9:05am – 9:15am             Keynote Speech

• Costas Kadis, EU Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, European Commission (confirmed)

Ocean health is the foundation of a thriving and competitive Blue Economy. As Europe accelerates its maritime ambitions, ensuring the long-term sustainability of marine ecosystems is no longer a moral imperative alone—it is an economic one. This session will examine the implementation and progress of the EU Ocean Pact and its alignment with wider European objectives. Participants will also address key challenges such as pollution and ecosystem degradation alongside solutions, including the expansion of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and the deployment of nature-based solutions.

• In what ways does a healthy ocean underpin the competitiveness of Europe’s blue sectors?
• How much progress has been made under the EU Ocean Pact and what gaps remain?
• What is being done to integrate national and regional strategies to ensure coherence across Member States?
• What is being done to ensure offshore clean energy installations are supporting Europe’s climate goals with conservation goals?
• How are policymakers and industry working to reduce plastic pollution at its source, and how can these be scaled across Europe?
• How can the circular economy be embedded more effectively within marine industries to reduce environmental impact?
• What progress is being made to achieve the EU’s target of protecting 30% of marine areas by 2030?

Europe must position itself as both a leader and a collaborative partner in shaping the future of international maritime governance. This session explores how European policies—particularly the FuelEU Maritime regulation—can be aligned with IMO frameworks to avoid fragmentation and ensure the effectiveness of climate and sustainability objectives at a global scale. The session will examine the strategic importance of integrating the design elements of FuelEU into international regulatory structures, safeguarding its environmental ambition while fostering level playing fields for stakeholders. Additionally, the session will explore the role of Global Blue Partnerships in strengthening multilateral cooperation.

• How can the EU ensure that the FuelEU Maritime regulation complements, rather than conflicts with IMO decarbonisation efforts?
• How can the EU lead efforts to prevent regulatory fragmentation in global shipping and ensure consistent environmental ambition across jurisdictions?
• In what ways can regional partnerships be strengthened to ensure cooperative governance of shared and secure ocean spaces?
• How does a safe and stable maritime environment support a thriving EU Blue Economy, and what needs to be done to ensure the full protection of food, maritime infrastructure and borders?

The European Waterborne sector is a strategic pillar to the EU’s Blue Economy and Industrial Recovery Plan. As the sector navigates profound transformation driven by climate goals, global competition and supply chain challenges, it is clear that Europe must strengthen its industrial maritime base while accelerating the green transition. This session will explore the efforts to build a competitive and sustainable and waterborne sector that delivers on the EU’s climate action plan and industrial sovereignty.

• How can EU policies support the waterborne sector in meeting its goals?
• What technologies are available to support the decarbonisation of the shipping industry?
• How can Europe’s shipbuilding industry maintain a competitive edge globally?
• What is required to support circularity and digitalisation across the waterborne sector?

This session will explore the strategic direction of the EU’s Ports Strategy and how it can drive the transformation of European Ports into a model of sustainability, innovation, and global competitiveness. Key topics will include the pivotal role of ports as clean energy hubs, digital gateways, and enablers of circularity.

• What are the key pillars of the EU’s Ports Strategy and how can it support long-term competitiveness and sustainability?
• What is being done to equip Europe’s ports to lead the clean energy transition? What infrastructure investments are required to support this?
• To what extent are Ports leveraging ICT? How can emerging technologies enable Ports to become smarter and more sustainable?
• How do European Ports fit into the next Horizon Europe framework programme and EU Competitiveness Fund? What support is available for start-ups working to support Ports become more competitive and sustainable?

Coastal and maritime tourism is one of the largest sectors of the EU Blue Economy, providing millions of jobs and supporting the vitality of Europe’s coastal and island communities. However, the tourism sector faces increasing pressure from climate change, biodiversity loss and over-tourism that threaten its sustainability. This session will explore the work that is being done by policymakers and industry to ensure the tourism sector enables Europe’s wider climate goals and competitiveness agenda.

• How can the tourism sector support the EU’s climate goals while ensuring long-term economic viability?
• How can stakeholders balance tourism growth with the protection of marine ecosystems?
• What role can technologies play in driving a sustainable tourism sector?

The Aquaculture and Fisheries sectors are integral to Europe’s Blue Economy by contributing to Europe’s food security and supporting communities across the bloc. However, the sectors are under pressure to adapt to the growing demands of climate change and environmental degradation, to global market competition. This session will explore how policymakers and industry are working together to ensure the sectors drive long-term value for people and planet.

• What key challenges do the Aquaculture and Fisheries sectors face?
• How can EU policies ensure the Aquaculture and Fisheries sectors balance competitiveness and sustainability?
• What innovations are helping the Aquaculture and Fisheries sectors adapt to challenges?
• What is being done to support small-scale players?