — Chair of the Board of the École nationale supérieure maritime (ENSM), former President of the Cluster maritime français, member of the Académie de marine

Main speakers

• Javier Garat — representative of the Royal Academy of the Sea of Spain; member and rapporteur of the opinion on the “European Pact for the Oceans” at the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)
• François Lambert — Director General of the École nationale supérieure maritime (ENSM), chief administrator of maritime affairs
• Jean Zanuttini — co-founder, Chairman and CEO of Neoline

Participants speaking from the floor

• Marc van Peteghem — naval architect, VPLP design
• Peter Thomson — Commander, Swedish Navy; member of the Royal Swedish Society of Naval Sciences
• Fanny Pointet — representative of the Transport & Environment association
• Catherine Chabaud — co-lead of the European Ocean Pact with Europe Jacques Delors and the Oceano Azul Foundation; member of the Académie de marine
• Colomban Monnier — Chair of the Management Board of the ENSM Foundation
• Abdel Xavier — position and institution not specified
• A participant from the floor
• Another participant from the floor

Report of the contributions

I. Initial framing: scale, diversity and stakes of the blue economy in Europe

Contribution by Frédéric Moncany de Saint-Aignan, Chair of the Board of the École nationale supérieure maritime, former President of the Cluster maritime français

The moderator opens the round table by placing the blue economy at the heart of European economic, social and environmental issues. He recalls its volumes, growth and sectoral diversity, before setting the objective of the discussions.

A. Definition and macroeconomic weight

Frédéric Moncany de Saint-Aignan defines the blue economy as all activities linked to the oceans and coastal areas. Drawing on 2018 data for the European Union, he cites an overall turnover of 750 billion euros, a value added of 218 billion euros and around 5 million jobs, including 405,000 in maritime transport alone. He highlights sustained growth over the 2009-2018 period, close to 10% per year in value added, and the European Union’s position as a leader in marine renewable energy. For France, he notes that the blue economy accounts for around 3% of GDP when indirect and induced jobs are included.

B. Sectoral scope: traditional and emerging sectors

He takes up the ten-sector classification drawn up by the European Commission in 2021: five traditional sectors — fisheries and aquaculture, maritime transport, coastal tourism, port and logistics activities, civil, military and leisure shipbuilding and repair — and five emerging sectors — marine renewable energy, the blue bioeconomy and biotechnologies, desalination, deep-sea minerals, maritime defence and submarine cables. He stresses the diversity of national models in Europe and recommends harmonising the scope to improve comparability and cooperation between Member States.

C. Objectives of the round table and orientation towards the UNOC

The moderator selects two sectors as the focus of the discussions: the fisheries sector and maritime transport. With a view to the UNOC summit in Nice, he takes up the guidelines announced around “sustainable fisheries management” and “sustainable maritime transport”, and sets the objective of drawing up recommendations addressed to Heads of State and Government. He then introduces Javier Garat and invites him to set out the situation of fisheries and his vision of the European fisheries sector.

II. For a competitive and sustainable blue economy: challenges for coastal communities and proposals for the UNOC

Contribution by Javier Garat, representative of the Royal Academy of the Sea of Spain, member and rapporteur at the European Economic and Social Committee

Javier Garat speaks in English and from the outset makes a plea for the place of fishing in the marine economy and environment. He then sets out a structured diagnosis of the economic, social and environmental challenges facing coastal communities, together with a set of proposals addressed to European and international institutions.

A. Clarification on bottom trawling and ban campaigns

In connection with an earlier debate on marine pollution, Garat highlights the role of bottom trawlers in collecting marine litter, including in marine protected areas (MPAs) where fishing remains authorised. He strongly criticises the campaigns seeking a general ban on bottom trawling in all MPAs, considering that such a measure would be “senseless” and “terrible” for the French and European economy. He argues for strictly targeted bans in areas of vulnerable marine ecosystems, while preserving the activity elsewhere, and calls on the President of the French Republic to support the fishing industry on the basis of scientific knowledge rather than following a logic of general prohibition.

