Future uses/needs of the seas : integration of climate-smart trends and new technologies in maritime spatial planning : background technical study.
Date: 2024-10-30
Institutions: European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency
Subjects: Atlantic Ocean, Baltic Sea, Black Sea, EU policy, European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, Mediterranean Sea, North Sea, aquaculture, common fisheries policy, environmental risk prevention, fishery management, fishing regulations, green economy, maritime economy, new technology, offshore wind energy production, renewable energy, report, resources of the sea, risk management, smart technology, sustainable development, sustainable fisheries

Future uses/needs of the seas: 
Integration of climate-smart trends 
and new technologies in maritime 
spatial planning 

Background Technical Study 

European Maritime, Aquaculture and Fisheries Fund (EMFAF) 

Written by Patrycja Enet (MSP Assistance Mechanism North Sea Focal Point) 
July, 2024 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency 
Unit D3 — Sustainable Blue Economy 

Contact:  CINEA EMFAF CONTRACTS 

E-mail:   CINEA-EMFAF-CONTRACTS@ec.europa.eu  

European Commission 
B-1049 Brussels 
BELGIUM 

 
 
EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Future uses/needs of the seas: 
Integration of climate-smart 
trends and new technologies in 
maritime spatial planning 

Background Technical Study 

CINEA/EMFAF/2022-3.5.1/SI2.885676 – Support and expert services on 

maritime spatial planning (MSP) and for the establishment of a European Blue Forum – Call 

CINEA/2022/OP/0012 

Produced by the MSP Assistance Mechanism (AM MSP)  

Written by Patrycja Enet (MSP Assistance Mechanism North Sea Focal Point). 

Supported by Jeanne Ledoux (Aktis Hydraulics) - mapping and review of the plans and strategies, 
bibliography; MSP Platform Sea basins focal points Kristīna Veidemane, Marta Pascual, Natasa Vaidianu, 
Frédérick Herpers, Thanos Smanis (MSP Assistance Mechanism) - review of the collated information in 
the national and sea basin mapping. 

Edited by Chris McDougall (MSP Assistance Mechanism Project Leader). 

European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency 

 
 
This report should be cited as:  

Enet, P., Future uses/needs of the seas: Integration of climate-smart trends and new technologies in 
maritime spatial planning, Publications Office of the European Union, 2024, doi: 10.2926/8586762. 

The information and views set out in this study are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the 
official opinion of CINEA or of the Commission. Neither CINEA nor the Commission can guarantee the 
accuracy of the data included in this study. Neither CINEA, the Commission or any person acting on their 
behalf may be held responsible for the use that may be made of the information contained therein. 

Manuscript completed in July 2024 

This document should not be considered as representative of the European Commission’s official 
position.  

Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2024 

© European Climate, Infrastructure + Environment Executive Agency, 2024 

The Commission’s reuse policy is implemented by Commission Decision 2011/833/EU of 
12 December 2011 on the reuse of Commission documents (OJ L 330, 14.12.2011, p. 39, 
ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2011/833/oj). 

Unless otherwise noted, the reuse of this document is authorised under the Creative Commons 
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). This 
means that reuse is allowed, provided appropriate credit is given and any changes are indicated. 

PDF 

ISBN 978-92-9405-146-2 doi:10.2926/8586762   HZ-01-24-013-EN-N     

 
 
 
 
Future uses/needs of the seas: Integration of climate-smart trends and new technologies in 
maritime spatial planning 

Contents 

1. 

INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................... 7 

2.  EU CONTEXT FOR FUTURE TRENDS AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES .. 10 

3.  EU SEA-BASINS OVERVIEW ................................................................. 13 

3.1.  Baltic Sea ............................................................................................ 19 

3.1.  North Sea ............................................................................................ 22 

3.2.  Atlantic ................................................................................................. 26 

3.3.  Mediterranean Sea .............................................................................. 28 

3.4.  Black Sea ............................................................................................ 31 

4.  EU MEMBER STATES CLIMATE-SMART ACTIONS ............................ 33 

5.  KEY CONSIDERATIONS OF CLIMATE-SMART EMERGING SECTORS

 ................................................................................................................. 61 

