1

BlueGrowth Initiative is an umbrella of actions to promote innovative business ideas related to the
sea and aquatic resources through a combined environmental, social and economic approach.
BlueGrowth Initiative comprises the following (please, see the Transferability Study for a detailed
description):

1. Proposals submission: An annual Open Call Publication in BGI’s website is launched and interested
parties submit their

proposals describing their business idea documenting its innovative and sustainable character.

2. Proposals evaluation: Project proposals are evaluated and those that have been positively
assessed are invited to participate in a workshop preparing the open presentation of their business
idea during the “Demo Day” organised for this purpose.

3. Award ceremony: Business teams present publicly in a Demo-Day their ideas and the best business
ideas are awarded and promoted to the incubation programme.

4. Incubation programme: Business ideas awarded in Demo-Day (as well as award-winning business
ideas emerged from similar competitive procedures organised in other Greek regions) participate in
an incubation programme.

Among other, BlueGrowth Initiative encourages the application of innovative business ideas
regarding Blue Economy,accelerates knowledge transfer to companies, promotes new productive
and technological ideas, strengthens the cooperationbetween research and education institutes and
the local industry, improves the skills and knowledge in Blue Economy, creates new sustainable jobs,
and enhances the capacity and continuous evolution of the local entrepreneurial and innovation
ecosystem via the establishment and operation of the Marinescape, a quadruple helix local network
working effectively towards the achievement of Blue Growth goals.

The adaptation and effective transfer (re-use) of BlueGrowth Initiative is the main reason for setting
up BLUACT.

To thisend, the added value of BLUACT Transfer Network is to introduce and mainstream the Blue
Growth concept in the policy

setting context for Sustainable Urban Development of port and coastal cities and maximise the
environmental, social and economic benefits of their local development strategies. The expected
results of BLUACT can be summarised as follows:

• Better management of the transition towards a sustainable local economy: this will be achieved
mainly by motivating and organising the local entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem to work
together to stimulate industrial change and adaptation.

• Stimulation of job creation, entrepreneurship, and a broad local skill-base: this will be achieved by
creating sustainable innovative enterprises and knowledge-intensive jobs, and by transforming
tradition and specialisation to create sources of competitive advantage.
 2

• Improved linkages to the global economy – port cities as hubs for global networks: this will be
achieved by turning the port cities from transport nodes into Business and Knowledge hubs, and
Centres of Excellence.

• Attracting and retaining young people and unleashing their potentials: this will be achieved by
supporting young entrepreneurs and the prevention of brain drain.

2.1.2 Link to European urban policy context, EU 2020 strategy and 10 Thematic objectives

BLUACT is directly linked to EU 2020 strategy and T.O. 1: "Strengthening research, technological
development and innovation". More particularly, BLUACT will contribute in "smoothing the journey
that innovatory ideas have to take in the different stages of the innovation circle to full-scale
application" (URBACT Manual).

In the case of Piraeus, the successful application of BlueGrowth Initiative has resulted to re-focus
Research, Development, and Innovation (RDI) systems in those fields that can foster excellence and
smart specialisation in the city and those fields lay within Blue Economy sectors. The success of
BlueGrowth Initiative in terms of knowledge-intensive companies and job creation, in an area
characterised until recently as a traditional maritime cluster with a limited degree of innovation
[Ecorys (2013).

Support activities for the development of maritime clusters in the Mediterranean and Black Sea
areas. DG MARE], has led to the establishment of several initiatives that aim to foster RDI in Blue
Economy. Moreover, it has led to the inclusion of relevant budget lines in the strategies foreseen for
Piraeus (see for example the Integrated Territorial Investment plan and the Strategy for Blue Growth
of Piraeus Municipality, recently adopted).

Most notably though, BlueGrowth Initiative resulted in the establishment of the Marinescape, a
multi-stakeholder quadruple-helix entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem for the promotion of
Blue Growth in the city of Piraeus.

The Marinescape members participate in the Advisory Board of BlueGrowth Initiative and their
active involvement has had positive effects on the development of BlueGrowth Initiative. On the
basis of Piraeus specialisation and excellence and the successful implementation of BlueGrowth
Initiative, Blue Economy was included as a priority field in the Regional SmartSpecialization Strategy
(RIS3), while Research, Development, and Innovation in Blue Economy is favoured in receiving
funding.

The transfer of the Good Practice through BLUACT is expected to have similar positive impacts on the
transfer cities with regard to Research, Development, and Innovation. Transfer cities are coastal and
port cities, with a strong dependence of their production system on the sea and coastal activities.
They face similar challenges with Piraeus and share similar opportunities.