B. Institutional context and European mandate

Garat explains that he is due to speak the next day in Brussels, at the European Economic and Social Committee, as member and rapporteur of the opinion on the “European Pact for the Oceans”. He presents the main ideas of this document as a basis for the discussion and a reference for the UNOC.

C. Diagnosis of the challenges facing coastal communities

On the economic level, industries and markets have been hit by successive major shocks: COVID-19, Brexit, the invasion of Ukraine, extreme climate events, leading to higher energy and raw material prices, persistent inflation, and disruption of shipping routes and supply chains. On top of these shocks come internal regulatory constraints — restrictions and administrative burdens — that affect the competitiveness and viability of businesses.

On the social level, Garat identifies the ageing population of coastal communities, the departure of young people for lack of local opportunities, the shortage of skilled labour, the difficulties of generational renewal, conflicts over the use of resources and increased vulnerability to climate disasters. He recommends strengthening social inclusion and fair access to resources and services, and improving working conditions to make the blue economy sectors more attractive.

On the environmental level, he stresses the need to maintain productive seas and preserve resources, a condition for prosperity and public health. He calls for the effectiveness of existing policies to be evaluated and for them to be revised if necessary, including the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), to adapt them to new realities.

D. Proposals for a competitive, sustainable and resilient blue economy

Garat sets out a series of eleven structured proposals.

1. Supporting competitiveness through investment and innovation. He calls for investment in climate-neutral technologies, ecosystem health and a just transition, and for urgent legislative simplification and a reduction of administrative burdens of at least 25% for businesses and 35% for SMEs, in line with the guidelines given by President von der Leyen to the Commissioners concerned.

2. Stimulating private investment and innovation hubs. He recommends the creation of blue economy innovation hubs bringing together research, businesses and public decision-makers, and the promotion of strategic autonomy in food, energy and transport.

3. Developing a European “blue foods” policy. He proposes drawing up an EU action plan for “blue foods” in 2026, in order to integrate these products into food and consumption policies and to promote healthy diets with a low carbon footprint.

4. Strengthening controls on seafood imports. Garat recalls that 70% of seafood consumption in the European Union already comes from imports and argues for tougher policies and controls on unsustainable imports, which deplete stocks and distort competition.

5. Creating an industrial alliance on the blue economy value chain. He recommends that the European Commission establish an alliance covering the entire blue economy value chain to strengthen the competitiveness and integrated vision of the sector.

6. Decarbonisation with industrial realism. He warns against unrealistic targets that would weaken industry. In support, he cites the example of a multinational that moved its activity from Algeciras (Spain) to Tangier (Morocco) because of the costs linked to the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS). He argues for technological investment and cooperation, without “paralysing” regulation.

7. Marine energy: tides and waves. He promotes cutting-edge technologies (tidal and wave energy), with a production potential he estimates at up to 10% of the European Union’s electricity, using devices that are more compact than conventional turbines, reducing the ecological footprint and the footprint at sea.

8. Access to finance and allocation of ETS revenues. Noting the inadequacy of public and private funding for the necessary infrastructure and technologies, he proposes allocating more ETS revenues to the energy transition, to support innovative fuels and European projects.

9. Evaluating and, if necessary, reforming the CFP. Garat acknowledges the progress in stock management achieved thanks to the Common Fisheries Policy, but notes the very low morale of fishers, faced with regulatory inflation and imported competition. He considers that policies have focused too much on the environment at the expense of the human and economic dimension, and expresses hope for positive developments with the new Commission and the new European Parliament.

10. Education and training. He calls for investment in skills specific to the blue economy, for keeping young people in their communities, for creating quality jobs and for strengthening the mutual recognition of qualifications within the Union.

11. Ocean health and international governance. He proposes the creation of a “Blue Economy and Oceans Observatory”, calls for stepping up the fight against marine pollution and plastics through an international treaty that is actually adopted and applied, and argues for consolidating the European Union’s position in international negotiations: the WTO agreement on fisheries subsidies, ratification and implementation of the BBNJ Agreement, and application of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

He closes his contribution with a public health message in favour of eating seafood, linking the promotion of “blue foods” to nutritional and environmental benefits.