6.  CONCLUSIONS ...................................................................................... 78 

7.  REFERENCES ........................................................................................ 82 

7.1.  Studies & articles ................................................................................. 82 

7.2.  Websites .............................................................................................. 86 

7.3.  EU Strategies & Policy ......................................................................... 87 

7.4.  MSP documents & National plans ....................................................... 91 

7.5.  Projects ................................................................................................ 93 

3 

 
 
ACRONYMS 

General acronyms 

BSH 

EGD 

EIPN 

EU 

EUCRA 

EEZ 

CCS 

CO2 

DTO 

ENTSO-E 

ENTSOG 

GHG 

GNSBI 

GT 

HELCOM-VASAB 

HVAC 

HVDC 

ICZM 

ILO 

IMO 

KMGBF 

LNG 

MITECO 

MS 

MSP 

MT 

MPA 

NbS 

NDC 

NECP 

NPI 

ORE 

OSPAR 

OWF 

Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency 

European Green Deal 

Dutch North Sea Energy Infrastructure Plan 

European Union 

European Climate Risk Assessment 

Economic Exclusive Zone 

Carbon Capture and Storage 

Carbon Dioxide 

Digital Twin of the Ocean 

European Network of Transmission System 
Operators for Electricity 

European Network of Transmission System 
Operators for Gas 

Green House Gas 

Greater North Sea Basin Initiative 

Geospatial technologies 

HELsinki COMmission – Vision and Strategy 
Around the Baltic Sea 

High Voltage Alternating Current 

High Voltage Direct Current 

Integrated Coastal Zone Management 

International Labour Organization 

International Maritime Organisation 

Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework 

Liquified Natural Gas 

Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica y el Reto 
Demográfico 

Member State 

Maritime Spatial Planning 

Modelling Technologies 

Marine Protected Area 

Nature-based Solutions 

Nationally Determined Contribution 

National Energy and Climate Plans 

Net-Positive Impact 

Offshore Renewable Energy 

OSlo-PARis Convention Organization 

Offshore Wind Farms 

4 

 
 
 
OOT 

O&G 

R&D 

RES 

SEA 

UN 

UNFCCC 

WRF 

BE 

BG 

HR 

CY 

DK 

EE 

FI 

FR 

DE 

GR 

IT 

IE 

LV 

LT 

MT 

NL 

PL 

PT 

RO 

SI 

ES 

SE 

General acronyms 

Ocean Observation Technologies 

Oil & Gas 

Research & Development 

Renewable Energy Storage  

Strategic Environmental Assessment 

United Nations 

United Nations Framework Convention on 
Climate Change 

Weather Research & Forecasting Model 

EU Member States acronyms 

Belgium 

Bulgaria 

Croatia 

Cyprus 

Denmark 

Estonia 

Finland 

France 

Germany 

Greece 

Italy 

Ireland 

Latvia 

Lithuania 

Malta 

Netherlands 

Poland 

Portugal 

Romania 

Slovenia 

Spain 

Sweden 

5 

 
 
 
 
 
Figures 

Figure 1 

Example of an offshore energy grid infrastructure planning in a GIS based 
scenario workflow to create large scale, high-resolution search graphs for 
offshore grid optimization 

Figure 2 

Offshore centralized hydrogen platform in the hydrogen supply chain 

Figure 3 

Offshore carbon capture technology and storage schematization 

Figure 4 

 Spatial uses and infrastructure in the North Sea basin 

Figure 5 

Offshore wind energy ambition production and demand in the Netherlands 

Figure 6 

a) German MSP from 2021 for the EEZ in the North Sea with designated 
multiple activities - priority areas for shipping are indicated in blue; b) Offshore 
wind farms allocations in German MSP for the EEZ in the North Sea (polygons 
in grey) against the current OWF areas 

Figure 7 

Raw material extraction zones extend in NL along the entire coastline, and are 
also considerable in BE, DK and DE 

Figure 8 

Location of desalinization plants in the Mediterranean Sea 

Figure 9 

Aquaculture designations in the Baltic Sea and North Sea 

Figure 10 

Marine protected area coverage (%) of the EU's sea area 

Figure 11 

Projections of Offshore Wind Farms production until 2050 and estimations of the 
required space for OWF in Belgium, Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands 