Moreover, they have also identified the great potential for innovation and growth and for achieving
the goals of Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth that lay in the seas and
oceans. BLUACT will encourage the promotion of innovation, entrepreneurship and competitiveness
 3

in these cities. The fact that 43% of European population is living in coastal regions (Eurostat, 2011),
predominantly in urban areas (64% at North Sea, 52% at North East Atlantic Ocean, 44% at the

Mediterranean) implies a significant potential for the transformative powers and added value of
BLUACT for European cities and their economy.

In the light of the above, BLUACT will also contribute to T.O. 3: “Enhancing the competitiveness of
SMEs”. The promotion of innovative business concepts and ideas will result in the promotion of
sustainable entrepreneurship.

Also, BLUACT will have a secondary impact on T.O. 8: “Promoting employment and supporting labour
mobility”, as it will support the creation of new jobs in branches of Next Economy and it will provide
tools for upgrading skills and training.

Finally, there will be a positive impact on these Thematic Objectives that interlink with the thematic
areas of innovation contests implemented in the context of BLUACT and the priorities of the partner
cities, such as:

• "Information and Communication Technologies" - T.O. 2

• "Innovation in Sea Primary Sector" - T.O.3 (mostly to Maritime and Fisheries Fund)

• "Energy and environment / green maritime" - T.O. 4 and T.O. 6 (Investment Priority 6a, 6b and 6f),

• "Sustainable sea tourism and culture" - T.O. 6 (Investment Priority 6c)

• "Maritime Transport" - T.O. 7

BLUACT is also linked to the Scope and the Objectives of the EU Urban Agenda. It is directly related to
the pillars of EU

policy-making for the Urban areas:

• "Better funding" through coupling urban development with RIS3 strategy financing and leveraging
private investment.

• "Better Knowledge" by enhancing the knowledge base on urban issues and the exchange of best
practices.

• “Better regulation” by strengthening the Blue Growth perspective of Sustainable Urban

Development, and building the capacity of relevant stakeholders to deal with complexity and to
efficiently deliver better legal documents.

Thematically the Transfer Network is connected with the Working Partnership of "Jobs and Skills for
the Local Economy", to which URBACT is an observer. The Good Practice shows relevance to all the
three priority areas foreseen in the recently launched (July 2018) draft Action Plan of the Jobs and
Skills for the Local Economy and draft Actions mentioned in it:

1. Skills - Next economy, education and skills: The Good Practice promotes knowledge exchange and
local approaches on future labour market skills (Draft Action 2 – Future Labour Market Skills). Also, as
the case of Piraeus shows, the Good
 4

Practice may have a very positive impact on the Smart Specialisation Strategies of the Regions that
Project Partners are located and the alignment of the relevant strategies towards the objectives of
Draft Action 4 [Regional Innovation Strategy (RIS3) 2.0]

2. Capital Investments - Valorisation of R&D and business locations: As job creation is directly related
to the development of the local economy and the enhancement of the competitiveness of cities, the
Good Practice is important for urban regeneration and industrial restructuration of coastal/port cities
(Draft Action 7: Funding Deprived Areas). In addition, it is a place-based approach with the potential
to offer synergy to the new instruments of EU policy, in particular to the concept of
IntegratedTerritorial Investments (ITI) (Draft Action 8: ITI Flexibility).

3. Governance - Public Services and Effective local government: The Good Practice is fully aligned
with Draft Action 10 –Job-Oriented Ecosystem, as it improves local governance and contrives the
creation of favourable ecosystem for business development and job creation.

On the 2nd May 2018, the European Commission launched its proposals for a budget for the 2021-
2027 period (COM/2018/321 final), stressing the need for the budget to be structured in such a way
as to tackle the twin challenges of cuts to expenditure and the need to draw in fresh resources. In the
accompanying Multiannual Financial Framework for 2021-2027(SWD (2018) 171 final) the
Commission stresses the importance of the Blue Economy for the new programming
period;therefore, providing the opportunity for Blue Economy and the Good Practice to be placed
high in the development agenda of the transfer and other interested coastal and port cities.

According to the Multiannual Financial Framework for 2021-2027, one of the three priorities that the
European Maritime & Fisheries Fund will focus on is to promote ‘the blue economy in fisheries and
aquaculture, tourism, ocean energy or bluebiotechnology, in coastal communities’, and to encourage
‘EU governments, industry and stakeholders to develop joint approaches to drive growth, while
safeguarding the marine environment’. Also, the necessity to exploit synergies for the maritime and
blue economy in particular with the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social
Fund+ and forthcoming Horizon Europe, is stressed. In addition, the InvestEU Fund will play an
important role with financial instruments for market-related action, by supporting a thematic
investment platform for research & innovation in the Blue Economy.