III. The role of public authorities and the levers of maritime attractiveness

Contribution by François Lambert, Director General of the École nationale supérieure maritime (ENSM), chief administrator of maritime affairs

François Lambert sets out his vision of the role of the State and of training institutions in promoting an ambitious maritime policy. He draws both on his experience in a ministerial private office and on his current position at the head of the ENSM.

A. The ministerial private office, between crisis management and foresight

Drawing on his experience as adviser and chief of staff, Lambert describes ministerial work as immersion in the management of daily crises — he cites the SNCM, SeaFrance, Brexit — at the risk of neglecting forward-looking reflection. He believes that ministerial private offices should devote more time to long-term planning, particularly on the ecological transition, workforce and skills planning or maritime spatial planning.

He explains that his role was not to constantly request notes from the administration, but to serve as a “transmission belt” between the minister, the administration and the economic sector — Cluster Maritime Français, Armateurs de France, Institut Français de la Mer. He stresses the importance of humility in these positions and the need for a coherent public policy for the sea, built in close liaison with the players in the sector.

B. Training at the heart of the transitions: anticipating the sector’s needs

Lambert asserts that the ENSM itself is at the heart of the energy, digital and societal transitions. In the face of these changes, he refuses to wait for international regulatory developments, in particular those of the STCW Convention (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers), to adapt training. He considers it imperative to “get ahead of” the rules in order to train future officers in the skills of tomorrow, citing as an example the replacement of technical courses deemed obsolete by training in management or crisis management.

C. The “strategic seafarer” and attractiveness factors

Faced with competition from other industrial sectors — nuclear, aeronautics —, Lambert highlights the challenge of making maritime careers attractive. He puts forward the concept of the “strategic seafarer”, developed in a report submitted to Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne, which would involve a commitment contract under which officers would undertake to serve for a minimum period within a “strategic fleet”, thereby guaranteeing national sovereignty. He calls on French shipowners and European partners to examine this proposal.

To boost attractiveness, the ENSM has diversified its actions: creation of a Foundation in 2023, “promotional crews” of students and professionals visiting secondary schools throughout the country — including in Strasbourg —, a planned mini-series on the merchant navy, organisation of the Hydro Contest. Lambert reaffirms his commitment to ensuring that the ENSM remains a “pillar of public policy for the sea”.

IV. Wind-powered shipping as a concrete solution for decarbonising maritime freight: the Neoline project

Contribution by Jean Zanuttini, co-founder, Chairman and CEO of Neoline

Jean Zanuttini, himself an ENSM graduate, presents the Neoline project, a shipping company pioneering the carriage of freight under sail. He places this initiative within a collective approach and sets out its technical foundations, its multiple benefits and the concrete progress of the construction of the first ship.

A. Origins of a collective venture

Zanuttini stresses that Neoline is above all a “collective venture”, launched by nine co-founders from several generations, including experienced figures such as Philippe Videau, co-founder of Ponant, and Michel Péri. Reflection began as early as 2011 and the project has become a concrete reality, with the ongoing construction of a 136-metre sail-powered ro-ro ship — the Neoliner — at the RMK Marine shipyard in Turkey.

Building the project required three phases: defining the technical proposal by developing the ship’s design to meet the specific needs of potential customers; identifying industrial and commercial partners — Zanuttini notably acknowledges CMA CGM as the first private partner, as well as Corsica Ferries, a shipper from Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon and the ADEME Investissement and Mer Invest funds —; securing financing with 75% bank debt (CIC, BPGO, Banque Palatine), made possible by a guarantee from BPI for strategic projects. He stresses the catalytic role of public players, who provided guarantees and investment rather than direct subsidies.

B. Technical strategy: sobriety and primary wind propulsion

To achieve a reduction of more than 80% in fuel consumption, Neoline relies on two pillars, explicitly distinguishing itself from simple auxiliary wind propulsion added to existing ships.

The first lever is sobriety: the commercial speed is reduced from 15 to 11 knots. For a ship of this size, this simple adjustment halves the energy consumption required.

The second lever is the optimisation of wind propulsion as the main source, made possible by advances in meteorology and routing software derived from offshore racing. According to simulations, the wind should provide 60% to 70% of the energy required. A combustion engine running on marine gas oil — not heavy fuel oil — will make up the rest for port manoeuvres and windless periods. The ship is designed to evolve with the future integration of hydrogeneration, a battery pack and, eventually, low-carbon fuels.