Figure 12 

Trend of offshore turbine size, 1980-2030  

Tables 

Table 1 

Baltic Sea Basin climate-smart emerging sectors and future developments 

Table 2 

North Sea Basin climate-smart emerging sectors and future developments 

Table 3 

Atlantic Basin climate-smart emerging sectors and future developments 

Table 4 

Mediterranean Sea Basin climate-smart emerging sectors and future 
developments 

Table 5 

Black Sea Basin climate-smart emerging sectors and future developments 

Table 6 

MSP status in the EU Member States – current status and next steps regarding 
climate-smart actions  

Table 7 

Scan of climate-smart considerations in the Member States’ plans  

Table 8 

Table 9 

Offshore Wind Farms Planning in the EU Member States in terms of production, 
space and power density 

Offshore Wind Farms production and required sea space until 2050 in the North 
Sea basin for Belgium, Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands 

Table 10 

Alternative Offshore Renewable Energy production in the Atlantic  

Table 11 

Offshore hydrogen production platforms in Europe 

Table 12 

Examples of technologies, approaches and techniques in climate-smart MSP – 
current status, challenges and future prospects in planning 

15 

15 

16 

21 

45 

46 

52 

53 

54 

55 

55 

56 

20 

23 

25 

27 

29 

34 

38 

43 

44 

49 

49 

62 

6 

 
 
 
1.  INTRODUCTION 

Delivering the European Green Deal (2020) and a new approach for a 
Sustainable Blue Economy in the European Union (EU) (2021) (1) requires 
urgent integration of climate-smart trends and new technologies in all types of 
planning, including maritime spatial planning (MSP) and other country-led 
instruments. Today, maritime activities increasingly embrace climate change 
mitigation and adaptation (2) to meet goals to address the Triple Planetary Crisis 
of intertwined climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. With the rapid 
growth of activities at sea, including the large-scale development and 
deployment of offshore renewable energy (ORE) infrastructure, the maritime 
sectors also face the challenge of congested space and competition. (3)   

As shown by the recently published European Climate Risk Assessment 
(EUCRA, 2024) by the European Environment Agency, all of Europe’s seas are 
heavily affected by climate change, with key climate risks including coastal 
erosion and inundation, the decline of pelagic primary production, and changes 
to marine ecosystems’ functioning and species distribution, which have clear 
impacts on the blue economy. (4) The EU MSP Directive establishing a 
framework for maritime spatial planning (5) identifies climate change as a threat 
and highlights the need to take into consideration long-term changes due to 
climate change in MSPs, and thereby to incorporate climate mitigation and 
adaptation actions into national MSP policy. The 2022 report from the 
Commission to the European Parliament and the Council outlining the progress 
made in implementing the MSP Directive (6) emphasises that as a way forward 
Member States will need to better reflect the ambitions of the European Green 
Deal and the areas of climate change mitigation and adaptation in their MSPs, 
and to align their plans with these ambitions.   

The development of technological advances across maritime sectors is an 
intrinsic part of the progress of a sustainable blue economy for the future use of 
the seas and for aligning climate change mitigation and adaptation with the 
biodiversity targets and many spatial claims, as communicated by the European 
MSP Platform’s background technical study ‘Review on how to preserve space 
for the future uses of the seas: what methods can we apply to address the 
needs of future generations?’ (2023). (7) The study highlights that the demand 
for green transition, large-scale renewable energy sources, aggregate 

(1) European Commission, 2023 (Websites)  
(2) European Commission Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, 2023a (Studies 
& articles) 
(3) European MSP Platform, 2023 (Websites)  
(4) European Environment Agency, 2024 (Studies & articles) 
(5) European Parliament and Council of the European Union, 2014 (EU Strategies & Policies) 
(6) European Commission, 2022 (EU Strategies & Policies) 
(7) European Commission, European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency 
- Enet, P., 2023 (Studies & articles) 

7 

 
 
 
extraction, food supply and geopolitical security, will play a more prominent role 
in the future in all EU sea basins with some of these sectors expected to 
develop quickly. In strengthening climate action to achieve the Paris Agreement 
(2015), it is recognised the increased role of the marine and coastal areas for 
the large-scale development and deployment of new and emerging ocean-
related technologies, and the acceleration of existing technologies.   