Finally, at the European Maritime Day held in Burgas in May 2018, the European Commissioner for
the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Karmenu Vella, announced that the DG is building a
European investment platform dedicated solely to the blue economy (see for example the project
“Mobilising Capital for EU Blue Economy Investment” and the forthcoming “Blue Economy Assistance
Platform”), with the objective to get money flowing into the sector. In line with this,several current
and future Calls (see for example the 2018 Blue Economy Call) will give priority to Blue Economy
projects.

These developments not only show the rising interest of the EU in Blue Economy, but also that the
momentum is now to promote the Good Practice in coastal and port cities at EU level and to provide
real EU added value by inspiring local administration, businesses, academia and local actors to
develop joint approaches to promote sustainable growth in their communities.
 5

Shall the proposal contribute to the URBACT Specific Objective 3 (related to transfer

networks)?

The proposal will contribute to the URBACT Specific Objective 3, through the adaptation and

re-use of a successful practice that supports integrated solutions to partner cities facing similar

potentials with regard to Blue Economy and BlueGrowth. BLUACT will foster improvement of

integrated urban policies through the following ways:

i) BLUACT will incorporate all the values of the BlueGrowth Initiative that qualify it as an URBACT

Good Practice. BLUACT will promote horizontal integration, mainly through the application of the

Triple Bottom Line (TBL) approach for valuing Return on Investment (ROI). The TBL is an

accounting framework, which incorporates three dimensions of company performance: Social,

Environmental, and Financial.

This is different from the traditional profit-focused framework because it also includes
environmental and social measurement and helps to achieve positive ROI in all 3 bottom lines
(business, people, and environment). Participants in BLUACT will, therefore, compete in all 3 aspects
and their ideas should have a positive impact on all of them, which is a holistic approach already
implemented in the BlueGrowth Initiative.

BLUACT will blend the TBL approach with the quadruple-helix (4H) approach, too. As already

evident in the case of Piraeus, this will contribute to vertical integration and participation. BLUACT

will help to establish a dynamic learning network to strengthen innovation in partner cities, as an

interaction between several stakeholders (governance, academia, the private sector, and civil

society). Also, it is expected that it will contribute to the improvement of cooperation between
differentlevels of governance (local, regional, national, andthe EU).

ii) Furthermore, BLUACT is expected to have a positive impact on other plans drafted and
implemented by partner cities authorities. In the case of Piraeus, the Integrated Territorial
Investment plan has been aligned with the BlueGrowth Initiative, while a separate Blue Growth
Strategy for the Municipality has been drafted, too, incorporating BlueGrowth Initiative

actions and approach.

 6

As the transfer cities taking part in the project have a profound interest in BlueGrowth and Blue
Economy, it is expected that the direct and indirect benefits acquired by the project

(e.g. the establishment and operation of an URBACT Local Group, the shift on Blue Economy, etc.)
will have a positive impact on other sector-related plans. Moreover, since the URBACT Methodology
has a wider application, it is expected that the qualities that it possesses (such as integration,
participation, and timelines) will foster improvement for other types of plans drafted and

implemented by project partners, too.

iii) Under the growing interest of the EU on issues relevant to urban development and blue economy,

the transfer network contribution to Specific Objective 3 is expected to be larger.

On the auspices of BlueGrowth Initiative in Piraeus, Blue Economy has been identified as a
specialisation that contributes to territorial integration and the enhancement of innovation activity in
the Region ofAttica.

To this end, the Blue Economy has been included in Atticas Smart Specialisation Strategy

(RIS3). The draft Action Plan of the Jobs and Skills for the Local Economy (please, see section 2.1.2)

2.3 Please explain the added value of transferring this good practice as part of
a transnational network
The added value of the BLUACT Transfer Network is to use the URBACT method in the local
ecosystems to develop local and transnational value chains, to strengthen the local economies and
planning capacity of the partner cities and to strengthen European Union and its economy as a
whole.