The 66-metre carbon masts, designed by Chantiers de l’Atlantique, will carry 3,000 m² of sail and can be lowered to allow passage under bridges. The ship incorporates around 40% French components.

C. Environmental and logistical impacts and state of progress

Zanuttini details the expected reductions in impacts: a sharp reduction in emissions of CO₂, sulphur (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and fine particles; carrying five times less fuel, reducing the risk of an oil spill in the event of an accident; no exhaust gas cleaning systems (scrubbers), avoiding the discharge of acidic solutions at sea; reduced speed drastically lowering the risk of collision with marine mammals and underwater noise emissions. In logistical terms, the use of smaller ships makes it possible to serve secondary ports as close as possible to shippers, reducing the costs and impacts of pre- and post-carriage by land.

The launch took place on 31 January 2025. The first commercial line will connect Saint-Nazaire, Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, Baltimore and Halifax. Identified customers include Bénéteau, Manitou, Longchamp and La Fournée Dorée. For Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, the service will reduce transport time from mainland France from more than 20 days to just 8 days. If successful, this pilot ship is intended to be the first of a series.

The moderator concludes this exchange by emphasising that the project illustrates two concepts: breaking down barriers between sectors — a merchant navy seafarer becoming an entrepreneur — and the ability to “think outside the box” in order to innovate.

V. Naval architecture and the challenges of the ecological and humanitarian transition

Contribution by Marc van Peteghem, naval architect, VPLP design

Marc van Peteghem speaks from the floor to add to the discussion on the role of naval architecture in responding to current challenges, illustrating his point with two concrete projects.

A. Wind hybridisation as a lever for decarbonisation

Van Peteghem recalls the experience his firm VPLP has gained since designing a rigid-wing sailing yacht that won the America’s Cup in 2010, which led to the creation of the company OceanWings, developing automated wings suited to maritime transport. He draws a historical parallel: in the 19th century, steamships kept sails out of necessity — hybridisation in one direction; today, the reverse movement is taking place, with wind propulsion being added to motor ships. He notes, however, that current ships are not optimised for this hybridisation.

The naval architect stresses that his role is to rethink the ship as a whole — hull shapes, main propulsion, propeller pitch, appendages — in order to create a coherent system capable of achieving energy savings far greater than those provided by the wind alone.

B. Designing ships to respond to humanitarian crises

Beyond decarbonisation, van Peteghem presents a project for a ship intended for rescue on the high seas, the “Navire Avenir”, able to accommodate 350 people and designed as a care centre equipped with an emergency kitchen. He stresses that such multipurpose ships would meet growing needs linked to climate crises — citing the example of Mayotte — and to geopolitical conflicts, as in Gaza. He believes that naval architecture must be attentive to these global developments.

VI. The essential consideration of security issues in the blue economy

Contribution by Peter Thomson, Commander, Swedish Navy, member of the Royal Swedish Society of Naval Sciences

Peter Thomson, also a former finance professional, speaks from the floor to underline the intrinsic link between the blue economy and security, and to put a two-part question to the panel.

A. The Baltic Sea: an example of a contested and vulnerable area

Thomson takes the example of the Baltic Sea, a narrow, shallow maritime area with a high density of traffic and infrastructure. He describes this area as “congested, competitive and contested”. Its vulnerability is heightened by the presence of the Russian Baltic Fleet and of the “shadow fleet” used to circumvent sanctions. He recalls the recent incidents of submarine cables being severed by dragging anchors and other hybrid activities, which illustrate the fragility of this area.

B. A two-part question to decision-makers on their awareness

Referring to the saying “you may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you”, Thomson asserts that the UNOC must take full account of the rapid deterioration of the global security context. He maintains that the environment, the economy and security are three inseparable dimensions.

He puts two questions to the panel: are political decision-makers, in France and beyond, sufficiently aware of this fundamental link? And, if so, do they have the real capacity to protect environmental and economic interests against States acting according to their own power ambitions rather than out of respect for common concerns for the ocean?