Building on this study review, (7) particularly the parts related to climate change 
mitigation and adaptation, the current study focuses on the topic of climate 
actions in MSP, and the incorporation of climate-smart technologies into the 
existing spatial planning frameworks and other country-led instruments, as well 
as the sea-basin strategies. The objective of this study is to assess the 
evolving landscape of maritime plans in Europe and the integration of 
climate-smart trends and technologies into these plans. Specifically, the 
study addresses the current state and future prospects of technologies to 
advance ocean-based climate action in terms of the development and 
deployment of climate-smart technologies, technological transformation and 
uptake in the plans, and demonstration of new and emerging ocean-related 
technologies. 

Focusing on climate-smart elements of MSPs, the study showcases how 
Member States integrate future climate-smart trends and new technologies into 
their latest plans, and what the perspectives on the evolution of climate-related 
considerations and emerging sectors at a sea-basin level. In this study, 
technology refers to the practical application of knowledge to achieve particular 
tasks that employ both technical artefacts (hardware, equipment) and (social) 
information (‘software’, know-how for production and use of artefacts); and 
technology transfer refers to the diffusion of technologies and technological 
cooperation across and within countries that leads to the spread of technology 
for mitigation and adaptation. (8) Central to the study is an exploration of a range 
of climate-smart technologies, their rapid development, deployment and 
acceleration of existing innovation, transformation, and advance and 
demonstration of emerging technologies.   

The study provides an overview of climate-smart actions and values in plans 
per country, focusing on climate change mitigation (low-carbon pathways) and 
adaptation - enhancing resilience of maritime activities, marine/coastal areas 
and ecosystems, as well as communities’ socio-economic resilience to climate-
related risks. The role of blue carbon ecosystems (seagrass beds, salt marshes, 
etc.) as pivotal components of nature-based solutions to climate change, 
offering both mitigation benefits and enhancing resilience, is highlighted in the 
study. However, Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) as well as conservation and 
restoration are not considered at length given that the minimum 30% protection 
with the required allocation of space for ecosystem protection will be part of 
MSP at the EU scale. Innovations in fisheries technology for sustainable 

(8) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2007 (Studies & articles) 

8 

 
 
 
fisheries management are also not examined. The study focuses on uses in 
the early stages for which the space reserved is relatively uncertain, 
subject to social and environmental concerns, and which will require the 
identification and allocation of space in the future.   

Looking through a lens of political, technological, environmental, economic and 
societal change, the study assesses where the countries are now and what their 
future plans are; their proposed actions - those currently included in the plans, 
and those planned as future actions/needs. The study identifies innovation in 
the sea-basins and national approaches across a range of maritime emerging 
sectors and related technologies, as well as new pioneering technologies. It 
also discusses the current state and future potential of technologies for 
advancing climate-based mitigation and adaptation actions, with the 
consideration of the broader socio-environmental implications of deploying 
climate-smart technologies, such as creation of employment opportunities.   

For the preparation of this study, multiple publications on the topic of climate-
smart MSP were reviewed. They are acknowledged throughout the study and 
summarised in the reference section. The primary source of information for 
developing the regional and national overviews (Chapters 3 and 4) were the 
national plans and regional strategies, available at the European MSP Platform 
(9) and national/regional sources.   

(9) European MSP Platform, 2024 (Websites)  

9 

 
 
 
2.  EU CONTEXT FOR FUTURE TRENDS AND NEW 

TECHNOLOGIES 

The technological advancement of maritime sectors in Europe is steered by the EU 
policy context, where climate change considerations with climate-smart trends and 
technologies in maritime activities and planning are included in numerous EU 
regulatory frameworks and strategies. These include the European Green Deal 
(2020) (10) with the European Climate Law (2021) (11) and the Strategy for offshore 
renewable energy (2020), (12) Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 (2020) (13) with a Nature 
Restoration Law, (14) Strategy on Hydrogen (2020); (15) EU Adaptation Strategy 
(2021); (16) a new approach for a Sustainable Blue Economy in the EU (2021); (17) 
revised EU Maritime Security Strategy (2023); (18) Renewable Energy Directive 
(2018); (19) Directive on establishing a framework for MSP (2014); (20) Marine Strategy 
Framework Directive (2008); (21) EU Floods Directive (2007); (22) Recommendation 
concerning the implementation of ICZM in Europe (2002); (23) Strategic guidelines for 
a more sustainable and competitive EU aquaculture for the period 2021 to 2030, (24) 
the Communication ‘Towards a strong and sustainable EU algae sector', (25) and 
the Communication Delivering on the EU offshore renewable energy ambitions. (26)  