In 2016, the BlueGrowth Initiative concluded a comprehensive strategic plan for the next 3-5 years.
The plan for the development of BlueGrowth Initiative focuses on the following priorities, where
there is room for improvement:

1. Identification of expansion opportunities for the BlueGrowth Initiative in other locations

2. Opportunities to increase revenue streams

3. How best to approach investors’ fundraising

4. Evaluate possibilities for the BlueGrowth business model in Greece and abroad

To this end, the Transfer Network will assist in meeting priorities 1, 3 and 4. More precisely:

With respect to (1) and (3), BlueGrowth leadership aspires to expand the BlueGrowth organisation
and BlueGrowth competition to other world regions. Expansion to other port cities has the
advantage of strengthening BlueGrowth ecosystem by adding a more global reach and enhancing the
diversity of the partners ecosystems. Ultimately, this will provide more opportunities for
 7

entrepreneurs in all cities to succeed through the development of complementarities and global
value chains,as well as through synergies and the development of a critical mass of innovative ideas
and products that will easier attract interested investors and sponsors. The Transfer Network is a
unique opportunity to achieve both ends, i.e. global value chains and critical mass. In addition, it is a
first class opportunity to support the creation of blue growth collaborations with the potential to
request funding from Horizon 2020 (and the forthcoming Horizon Europe) and other emerging
supporting mechanisms for SMEs, start-ups, early-stage businesses and scale-ups in the blue
economy.

Regarding (4), through the Transfer Network, the process of engaging cities with different settings,
backgrounds and potential will be tested, and valuable lessons will be drawn that will help to review
BlueGrowth business model and systematise the engagement and expansion process of the Good
Practice in different milieus. This will take place through a dual approach that is both transnational
(meetings, deep dives, study visits, etc.) and bottom-up (stakeholders’ active engagement,
promotional activities, etc.). The process will be depicted in a series of outputs (technical seminar
reports, digital media, etc.) bridging the transnational and local level and culminating to an
implementation handbook for partners and others (Good Practiceoperations manual).

Moreover, and as previously mentioned (please, see sections 2.1.1 and 2.2), the added value of
BLUACT is to introduce and mainstream the Blue Growth concept in the Sustainable Urban
Development Policies of the port and coastal cities taking part in the Transfer Network and to
strengthen the cities' sources of competitive advantage, derived from their location by the sea.

In addition, BLUACT aims to bolster their local development strategies with innovative ideas and
practices through the adoption of the URBACT Methodology, by promoting an integrated and
participatory approach to planning and projectdelivery. Besides the overarching expected results
summarised in the Phase 1 application form (better management of thetransition towards a
sustainable local economy; stimulation of job creation, entrepreneurship, and a broad local skill-
base;improved linkages to the global economy; attracting the young and unleashing their potentials),
BLUACT will deep dive intothe specific assets that each city possesses and can further develop, to
further specialise the local economy and build greaterresilience. It will identify the potential of the
sea to act as a unifying factor among sectors that in some cities seem distinct and possessed a
narrow focus (e.g. ICT and port operation) and suggest ways to overcome this.

European cities are the key drivers of growth and competitiveness, while the seas and coasts of
Europe have the potential to foster regional development and technological innovation. Therefore,
building the entrepreneurial capacity of a range of coastal and port cities across Europe to
strengthen their blue growth innovation ‘investment readiness’ support services will also support the
achievement of EU2020 goals, support the development and specification of the EU Urban Agenda,
Sea Basin and Macro-regional strategies and support important emerging policy developments, such
as the proposed creation of a BlueInvestment Fund.
 8

2.4. Reference to the External Assessment Panel recommendations and how

these were addressed
Overall, the Phase 1 proposal received very positive comments for its quality. The grades received
(Excellent for Criterion A, Very Good for Criteria B, D, E, and Good for Criterion C)only highlighted a
few areas for potential improvement.. The External Assessment Panel made the following two
suggestions for improvement:

1) Consideration should be taken that Phase 1 activities and in particular the Transferability study
should address the needs ofall Phase 1 and Phase 2 partner cities.

2) It is recommended that the Phase 1 activities of the Lead Expert should include visits/ meetings/
discussions with Phase 2partners as part of the Transferability study.

Regarding (1), the Transferability study has sought to address the needs of all Phase 1 and Phase 2
partner cities, in line with the introductory text of the Transferability Study Description & Guidance
(Section 3 – Synthesis, Overall Transferability and

Methodology Outline) that recommended that “The approach should take account of […], the
support needs of the Transferpartners […]” (pg. 10). This is, also, evident in the Transferability Study,
as the Network Expert has identified a distinct sub-chapter for each partner city entitled ‘The core
need within the city’. This has been further addressed in a systematic way in the Transferability Study
in the ‘Summary Table on Transfer Potential’. The table clearly identifies the choices made for

each city and its ‘Transfer Potential’ in relation to its ‘Transfer Assets’ and ‘Transfer Barriers’, while
column ‘Comments and explanations’ provides further details on the needs addressed.