In response, the moderator offers a historical perspective: the UNOC was announced at the One Ocean Summit in Brest in February 2022, only four days before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He stresses how radically the language and geopolitical concerns have changed since that date, thus confirming the relevance of Thomson’s analysis.

VII. Integrated maritime policy as a lever for coherence and peace

Contribution by François Lambert, Director General of the École nationale supérieure maritime (ENSM)

Speaking a second time, Lambert returns to the conceptual and geopolitical foundations of integrated maritime policy.

A. Origins and meaning of integrated maritime policy

Lambert places the invention of integrated maritime policy in the European context, attributing a founding role to Greek players — citing Maria Damanaki under the presidency of José Manuel Barroso. He defines this policy as the ability to plan a maritime territory by considering all the economic, social and environmental issues coherently across the same territory.

B. Geopolitical dimension and cooperation as a vector of peace

He stresses that the origins of this approach are not geopolitically neutral, mentioning Cyprus and Turkey and, by analogy, the Baltic Sea. He considers it plausible that defence considerations contributed to the initial consensus within the Commission between different political orientations.

Lambert defends a historical reading: economic cooperation can prevent war. He cites the ECSC — coal and steel — as the foundation of the European Community. Transposed to the maritime field, he believes in a “perpetual peace” made possible by pooling economic interests and by recognising the ocean as a common good. He mentions the International Seabed Authority and work on ocean protection as milestones of an approach likely to strengthen peace.

C. Linking IMO and European regulation: avoiding duplication

Lambert calls for a pragmatic link between European regulation and the international framework of the IMO, to avoid counterproductive redundancy. He warns against excessive European regulation, which he describes as a “carburettor bureaucracy of anti-evolution”. He recalls that the IMO has offered a stable framework since the 1960s, backed by numerous international conventions. On sulphur emissions, he considers that the European desire to stand apart wasted time when the international regulation was clear. He says he expects his “maritime salvation” more from the IMO, while recognising a full role for Europe, but without duplicating international action.

VIII. The UNOC, the IMO and energy sovereignty: what added value and what linkage?

Contribution by Fanny Pointet, representative of the Transport & Environment association

Fanny Pointet questions the added value of the UNOC on sustainable maritime transport, given that structuring decisions are due to be taken at the IMO as early as April.

A. Institutional context and international timetable

She presents Transport & Environment as the leading organisation on the decarbonisation of transport in Europe, active in advocacy with the European institutions and public authorities. She recalls that sustainable maritime transport is on the UNOC agenda in June, but that crucial negotiations will take place at the IMO as early as April, to decide on long-term economic and technical decarbonisation measures.

B. Climate, technology, energy and sovereignty issues

Pointet stresses the diversity of the issues: climate, technology and energy, with the choice of fuels and the places of production. She links these subjects to sovereignty, associating the phase-out of fossil fuels with reduced dependence on exporting countries that are potentially threatening to Europe, and connects them to the blue economy and European reindustrialisation.

C. Question on the IMO–UNOC linkage

Her central question concerns the exact role of the UNOC if “the die” is cast at the IMO two months earlier. She invites the speakers to build coherence between the day’s discussions, the IMO’s decisions and the UNOC agenda.

IX. Maritime multilateralism, carbon pricing and wind propulsion at the IMO

Contribution by Jean Zanuttini, co-founder, Chairman and CEO of Neoline

Taking the floor again in response to Fanny Pointet, Zanuttini argues for combining the security and climate horizons and for promoting wind propulsion with economic instruments within the IMO.

A. Transition and security in a more dangerous world

Zanuttini replies that the IMO negotiations are crucial and that the horizons should not be set against each other. In his view, the environmental transition is impossible in a context of war, but climate change itself contributes to making the world more dangerous. He calls for tackling both causes and symptoms, and for maintaining ambitious regulations.

B. Representation of wind propulsion at the IMO and carbon pricing

Thanking Transport & Environment, he stresses the need for better recognition of wind propulsion. He mentions the work carried out at the IMO with the International Windship Association (represented by Gavin Allwright). Neoline, alongside the French State, will seek in April to promote a carbon price for maritime transport in order to encourage shipowners to change.

