Welcome to the Official page of the Presidency of the Portuguese Republic

I would like, first of all, to congratulate TSF for the excellent initiative of having disseminated daily, since 1 October, the «Ocean of Trade» programme, which has allowed us to contact dozens of enterprises and understand the best that is being carried out in the several sectors of the economy of the sea. This action has the greatest interest and I was pleased to award it my Highest Sponsorship.

I equally want to congratulate COTEC Portugal on the initiative of having prepared the study named «Blue Growth for Portugal», which is presented here today.

Finally, a word of greeting to the Caixa Geral de Depósitos Bank, which has systematically taken part in initiatives connected with the dissemination of how important the sea is for Portugal and that, by supporting this TSF programme, shows once again its interest in the discussion of this theme.

The economy of the sea is a topic that is more than ever opportune and makes sense regarding the difficult situation in which Portugal finds itself.

I have repeatedly stated that Portugal needs to find new sustainable bases for economic growth, and that investing in its natural resources, in its geography and in its connection to the sea is an extremely important step towards the creation of such bases. Portugal has still insufficiently exploited options for development and the economy of the sea is, very clearly, one of such.
It is true that the potential offered us by the economy of the sea, clearly evident in the study «Blue Growth for Portugal», does not mean that business opportunities will immediately arise.

Much work and a coordinated and systematic investment in efforts are required to find these. And the joining up of such efforts must be urgently achieved.

But it is also worth while noting that the point of departure is relatively feeble. Portugal may be considered a great maritime Country in geographic terms but, from the point of view of the economy, it has much to learn. The Portuguese economy of the sea, in its whole, has a reduced volume of business and is not very innovative.

It is thus necessary to locate and take advantage of our potentialities, to exploit our options and to build new business opportunities.

In order to achieve this, a number of changes must start being implemented in the legal, institutional and operational systems that frame maritime activities in Portugal.

It is thus imperative that we advance swiftly, particularly as regards the regulation of ports and maritime transport, as well as the ship building activities, in order that the State’s institutional management becomes more efficient and knowledgeable and to correct past mistakes.

It is equally necessary to conclude the reform of the legal framework that regulates maritime activities.

The legal framework of maritime and coastal areas must be set out as a strategic tool at the service of the Country’s development, safeguarding the environment, but not using this restriction as an excuse to inhibit the economic growth of maritime activities.

We cannot continue labouring under the principle that everything is forbidden until it is authorized. Regarding the structural backwardness in the many sectors of the sea economy, it is imperative that we recover the time lost and build competitive advantages that allow attracting investment: Licensing must be simplified where it is overly complicated, and must be set up where it is non-existent.

The purpose here is not, of course, to sacrifice the environment of the marine and coastal areas to a savage development of maritime activities, especially since the Country’s rich marine biodiversity is exactly the basis upon which is set the greater part of the sea economy. The purpose is to find a balanced situation and the creation of clear rules that allow the Country to become competitive in a strategic area where we cannot allow ourselves the luxury to continue ignoring.

The absence of clear and simple rules and the recurrent conflicts of competence, added to the proliferation of regulators, have been the factors most directly responsible for the barriers that economic activities connected to the sea have had to face in Portugal.

The legislation that is being announced on establishing the legal framework covering the sea, must obtain the positive adhesion of the economic agents and investors interested in exploiting the wide area existing between the current reality of our economy of the sea and its effective potential.

In order that Portugal may achieve a sea economy deserving of its geographic situation naturally requires that a decisive word is provided to the economic agents. Mainly to the economic agents that, due to their talent, due to their financial and management capacity, may contribute towards changing the outlook of the sea economy, making it more competitive and innovatory.

Whoever, just as I did, had the opportunity to contact the maritime clusters in Finland and Singapore, is well aware that investment in sectors of the sea economy can be very productive, particularly if such an investment is directed towards the internationalization of the products and services of that economy.

I must also make reference to another factor in this framework that seems to me determining for the change that we all want to achieve. And this is to transform into innovation the scientific and technological knowledge that exists in Portugal concerning the sciences of the sea.

The transfer of knowledge and technology from universities and research institutions to the industries of the sea has been, amongst us, manifestly insufficient. It thus seems to me necessary that the State institutes with the universities and the organizations and agents interested in the sea economy, means of collaboration that favour a more significant incorporation of knowledge in innovatory goods and services.

Since the national strategy for the sea is in the process of being reviewed, it is worth while to take a close look at some of the sectors of the sea economy.

At a time when the Country needs to achieve larger exports and to diversify these towards emerging markets outside Europe, more difficult it is to become accommodated to the reduced size of our mercantile fleet. A stable and competitive fiscal framework with the remaining European countries in the sector of marine transport is a requisite that cannot continue being ignored.

In the ports, the situation is much better. The main commercial ports in the country have been evolving very positively, and have grown somewhat significantly, in the last few years, even against the flow of the Portuguese economy. It is necessary to continue the virtuous process of modernization and cost reduction, and to reflect such reductions in the fees charged to ships and to cargo, in order that our ports become more competitive.

The continued investment in tourist cruises, a sector that in Portugal has grown by two digits in the last few years, demands that conditions are met to improve the infrastructures of port reception, as well the means for the transport of tourists from the landing docks to the hinterland regions.

Such as happens with marine transport and also with naval shipbuilding, the fishing and aquaculture sub sectors are largely stigmatized these days in Portuguese society. It is thus necessary to increase the value scale of fishing, particularly developing certificates of designation of origin and sustainability.

What is important in aquaculture is the existence of more and larger concessions of the public maritime domain, for longer periods, and that this sector achieves greater autonomy, reducing the import of juvenile fish.

Sea economy equally has the potential to include the exploit of new sources of energy. Investment in offshore wind is now showing results, such as the Windfloat project, and, with respect to fossil fuels, it is important that the country does not become resigned to disbelieving in its natural resources, and generates sustainable conditions for the concession and exploit of more licences for the search and prospecting of oil and natural gas in the Portuguese continental platform.

In a more diffuse sector, which is now beginning to be named as «new sea uses and resources», innovation is again the key-word. Especially promising, in this area, are investments now arising in already emergent industries in marine biotechnology and marine bio-resources, as well as underwater technologies of sensors and submarine robotics or in information and communication technologies applied to the sea economy.

Lastly, a word for a whole maritime culture that has faded but is urgent should be revived and encouraged in Portugal, either as an essential base to the development of the sea economy, or as a catalysing component of novel dynamics surrounding activities such as nautical leisure, tourism or marine sports.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
We cannot repeatedly discuss a theme, reach a large consensus over it to start with and, after this, abstain ourselves from acting on it. Our politicians and economic agents must act, and act swiftly and with a sense of future.

The recognized potential of our sea economy and the international trend for growth in this sector of activity must be sufficient stimuli so that, in Portugal, the stage of discussion goes forward to the stage of investment and material exploit of business opportunities, such as I have insisted on multiple occasions.

I once again congratulate TSF for their contribution to bring this topic to the day-to-day attention of the Portuguese.

I salute the participants and the promoters of the «Ocean of Trade» Conference», an initiative that will provide a great contribution for the sea to be placed, as it deserves, in the agenda of priorities that concern our future.

Thank you very much for your attentiveness.