These regulatory frameworks and strategies play an important role in supporting 
global commitments and agreements, including the Paris Agreement of the United 
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Kunming-
Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), and the 2030 Agenda for 
Sustainable Development. (27) They help to meet the EU's goal of climate neutrality by 
2050 and lead Europe's biodiversity on a path to recovery by 2030. They help to 
reduce the negative impacts of climate change in marine areas. They also stimulate 
national and regional development, regulatory regimes and investments for 

(10) European Commission, 2019 (EU Strategies & Policies) 
(11) European Parliament and Council of the European Union, 2021 (EU Strategies & Policies) 
(12) European Commission, 2020a (EU Strategies & Policies) 
(13) European Commission, 2020b (EU Strategies & Policies) 
(14) European Commission, 2022b (EU Strategies & Policies) 
(15) European Commission, 2020c (EU Strategies & Policies) 
(16) European Commission, 2021c (EU Strategies & Policies) 
(17) European Commission, 2021a (EU Strategies & Policies) 
(18) European Parliament and Council of the European Union, 2023 (EU Strategies & Policies) 
(19) European Parliament and Council of the European Union, 2018a (EU Strategies & Policies) 
(20) European Parliament and Council of the European Union, 2014 (EU Strategies & Policies) 
(21) European Parliament and Council of the European Union, 2008 (EU Strategies & Policies) 
(22) European Parliament and Council of the European Union, 2007 (EU Strategies & Policies) 
(23) European Parliament and Council of the European Union, 2002 (EU Strategies & Policies)  
(24) European Commission, 2021b (EU Strategies & Policies) 
(25) European Commission, 2022a (EU Strategies & Policies) 
(26) European Commission, 2023 (EU Strategies & Policies) 
(27) The EU and global policies of relevance to maritime development are described in the background 
study by the European MSP Platform: see European Commission, European Climate, Infrastructure 
and Environment Executive Agency - Enet, P., 2022 (Studies & articles) 

10 

 
 
 
technological innovation to support the development of maritime sectors, and to 
make the transition to the blue economy as envisioned in the European Green Deal.    

Innovative sectors are evolving and growing,(28) such as offshore renewable energy 
with next generation offshore facilities (floating offshore windfarms, floating solar 
photovoltaic energy, offshore hydrogen generation, wave and tidal energy), the blue 
bio-economy, offshore aquaculture, bio-technology and desalination, with a string of 
enabling methods and technologies that stimulate the efficiency of emerging maritime 
activities as essential for the knowledge base of the European Green Deal. One 
strongly emerging trend in MSP at present is the integration of new economic sectors 
into spatial planning frameworks, which frequently requires additional development of 
the regulatory framework to incorporate the spatial requirements of proposed 
developments.      

For example, offshore hydrogen generation is attracting significant attention as a 
promising avenue for decarbonising maritime industries, where spatial optimalisation 
will be linked to new hydrogen networks and existing electricity grids. Offshore wind 
farms have been identified as potential sites for hydrogen production, necessitating 
potential adjustments in MSP to accommodate the infrastructure and spatial 
requirements of this emerging sector. Similarly, the exploration of carbon capture and 
storage (CCS) technologies as a means of mitigating carbon emissions underscores 
the need for MSP to designate suitable areas for CCS infrastructure, either in 
isolation or in-combination with offshore windfarms, balancing environmental 
concerns with economic imperatives. 

The concept of multi-use platforms has also gained traction within MSP discussions, 
offering a versatile approach to accommodate diverse activities, such as renewable 
energy generation, aquaculture, and biodiversity. In tandem with these 
developments, MSP provides a framework to integrate adaptation and resilience 
strategies to safeguard maritime activities (e.g., ports, coastal tourism), marine 
biodiversity, and coastal areas and communities. This includes identifying climate-
sensitive areas, enhancing coastal adaptation, and promoting nature-based solutions 
within MSP plans. 