It has to be noted that the Transferability Study offers a some flexibility in which the Good Practice
can be transferred, on the basis of the different potential of transfer cities, their different eco-
systems and the ‘maturity’ of their partnerships. In addition to the receiving partners, the city of
Piraeus has also committed to develop their own Good Practice improvement plan, over

the lifetime of the network.

Recommendation (2) has been fully addressed by the Lead Partner, as besides the Kick-off meeting,
the two meetings in Burgas and Matosinhos with the respective authorities, and the final
transnational meeting that Phase 2 partners attended, the Lead Partner and the Network Expert
conducted one physical visit/ meeting in each potential Phase 2 partner city and/or held a number of
Skype meetings with partners. Besides the physical visits/ meetings, the Lead Partner and the Lead
Expert have been in constant communication with the representatives and the officials of the
transfer cities, in order to collect data and perform a more adequate assessment.

In addition to the main recommendations made by the EAP, during Phase 1 the Lead Partner
addressed all recommendations identified under each criterion, as described below:

Crit A - Relevance of the policy issue addressed (Grade Excellent) No suggestion for improvement
was identified. Crit B - Coherence of the proposal (Grade Very Good)
 9

B.1. The objectives of the Transfer Network are understood, but more information on the tools and
methodologies for transnational knowledge and experience sharing could have been provided, as
well as the articulation between them.

This suggestion has been taken into consideration for the delivery of Phase 1, during which a
structured process for transnational knowledge and experience sharing was followed [redrafting of
texts relevant to Good Practice in the form of a laymans report, visits/meetings, circulation of
questionnaires, facilitation of a participatory and bottom-up approach in the TNM with the use of
visuals (posters, presentations), etc.].

Most importantly, the suggestion has been taken into consideration for the delivery of Phase 2, as
evidenced by the application form and the Transferability Study.

To this end:

- The TNMs have been planned in detail, their subjects and session topics have already been
suggested (please, see Transferability Study and section 4.2.2 of the application form).

- Specific tools have been identified and have been matched to TNMs (please, see Transferability
Study and section 4.2.2 of the application form).

- Links between the transnational activities under WP2 and local transfer activities under WP3 have
been clearly identified.

Crit C - Quality of the proposal for Phase 1 (Grade Good)

C.1. The involvement of the Phase 2 partners is insufficiently described and considered.

C.2. The role and contribution of the Lead Expert is clearly outlined. However, the Transferability
study appears to address only the three Phase 1 partner cities and does not cover the extended
partnership, which is a fundamental requirement of the study. Phase 2 partners will participate in the
final transnational meeting when the Transferability study is presented to the entire partnership.

With respect both to C.1 and to C.2, as already indicated in the general recommendation (2) above,
the Lead Partner fully aligned its methodology and involved all potential Phase 2 partners early in the
process, even conducting physical visits/meetings with them, which were not initially foreseen, to
discuss the Good Practice and get all relevant information for the assessment of their potential.

Crit D - Quality of the proposed partnership (Grade Very Good)

No suggestion for improvement was identified.

Crit E – Quality of leadership (Grade Very Good)

E.1. The identity of financial support staff is not provided.

The identity of financial support staff has been identified during Phase 1 and has been incorporated
into Phase 2 application form.

3. RATIONALE OF PROPOSED PARTNERSHIP

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3.1 Please explain the rationale used for selecting Phase 2 partners and explain any

changing to the partnership since Phase 1

The territorial dimension has been an important factor for the formation of the proposed
partnership. The European Commission has divided European maritime space into eight Sea Basins
(Adriatic and the Ionian Sea, Atlantic Ocean, Arctic Ocean, Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea, North Sea,
Baltic Sea, and outermost regions) and has provided tailor-made strategies for each. In addition, four
European Macro-regions have been designated, three of which are coastal (Adriatic and Ionian
macro-region, Danube macro-region and Baltic macro-region, while the fourth macro-region, Alps, is
in the hinterland).

The proposed partnership for Phase 2 covers an appropriate mix of maritime EU Member States
ensuring adequate coverage of Europe, its Sea Basin and Macro-regional strategies. In fact, it covers
eight Member States, six Sea Basins and three Macro-regions.

Moreover, there are country and place specific characteristics relevant to Blue Economy that have
been taken into consideration. Combined Spain, Italy, and Greece, together with the United
Kingdom, account for half of the total employment of Blue Economy in the European Union. In
countries such as Portugal and Belgium, the Blue Economy has significant potential as it has grown
more strongly than their national economies. Romania and Bulgaria are bound to capital-intensive
industrial maritime activities, such as hydrocarbon production and shipbuilding, while located next to
Danube fragile ecosystem [DG Mare (2018). The 2018 annual economic report on the EU blue
economy].

