The joint call, launched in 2023, was the first in a series of three, with a second call already underway and the third planned for September 2025. As a Horizon Europe (the EU’s current Research and Innovation Framework Programme) initiative, the Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership brings together more than 70 partners from 30 countries, including EU Member States, Norway, Brazil, Turkey and Ukraine, as well as the European Commission to mobilise a total investment of 450 million euros over seven years. Partners primarily represent national ministries, innovation agencies, research funding and performing organisations, and regional authorities.

Recognising excellence in ocean innovation

The fourteen projects span several priority areas that contribute to advancing Ocean Decade Challenge 4: Develop a sustainable, resilient and equitable ocean economy. This includes decision-support tools for ecosystem-based maritime spatial planning, sustainable blue food and feed production, Digital Twin of the Ocean applications, and multi-use of offshore marine infrastructure:

1. WASTE2TASTE (Innovative Applications of Postharvest Fish Losses) develops commercially viable products from postharvest fish losses, including by-catch and fish processing by-products; with the loss and waste of global fish harvest estimated at around 35% (FAO), WASTE2WASTE works to valorise underused marine resources.
2. BluEcho (Quieting Oceans for a Sustainable Future) investigates the impact of underwater noise from shipping and wind farms, devising advanced noise modelling and mitigation strategies to protect marine biodiversity.
3. FAMOS (Floating Islands for Multi-use Offshore Spaces) develops innovative floating island concepts, integrating renewable energy and assessing climate suitability to create sustainable and socially accepted offshore living spaces.
4. ShellFishBoost (EU Shellfish Genetic Boost for Climate Resilience) aims to mitigate climate change’s effects on European bivalve production in support of the shellfish farming sector—vital to the blue bioeconomy.
5. Blue Bio Boost (Boosting Seaweed Farming with Genetic Resources) strives for the sustainable economic development of the macroalgae industry, which has the potential to contribute to societal challenges such as carbon neutrality and food security.
6. INSPIRE (Rare Earth Element Reduction in Ocean Green Energy) integrates offshore wind and hydrogen production to reduce reliance on Rare Earth Elements, optimise electrolyser lifecycle, and support green energy infrastructure design.
7. AQUABALANCE (Sustainability in the European Aquaculture) explores strategies and best practices for balancing economic, environmental, and social sustainability in the European aquaculture industry.
8. MEDSEAPLAN (Better Data for Marine Spatial Planning in the Med) aims to enhance maritime spatial planning in the Mediterranean by developing an ecosystem-based tool that ensures data accuracy and stakeholder participation.
9. SEAREFINERY (Development of Blue Food & Feed Biorefinery) intends to establish a novel production platform for bio-based blue food, feed, and food packaging materials by valorising marine-based sources and waste.
10. ARCFISH (Digital Twin of the Ocean for Arctic Fisheries) is creating a pilot Digital Twin of the Ocean platform to deliver new data products and services for sustainable Arctic fisheries, with a focus on Western Greenland and Icelandic waters.
11. BLUEBOOST (Low Trophic Species to Boost Aquaculture) seeks to demonstrate that co-cultivating a wide range of low-trophic species with established species can boost blue foods and feeds while supporting environmental and carbon-neutral goals.
12. FOODIMAR (Sustainable Climate-Friendly Quality Food Ingredients from Marine Side Streams) pushes the boundaries of current food production practices by developing industrial processing methods to extract nutrients from side streams and underutilised species, reducing environmental impact and promoting species diversifications.
13. DTOTrack (Digital Twin of the Ocean: Animal Tracking) maps the movements and distributions of marine life in the North Sea and uses that data to create a digital twin of the area to support decision-making.
14. AQUAUP (Aquafeed Upgraded) explores seaweed-derived alternatives to conventional aquafeed ingredients to enhance fish growth and health while reducing aquaculture’s environmental impact and supporting ecosystem services.
     

The endorsement of projects co-funded by the Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership reflects its alignment with the UN Ocean Decade and supports its goal of fostering a sustainable, resilient, and equitable ocean economy from the local to the global scale.

For funded innovators and future applicants to Partnership calls, the blue momentum initiated through the UN Ocean Decade endorsement translates into increased visibility and new opportunities for collaboration and funding that will help amplify their impact. It also connects their work with broader international initiatives on innovative solutions for sustainable ocean planning and management towards a prosperous future for people and nature.

Moving forward, the second and third calls will also be co-branded by the UN Ocean Decade, further highlighting the Partnership’s role in supporting transformative ocean solutions.

About the Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership:

The Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership represents an unprecedent effort of 74 Partner institutions from 30 countries and the European Commission to pool research and innovation investments and align national programmes at pan-European scale. As a Horizon Europe co-funded partnership, its strategy takes into consideration the R&I agendas of the sea basins (Mediterranean, Black Sea, Baltic and North Sea) and the Atlantic Ocean and builds on lessons learned from previous initiatives.

About the Ocean Decade:

Proclaimed in 2017 by the United Nations General Assembly, the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) (‘the Ocean Decade’) seeks to stimulate ocean science and knowledge generation to reverse the decline of the state of the ocean system and catalyse new opportunities for sustainable development of this massive marine ecosystem. The vision of the Ocean Decade is ‘the science we need for the ocean we want’. The Ocean Decade provides a convening framework for scientists and stakeholders from diverse sectors to develop the scientific knowledge and the partnerships needed to accelerate and harness advances in ocean science to achieve a better understanding of the ocean system, and deliver science-based solutions to achieve the 2030 Agenda. The UN General Assembly mandated UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) to coordinate the preparations and implementation of the Decade.