As part of these new innovations, technological development and deployment at 
scale, is the creation of jobs, including across the energy supply chain with 
renewable energy generation and hydrogen production, and the transition to scalable 
zero-emission marine fuels. (29) The majority of these jobs will come from building the 
renewable energy generation capacity and will mostly be created over the 2030s 
when the intensity of investment will be highest. In view of the scale of potential job 
creation, international organisations, such as the International Maritime Organization 
(IMO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) have developed guidance with 
the principles of just transition (e.g., ILO’s Just Transition Guidelines). The UN Global 
Compact has also developed guidance for businesses to start planning for a just 
transition based on social dialogue and stakeholder engagement that optimises the 
social, economic and employment impacts on the journey to net-zero emissions and 

(28) European Commission, European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency  
Enet, P., 2023 (Studies & articles) 

11 

 
 
 
sustainability. Based on this guidance, the UN Global Compact Ocean Stewardship 
Coalition’s working group ‘Offshore Renewables and Sustainable Ocean Planning’ 
convened in 2024 key stakeholders to identify Just Transition strategies specific to 
the offshore wind industry.   

Technological innovations have played a pivotal role and will continue to do so in 
enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of maritime emerging sectors. Research 
and Development (R&D), blue-tech innovation, next generation numerical modelling 
(e.g., Weather Research & Forecasting Model -WRF- designed for atmospheric 
research and operational forecasting applications), automation, artificial intelligence 
(AI) and robotics are increasing as key enablers for the green transition and the 
digital twin ocean. (29) Among other innovations, technologies allow floating offshore 
windfarms to be installed in deeper waters to exploit higher wind speeds. The study 
‘Review on how to preserve space for the future uses of the seas: what methods can 
we apply to address the needs of future generations?’ (30) provides an overview of 
methods and technologies used to accommodate emerging sectors and 
developments, considering current and future use functions. 

(29) European Commission, 2024 (Websites) 
(30) European Commission, European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency  - Enet, P., 
2023 (Studies & articles) 

12 

 
 
 
 
3.  EU SEA-BASINS OVERVIEW  

Future needs and long-term prospects for the growth of maritime emerging sectors 
are closely linked to specificities, needs and trends in the sea-basins, which are 
contemplated in the sea-basin strategies and action plans. These schemes reflect 
sea basins’ specific demands and requirements for emerging sector growth, 
determined by their geography, prevailing biodiversity and governance; and targets 
of synergies steered by key issues, socio-economics and the geopolitical situation in 
the region.  

This chapter presents an overview of climate-smart emerging sectors, trends and 
technologies at a regional scale in the EU sea basins. It summarises the emerging 
sectors and expected developments that will result from the regional strategies and 
action plans making use of examples of technological innovations, including scientific 
and industrial projects, in the various sea basins. This overview gives a 
transboundary perspective, while Chapter 4 depicts the actions taken by individual 
countries.  

Climate-smart considerations of regional trends and technologies encompass in this 
review the following:  

•  Climate Change Mitigation – low carbon pathway aspects in sea-basin 

action plans and strategies, such as offshore renewable energy (including 
wind energy and alternative renewable energy - solar photovoltaic energy, 
wave and tidal energy), offshore hydrogen generation and storage, carbon 
capture and storage (CCS), port planning for the energy transition and 
decarbonisation of maritime sectors, limiting areas used by sectors with high 
greenhouse gas emissions  

•  Climate Change Adaptation – enhancing climate resilience in marine and 
coastal areas in sea-basin action plans and strategies, including reducing 
vulnerability and negative impacts of climate change on maritime sectors (e.g., 
ports), coastal areas and infrastructure, coastal communities, marine and 
coastal ecosystems (resilience strengthening - coherent Marine Protected 
Areas [MPA] networks, climate refugia areas) through adaptation planning and 
adaptation measures, including nature-based solutions (NbS) and nature-
inclusive designs; also aquaculture with the potential carbon sequestration and 
climate mitigation effect of algae (i.e., seaweed cultivation has the ability to 
absorb excess CO2 from the sea, help alleviate the pressure of climate change 
on marine ecosystems, while producing a variety of low-carbon products, and 
help prevent coastal erosion; seaweed can also absorb excess nutrients and 
organic material, thus addressing water pollution and reducing eutrophication)  