The city profiles are coherent as the partner cities cover the whole range of the established maritime
sectors (ports, shipbuilding, transport, etc.), but also some innovative sectors now emerging. The
cities are facing similar challenges (please, see section 2.1.1 and Transferability Study) and have
already deployed or are in the process of developing a strategy/ policy for unleashing their blue
growth potential making the transfer seem realistic.

During the course of building the partnership, we have also been heavily influenced by the URBACT
Transfer Networks Partnership Guide. In selecting the cities to participate in the Network, we have
sought to ensure compliance with the necessary regulations; insisted partners demonstrate they
possess a strong local (blue growth) partnership on which to build the transfer; that they have strong
political support for the transfer; and that they clearly understood the goals of a Transfer Network (in
distinction, in particular from an Action Planning Network). Because we were this demanding, during
the course of the development of the Network, we mutually agreed with one city in Croatia that they
should not join the network, following a city visit, as they could not achieve these basic conditions.

To this end, the choice of the transfer cities was made on the basis of achieving greater territorial
coverage; exploring factors with the potential to affect the application of the Good Practice in
different sea basins, macro-regions, and settings; and ensuring the partners were motivated and
capable of delivering the transfer. More specifically:
 11

• Piraeus (Greece) is the Good Practice city. Piraeus is located in the Eastern Mediterranean Basin
and the area of Adriatic -Ionian Macro-regional Strategy. It is the maritime capital of Greece and one
of the most important maritime clusters worldwide.

The local challenges in relation to the policy issue identified comprise a shrinking local economic base
with a limited degree of innovation, a high unemployment rate, the migration of maritime and blue
economy service sectors and the precarious role of the city as a hub of global shipping industry and
networks in a highly competitive sector, the expatriation of highly skilled and well educated young
individuals (brain drain), and a degrading urban environment as a results of urban traffic congestion

and air pollution caused by the port operation.

The local authorities in Piraeus show a strong commitment addressing the challenges that the city is
facing. The Municipality has been very effective in taking advantage of the Regional Operational
Programme of Attica for 2014-2020 that is predominantly providing the framework to tackle these
challenges. Blue Economy has been incorporated as a priority sector in the Regional Smart
Specialisation Strategy (RIS3). An Integrated Territorial Investment (ITI) plan has been approved for

Piraeus that proposes the designation of the city as a “green”, “blue”, “smart” and “sustainable” city.

The Blue Growth Strategy of Piraeus has been delivered, too, specifying the ITI with regard to Blue
Growth. After the approval of Phase 1, the city initiative “Blue Entrepreneurship in Piraeus” was
selected by the General Secretariat for Industry as a country representative to participate in the
European Enterprise Promotion Awards (please, see section 6.2 below).

For Piraeus, the transfer of the Good Practice is expected to result in various improvements.

First of all, there will be a potential to create global value chains among entrepreneurs from different

cities. Moreover, the creation of a critical mass of innovative ideas and products will make it easier to
attract interested investors and sponsors. The necessary improvements in the package offered to
other cities will be clearly outlined through over the project’s course.

In turn, these will have a positive effect on the identified challenges of Piraeus, most notably on the
opening up of new business opportunities and the transformation/modernisation of the local
economy, the reduction of unemployment and the emergence of opportunities for young
entrepreneurs and highly skilled scientists in Blue Economy sectors, as well as the emergence of the
brand name of Piraeus as a competitive innovative blue hub at EU and global scale.

• Burgas is the fourth biggest city in Bulgaria and one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in
the country. It is a major logistics and industrial centre. The Port of Burgas is the largest in the
country and the city is the centre of the national fishing and fish processing industry. However, more
than 43% of the territory of the Municipality is part of a NATURA 2000 area, thus producing a
complex urban setting.

The rapid urbanisation process, coupled with the problems inherited from the past, create a mix of
challenges for a city that is neighboring an area of high environmental and aesthetic value. The city
 12

has been facing challenges relevant to its economic and urban development and transformation, the
geographical and age distribution of its population, its social cohesion and the quality of life of its
inhabitants. Blue Economy is considered to be the concept that will help to unleash the city
potentials without jeopardizing the prosperity of the future generations.

Burgas is a city linked with the agenda of Danube Macro-regional Strategy and the Black Sea Basin.
Most notably, it is the place where Burgas Declaration “Towards a Common Maritime Agenda for
the Black Sea” was recently (May 2018) signed by Black Sea Ministers, signaling their support for
closer regional cooperation on maritime affairs. Burgas Municipality Development Plan 2014-2020
contains a number of priorities that are relevant to Blue Growth and Blue Economy sectors.

