Interreg, an EU initiative that funds programs promoting cross-border, transnational, interregional and outermost regions cooperation, has approved 24 new blue economy projects with €55 million.
The selected projects focus on key areas of regional cooperation: innovation, environmental protection, and sustainable tourism. The Interreg Atlantic Area will fund up to 75% of the total project costs.
Six projects, worth €11.9 million, will promote training and advisory services for SMEs, foster sustainable economic growth in the algae-based biomass industry, support digital integration in the aquaculture sector, and facilitate prototyping activities. This will empower SMEs and startups while upskilling a new generation of professionals in the blue economy sector.
Thirteen projects, with a combined budget of €31.6 million, will address major environmental challenges. They include accelerating the deployment of wave energy systems, developing floating offshore wind technologies, solutions for ocean monitoring, promoting biodiversity conservation, and enhancing coastal risk prevention. Additional efforts will aim to reduce the pollution that rivers carry into the Atlantic Ocean, improve port-city integration based on the New European Bauhaus philosophy, and increase transparency and consumer trust in the Atlantic seafood sector.
Five projects, with a value of €11.6 million, will focus on more inclusive and sustainable tourism. They aim to create new tourist routes, protect maritime cultural heritage, and manage visitor flows in coastal areas.