C. The strength of multilateralism and the knock-on effect

Zanuttini credits the IMO with effective multilateralism, admittedly slow but global in reach. He believes that a success at the IMO could give momentum to the UNOC and serve as an international example, through a knock-on effect from technical negotiations to broader commitments.

X. Decarbonising the world fleet: sizing the problem and technological challenges

Contribution by a participant from the floor

A participant, drawing on data attributed to a conference on trade and development, calls for the maritime sector’s contribution to global CO₂ emissions to be properly calibrated.

A. The relative scale of the problem

He states that the world fleet of 4.1 million ships would account for between 0.1 and 0.5% of global CO₂ emissions, and that European Union ships — around 80,000 — would account for 0.01% of these emissions. He concludes that even the total disappearance of the world fleet would not decisively reduce global emissions, arguing for the problem to be properly sized when decarbonisation is discussed.

B. Three major obstacles to the energy transition of ships

He identifies three challenges. First, the lack of a viable and cost-effective energy source as an alternative to traditional fuels, suitable for all types of ships: ammonia and hydrogen are mentioned, but considered unsuitable for the whole fleet. Second, capacity constraints currently preventing the integration of certain fuels such as hydrogen or ammonia on large ships. Third, the need for energy infrastructure on a global scale — in the Indian Ocean, the Pacific and the Atlantic —, and not only in Europe, since the activity takes place on all oceans. He concludes by affirming the sector’s commitment, while acknowledging the difficulty of the task.

XI. The European Ocean Pact: integrated governance, security and naval reindustrialisation

Contribution by Catherine Chabaud, co-lead of the European Ocean Pact with Europe Jacques Delors and the Oceano Azul Foundation, member of the Académie de marine

Catherine Chabaud presents the European Ocean Pact as a response to the siloed treatment of maritime issues, integrating security, governance and the revival of European shipbuilding.

A. From integrating maritime policy to acting against silos

Picking up on the previous contributions, she notes that, despite the existence of an integrated maritime policy, issues are still dealt with in silos. The European Ocean Pact aims precisely to break down silos, with five chapters, including one devoted to security within the governance chapter.

B. European alliance for shipbuilding and reindustrialisation

Chabaud mentions the manifesto co-written in particular by former European Commissioners, which she led with Europe Jacques Delors and the Oceano Azul Foundation. She says she strongly advocated the launch of a European alliance to revive shipbuilding, in connection with reindustrialisation issues. This initiative is being carried forward with Frédéric Moncany de Saint-Aignan at the Académie de marine.

C. Regenerative blue economy

She advocates a “regenerative blue economy” approach that refuses to set the economy against the environment, and invites participants to consult the manifesto, which can be downloaded from the website of the Jacques Delors Foundation.

XII. Naval sovereignty, strategic fleet and punctuality under sail

Exchange with the audience — Question from a participant from the floor, answers by François Lambert and Jean Zanuttini

A. Questions from the floor

The participant raises two points. On the one hand, the need to set up a civilian auxiliary fleet provided for in Article 58 of the Defence Code, citing the British example of the Falklands. On the other hand, the issue of punctuality for Neoline, with a request for a propulsion “plan B” to reassure shippers and shipowners.

B. François Lambert’s answer on the strategic fleet

Lambert asserts that the concept of the “strategic seafarer” presupposes a “strategic fleet”. He recalls that it was enshrined in the Blue Economy Act of 20 June 2016 and the decree of 9 May 2017, stressing that an order is still missing to define the ships according to a criticality matrix. He proposes a “maritime commitment contract” for volunteer students of the school, committing them for a fixed period to serve this strategic fleet, grounded in national law.

C. Jean Zanuttini’s answer on propulsion and punctuality

Zanuttini explains that the ship has auxiliary propulsion enabling it to reach more than 14 knots, which makes it possible to make up lost time and secures punctuality. He notes, paradoxically, that this capacity actually increases the proportion of sailing, since it allows deviations from the route to seek the wind without compromising the respect of deadlines.