Moreover, Burgas Regional Development Strategy (second draft) identifies the necessity to develop
new businesses, create marketing networks and develop a network of innovative enterprises.
Specialised sectoral initiatives, such as the Local Initiative Fishing Group, emphasise on Blue Growth,
too. As evident from the aforementioned, there is significant political support for Blue Economy
related projects in Burgas. The Municipality itself has extensive experience in the delivery of similar
transnational projects.

The transfer of the Good Practice is directly linked with the delivery of the local strategies for Blue
Growth and the sustainable development of the city. It is very important for Burgas Municipality to
build an effective mechanism for bringing all stakeholders together into a closer relationship;
involving researchers and connecting them to entrepreneurs; engaging citizens and local
communities in order to adopt a citizen-led approach to strengthening the contribution of the Blue
Economy to the city. In addition, through BLUACT, Burgas aspires to boost innovation and stimulate
start-ups to develop new projects in order to tackle challenges related to the sustainable use and
preservation of natural resources, the restoration of fish stocks, sustainable maritime tourism and
transport, and the improved environmental management.

• Galati (Romania) is a major economic centre located near the estuary of Danube, at the
northernmost point of the European Union in the Black Sea. The city has a strategic location, at the
border between three countries: Romania, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine. A large proportion
of the economy of Galati is dependent on port activities. It is the second maritime access gate to the
Black Sea, thus offering a connection to the Central European countries. According to the 2011
statistics, the freight quantity operated by Galati port is the biggest in the country, at a significant
difference from its competitors. In addition, it is the location of an important naval shipyard, the
ArcelorMittal Galati steel plant, and mineral exports.

The city of Galati is emerging from a post-industrial structure and needs to successfully manage its
transition to a stronger high-value service-based economy. Besides the traditional maritime activities
located in Galati, its IT cluster is growing and there are a number of significant IT corporates that are
active in the city. Still, though, the cross-sectoral collaboration between maritime and IT sectors that
would give an impetus to the transition of the city to a service economy has not been realised yet.

In turn, this is one of the reasons for the high unemployment rate (higher than the national average)
and the fact that Galati is expected to register one of the sharpest declines in the working-age
population of all cities across Europe between 2017 and 2025, while also experiencing “brain drain”.
 13

The strategies/ actions already implemented are towards the direction of tackling the challenge of
the transformation and modernisation of the local economic base. The project sits within a clear
strategic framework for the area captured in the Smart Specialisation Strategy of the South-East
Development Region (that sets shipping and engineering, eco-technologies and other relevant
sectors as priority areas for smart specialisation), the Integrated Plan for Urban Development, and
the Strategy for Local Development of Galati City (2015-2020). Most notably, in the Galati
Development Strategy 2016-2025 the setup of a favourable environment for business development,
the development of the innovative capacity of local enterprises and the diversification of the
economy are among the strategic development directions for the city economy and business

sector.

In addition, the Mayor's political support attested during the study visit, the fact that the
Municipality is experienced in managing similar projects and has a strong international development
department, and the active involvement of local stakeholders in the city workshop are some of the
evidence for the city’s commitment to the project and its competence to successfully deliver its
objectives. The decision to ask Openhub Club, the IT cluster in Galati, to coordinate the delivery of
theGood Practice transfer together with the local Universities will ensure a high-quality buy-in from
the business/academic community.

To this end, BLUACT presents an opportunity to stimulate the cooperation between the research and
innovation actors and the business community and to bring together the digital and maritime sectors
to encourage the creation of new marine/maritime digital enterprises, thus stimulating a more
competitive environment, while tackling societal changes.

• Mataró (Spain), in the Western Mediterranean Sea Basin, is an integral part of Barcelona’s sea
cluster, strategically located to the north of Barcelona and Barcelona Port, the 9th largest container
port in Europe. It is the capital and largest town of the Comarca of the Maresme and the largest
seaside city between Barcelona and France.

The city was severely hit by the financial crisis, which resulted in a reasonable high unemployment
rate that affected mostly young people. The city economy is expected to recover as the
entrepreneurial and innovation eco-system is thick and well-structured. However, the financial crisis
has provided the opportunity to re-examine and reshape the local economic development strategy
with the aim to re-position the city in the global division of labor.

