News

At Blue Cluster, we are also pulling out all the stops in the new year to put innovation into practice not only in Flanders but also beyond. For 2022, we would like to wish everyone a steady onward journey towards a sustainable blue economy.

During the month of May, Thomas More University of Applied Sciences, Ghent University and the Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO) will present an extensive programme on algae. You will be introduced to various aspects of these plants’ fascinating world during three events.

The City of Bruges and the port of Zeebrugge have acknowledged the importance of the future-oriented blue economy and will focus more explicitly on specific aspects of this sector in the coming years. For instance, they aim to cooperate closely with the knowledge institutions and other stakeholders.

For small and medium-sized enterprises, it is not always easy to innovate, as such companies often have limited financial resources. The Flemish government has created the SME growth subsidy for these companies.

Belgium has once again managed to secure a seat on the Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Through the executive body of the maritime subsidiary of the United Nations, our country can contribute to safer and more environmentally-friendly global shipping.

Our tenth call has been open since 6 December 2021. Each project proposal that fits within the Blue Cluster roadmaps and meets the cooperation requirements is eligible for funding. The current call is open to all innovation domains of Blue Cluster and to all project types.

Aquaculture is fastest growing food sector worldwide. In Flanders, companies and the government are heavily investing in research, but scaling up to commercial projects is difficult as the sector faces legislative and regulatory obstacles. In addition, policy uncertainty prevents investments from being implemented or delays them.

Blue Cluster is working hard to also put our companies on the map internationally. Within this context, we will work more closely with Flanders Investment & Trade over the next five years. The aim is to take internationalisation and the growth of the Flemish economy to an even higher level.

Blue Cluster and Basque Energy Cluster have been working together for several years to promote the European knowhow in offshore renewable energy worldwide. By signing an MoU in Derio (Spanish Basque Country), both cluster organisations commit themselves to continue doing so in the future.

The European Union is committed to ambitious climate goals and sustainable renewable energy through various support programmes. Many initiatives are currently ongoing to support entrepreneurs in setting up relevant innovative projects. We would like to highlight some interesting ones.

Looking for financial support for fisheries and aquaculture activities in Flanders? Then be sure to read the latest activity report of the Funding Instrument for the Flemish Fisheries and Aquaculture Sector (FIVA). Among other things, you will find the regulations in force.

Aquaculture may potentially play an important role in our food supply in the future. For that reason, many Flemish institutions and companies are increasingly focusing on the cultivation of fish, crustaceans, shellfish and algae.