XIII. Cultural transition and “ocean literacy”: towards an economy that is “blue”

Contribution by Colomban Monnier, Chair of the Management Board of the ENSM Foundation, followed by the answer of Abdel Xavier

A. Cultural transition as a condition for the other transitions

Colomban Monnier praises the long-term work carried out by Jean Zanuttini and asks the panel: does the blue economy not require a cultural transition as much as a technological and environmental one, to make people understand that the ocean produces wealth that “reaches into the heart of our territories” and that the economy is, de facto, already blue?

B. Abdel Xavier’s answer: awareness-raising and European coordination

Abdel Xavier endorses this perspective and proposes “ocean literacy” — ocean culture — to strengthen citizens’ awareness of the importance of the ocean and of blue economy activities. He notes a lack of attention to the sea from governments and citizens. He presents the Blue Manifesto as an initiative of non-governmental organisations and of certain Commissioners wishing to influence the future European Ocean Pact led by Commissioner Costas Kadis, who is listening to all stakeholders. He sees in this momentum an opportunity for the European Union to coordinate the governments, ministries, directorates-general and Commissioners concerned in order to “get the best out of the ocean”.

XIV. Moderator’s conclusion and close of the session

Contribution by the moderator, Frédéric Moncany de Saint-Aignan

The moderator sums up the messages to be taken to the UNOC. He calls for not being naive in the face of geopolitical and geostrategic upheavals; for promoting a strategic fleet, national or European, together with “strategic seafarers”; for supporting alliances serving the blue economy at European level, in connection with finance, the Common Fisheries Policy, social aspects, the attractiveness and training of young people, the skills of tomorrow and wind propulsion — which he calls “the wind of the 21st century” —; and for preparing for rescue operations within the framework of a strategic fleet.

The session closes with thanks to Frédéric Moncany de Saint-Aignan and all the speakers.

General conclusion

This round table combined a diagnosis of the European blue economy with a set of proposals for the UNOC around several main lines.

On governance, François Lambert and Catherine Chabaud advocate an integrated maritime policy and coherent European governance, in connection with security, naval reindustrialisation and the conception of the ocean as a common good. They agree on the need to break down silos between maritime issues, a condition for effective public action.

On the fisheries sector, Javier Garat argues for a pragmatic approach that rejects general bans in favour of targeted, science-based measures, for a reform of the CFP rebalancing environmental and socio-economic considerations, and for a European action plan for “blue foods” in 2026.

On the decarbonisation of maritime transport, Jean Zanuttini demonstrates the technical and economic viability of primary wind propulsion as a concrete response, insisting on the primacy of energy sobriety. Marc van Peteghem completes this vision by highlighting the role of systemic naval architecture. A participant from the floor nevertheless tempers this by putting the sector’s share of global emissions into perspective and highlighting three structural challenges: the absence of a universal solution, capacity constraints and the need for global infrastructure.

On international linkage, Fanny Pointet and Zanuttini agree in recognising the centrality of IMO decisions, while counting on a knock-on effect towards the UNOC. Lambert warns against regulatory duplication between the European framework and the IMO framework.

On security, Peter Thomson sharply raises the question of the interdependence of environmental, economic and security issues, recalling through the example of the Baltic Sea that these dimensions cannot be dealt with separately.

On sovereignty, the exchanges with the audience lead Lambert to clarify the existing legal framework of the strategic fleet — the Blue Economy Act of 20 June 2016, the decree of 9 May 2017 — and to call for the adoption of the missing order.

On maritime culture, Colomban Monnier and Abdel Xavier call for a cultural transition through “ocean literacy”, a condition for civic and political commitment to the blue economy.

Differences remain on the real extent of the climate impact of maritime transport, on the intensity of European regulation and on the respective place of bans and incentives in fisheries policy. Open questions remain on the precise UNOC–IMO linkage, the effective implementation of a carbon price for shipping, the operational definition of the strategic fleet, the availability of suitable energy infrastructure on a global scale and a harmonised definition of the blue economy across Member States.

Bibliographic information

Type

Conference

Date

March 2025

Author

Deep Blue Foundation

Editor

Deep Blue Foundation

Study Centre

ILEB

Original language

French

Original document

PDF, 18 pages

Full text

Transcription of the original document

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