In relation to these climate-smart actions, emerging sectors with innovative 
technologies play a pivotal role and are considered in this study from the maritime 
spatial planning perspective as follows: 

13 

 
 
●  Offshore renewable energy (ORE) planning encompasses fixed and floating 
offshore windfarms, floating solar photovoltaic energy (SPV), and wave and 
tidal energy infrastructure. Offshore wind energy is currently the only 
commercial deployment of an ORE source with wide-scale adoption in the 
European sea basins. It is an established sector in the North Sea given the 
significant development of the offshore wind sector in terms of the construction 
of wind parks (and space allocated to it), and of generation of clean electricity. 
The other EU sea basins are starting commercial deployment of offshore 
windfarms, where it is considered as an emerging sector. Most technologies 
required for an integrated offshore energy system have already attained a 
level of maturity suitable for large-scale deployment, e.g., in the North Sea, 
important for planning and operations of a highly complex, multinational 
energy system. Following the effective scale-up of conventional offshore wind, 
the technologies of floating offshore wind, ocean energy (wave and tidal), and 
floating SPV are emerging as valid options to contribute to the EU goals of 
reaching 111 GW of offshore renewable energy capacity by 2030 and 340 GW 
by 2050. Currently, the urgency for increased innovation and research to 
speed up the energy transition is emphasised, that also includes the 
alternative ocean energy (SPV, wave and tidal energy). 

●  Offshore energy grid infrastructure planning plays an important role for 
operations of an integrated interconnected offshore energy system (i.e., 
moving away from the separation of country interconnectors and radial, 
project-based connections of wind farms) that connects countries and foster 
spatial diversification of energy generation, establishes links between offshore 
energy generation assets and onshore infrastructure, and enables seamless 
connections to a range of off-takers, including storage facilities, carbon 
storage sites, hydrogen production assets and more. Most technologies 
required for it, have already attained a level of maturity suitable for large-scale 
deployment. This involves the development of an interlinked electricity grid for 
integrated offshore renewable energy, the conversion of power to hydrogen, 
and the construction of offshore electricity storage to increase the flexibility of 
the system. Currently system integration is being demonstrated at the project 
level in the North Sea, while legal frameworks can pose uncertainty 
surrounding ownership and responsibilities for cross-border infrastructure. 
Energy storage at sea for ORE is emerging for locating storage facilities 
offshore that would include the possibility of oversizing wind farms beyond 
their connection capacity, resulting in lower costs for transmission; and allow 
for the use of storage technologies in the offshore environment. Recent 
studies explore the topic of offshore energy grid infrastructure planning by 
different methods including modelling and high-resolution scenario building 
support in a geographical information system, for example, in the North Sea 
basin study (31) and in the North Sea and Baltic Sea study (Figure 1). (32) 

(31) Brosschot, S., 2022 (Studies & articles) 
(32) Fliegner, F.J. & Möst, D., 2023 (Studies & articles) 

14 

 
 
 
Figure 1 – Example of offshore energy grid infrastructure planning in a GIS-based 
scenario workflow to create large-scale, high-resolution search graphs for offshore 
grid optimisation (applied a least-cost path optimisation) 

Refined and consolidated search graph for the Baltic and North Sea entails four link types 
and three network point types: offshore hubs (HUB), offshore wind farms (OWF) and onshore 
points of connection (POC), based on the national MSPs retrieved from the national data 
providers in the context of existing offshore wind power concessions and the onshore 
transmission grid 

Source: Fliegner, F.J. & Möst, D., 2023 

●  Offshore hydrogen production and storage planning is an emerging 

consideration to efficiently channel offshore wind power for onshore energy 
demands with substantial green energy potential in grid integration. The role of 
green hydrogen is recognised as a solution to enhance flexibility of the 
offshore energy system (serving as both a storage medium and an energy 
carrier), while the production of offshore hydrogen may facilitate the 
establishment of wind farms far-offshore, benefitting from reduced costs and 
lower losses compared to direct current (DC) cables. Currently offshore 
hydrogen infrastructure efforts exist as pilots and are not developed at scale. 
Innovative designs of offshore hydrogen platforms present a promising 
solution to bridge the gap between offshore wind and hydrogen integration 
(Figure 2). The pilots, e.g., the PosHYdon project in the North Sea, and 
initiatives by pipeline operators demonstrate that these developments are 
technically feasible, and they can attract substantial financial support. 
Currently there is a lack of commercially established offshore platforms 
dedicated to the hydrogen industry, and offshore hydrogen production 
presents opportunities for the oil and gas (O&G) sector to repurpose existing 
infrastructure by locating production facilities on pre-existing offshore platforms 
or utilising established gas pipelines, which can extend the economic lifespan 
of O&G infrastructure and delay high decommissioning costs. 

