France: BCG study highlights importance of national maritime sector
21.02.2017 France: BCG study highlights importance of national maritime sectorLe Monde, 21 Feb 2017, online:-
According to a study carried out by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) on behalf of Fondation pour la mer, the French maritime sector represents 14% of the country's GDP, equivalent to around EUR 273bn (USD 289.79bn). The country's territorial waters cover 11mn km2, the second largest area in the world, and although it has been greatly forgotten in the presidential election campaigns, the maritime economy wants have more say. Some 800,000 jobs in France are linked to maritime activities and many sectors have been oriented towards the sea since ancient times. These traditional activities, which include shipbuilding, the development of port infrastructure, fishing and maritime trade, are valued at around EUR 100bn. The country has a number of leading groups, such as DCNS, CMA-CGM and STX France, as well as several SMEs. Coastal tourism and sailing activities generate close to EUR 50bn in sales and account for nearly 270,000 jobs. Similarly, the national oil and oil-related industry accounts for a large part of the blue economy, generating over EUR 75bn of revenue, but less than 40,000 jobs. The future of the sector is centred on the growth of offshore renewable energy and sustainable exploitation, while the sea is also a never-ending source of solutions within the field of biotechnology linked to health and wellbeing.
©M-Brain
Link to original article