There is a bulk of strategies and actions at place that aim to tackle the challenge that the city is
facing. Nurturing research and innovation in the maritime sector and opening the city to the sea have
been two strands of the local strategy. Most notably, the ACTION PLAN M2020 prioritises economic
diversification, the emergence of University – TecnoCampus (the University/Business park located on
the seafront) as a growth driver and the opening to blue growth opportunities through relevant
projects (e.g. Project: Sea in value, Project: Blue area – Seafront). Several other entities located in the
area, such as TecnoCampus and the Port of Mataro have developed their own strategies that have a
strong pro-business and pro-blue growth dimension.

Furthermore, political support for the BLUACT Network is really strong, with the Mayor attending the
transnational meeting in Piraeus and a number of politicians/senior officers attending the city visit.
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The partnership in Mataro is extensive, including TecnoCampus, a number of Marine Clusters, the
Port and key private sector firms. All in all, there is a strong resource base from which to implement
the Good Practice.

To this end, the Good Practice transfer is expected to spark the development of new global value
chains in the blue economy.

By consolidating and capitalising on the vast city experience and capabilities in business development
and innovation and by taking advantage of its vicinity to Barcelona, the city aspires to become a
model maritime business cluster in the Mediterranean, attracting new businesses and jobs in the
sector.

• Matosinhos (Portugal), in the southern part of the Atlantic Arc, is linked to the Atlantic Strategy and
the Atlantic Arc Macro-region (under consideration by the European Commission). The city slogan
“land of seas and horizons” reveals its connection to the sea and related Blue Economy activities. Its
port, Leixões, the largest seaport in North Portugal and its extensive coastline have provided and
motivated the professional specialisation of the local population in traditional maritime and
industrial activities.

Nowadays, the opportunities and challenges identified in Matosinhos still centre largely around the
Port of Leixões and its upgraded facilities, but also the city’s continuing transition from an industrial
port to an increasing visitor led and service economy. Besides the challenges that economic
transition entails per se (e.g. increase of land prices, land use conflicts, impoverishment of segments
of the population during the transition, etc.), there are also side challenges in this process.

Matosinhos has always focused its economic efforts on supporting Blue Growth, although it may not
have always termed it as such. Therefore, there is a need to better frame and communicate its Blue
Growth strategies. In addition, and despite the existing ties amongst Blue Economy actors, the local
Blue Economy ecosystem has not been organised in a formal mode as Marinescape. To this end,
BLUACT can play a part in helping to manage the challenges that the city is facing.

The “Sea” has always been one of the key concepts on which the city bases its strategic positioning.
The city has implemented numerous actions and participated in various projects and initiatives with
the aim to stimulate blue entrepreneurship and innovation. On the basis of the experience gained
through its international cooperation projects, the Phase 1 of the transfer network included, the city
is preparing its Blue Growth Strategic Plan. The plan emphasises on four domains, namely: tourism

and recreational industry; research and development; port logistic; and fisheries.

In order to show the strong importance of Blue Growth in general and, in particular, of BLUACT
Network, the Municipality of Matosinhos sent a political representative and political advisor to the
transnational meeting that was held in Piraeus at the end of August. Also, Matosinhos Municipality
has considerable experience in working in EU exchange projects and in delivering a range of Blue
Growth initiatives. Moreover, the Mayor of Matosinhos co-sits the Eixo Atlântico do Noroeste
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Peninsular, an association of cross-border municipalities of the Euroregion Galicia-North of Portugal

that promotes those initiatives that support development through cross-border cooperation. The
Municipality and the key stakeholders have developed cooperation in several issues, either formally
or informally. That being said, the transfer of the Good Practice is a unique opportunity for the city to
re-focus its innovation and

entrepreneurial activities in the promising Blue Economy through an integrated approach. Moreover.
BLUACT seems to be able to create synergies with existing activities and institutions active in the
fields of Blue Economy and bring additional effects with regard to Blue Growth in the city. The
organisation of the local entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem through a structure similar to
Marinescape is promising for Matosinhos, as well as for the wider Porto area. To this end, the Good

Practice transfer has the potential to become the spearhead of economic transformation of the city,
the event which several Blue Economy efforts will culminate and the trademark of Matosinhos
excellence in Blue Economy.

• Salerno (Italy), in the Gulf of Salerno on the Tyrrhenian Sea, is the capital of the province of
Campania. The Port of Salerno is one of the most active of the Tyrrhenian Sea. As Salerno is located
at the geographical centre of a triangle nicknamed Tourist Triangle of the 3 P (Pompei, Paestum, and
Positano), the city is a major tourist attraction and an important cruise terminal that features three
marinas, too.

The economy of Salerno is mainly based on services and tourism, as most of the city's manufacturing
base failed to survive the economic crisis of the 1970s. The remaining manufacturing firms that do
exist in Salerno are predominantly connected to traditional sectors (pottery, food production, etc.