15 

 
 
 
 
Figure 2 – Offshore centralised hydrogen platform in the hydrogen supply chain 

Source: Zhang, M. & al., 2024 

●  Offshore carbon capture and storage (CCS) planning concerns carbon 
storage/sequestration and capture carbon in the form of carbon dioxide 
(Figure 3). Carbon is stored in different underground reservoirs at sea, 
including old oil and gas workings/infrastructure with wells and pipelines that 
are repurposed for CO2 transport and storage. The ultimate objective of CO2 
storage is to ensure permanent containment in geological formations, in a 
manner that avoids significant adverse consequences for the marine 
environment, human health and other legitimate users of the maritime area. 
The European Commission published a report in 2023 (33) on the 
implementation of the EU Directive on the Geological Storage of Carbon 
Dioxide (CCS Directive, 2009) that establishes a legal framework for the 
environmentally safe geological storage of CO2. OSPAR has adopted a 
Decision (2007/2) to ensure safe storage of carbon dioxide streams in 
geological formations together with guidelines for risk assessment and 
management of storage of CO2 streams in geological formations (OSPAR 
Agreement 2007-12). (34) OSPAR has also adopted a Decision (2007/1) to 
prohibit the storage of carbon dioxide streams in the water column or on the 
seabed, because of the potential negative effects. Most of the CCS 
programmes are governed by the regulations of the countries, and there are 
efforts towards international co-operation in the North Sea. 

(33) European Commission, 2023 (Studies & articles) 
(34) OSPAR, 2023 (Websites) 

16 

 
 
 
 
 
Figure 3 – Offshore carbon capture technology and storage schematisation 

Source: OSPAR, 2023 

●  Port planning for the energy transition and decarbonisation of maritime 
sectors that allows for the advancement of the energy transition at sea and in 
port facilities, and environmental sustainability. The optimisation of space in 
ports for energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable behaviours 
concerns, for example, facilitating the supply of cleaner marine fuels 
(hydrogen, methanol, LNG, etc.) to promote the improvement of the technical 
energy efficiency of ports and ships; providing space for developing renewable 
energy infrastructure and installations in ports;  linking maritime-port clusters 
where ports act as a location for energy infrastructure connecting maritime 
transport and the hinterland in the development of marine energies. Ports 
must also be resilient to the impact of climate change, such as rising sea 
levels or a more significant number of storms and waves that hinder port 
activity, which requires strategies for adaptation to climate change. (35) 

●  Adaptation planning encompasses reducing vulnerability to climate change 
and enhancing resilience in marine and coastal areas with holistic resilience 
planning, adaptive management and application of adaptation measures. It 
concerns maritime activities/infrastructure, marine/coastal areas and 
ecosystems, as well as communities’ socio-economic resilience to climate-
related risks. The efforts in Europe include the elaboration of national coastal 
adaptation plans, such as the Delta Programme 2024 (36) in the Netherlands, 
and a National Coastal Protection and Adaptation Strategy for the Maltese 

(35) PIANC, 2020 (Studies & articles) 
(36) Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, 2024 (MSP documents & National plans) 

17 

 
 
 
 
 
Islands 2023. (37) In Malta works are currently advancing towards creating a 
holistic framework to bridge multi-level planning instruments for coherent 
adaptation policy and planning with integrated knowledge and governance for 
management and monitoring of climate change risks with the development of 
technical and cooperation capacity for interdisciplinary surveillance and 
management of risks.(38) Specific adaptation measures from these national 
adaptation strategies will require space in maritime planning, for example sand 
nourishment (and thus sand extraction zones) and Nature-based Solutions 
(NbS) that address hazards, mitigate and adapt to climate change while 
enhancing marine and coastal biodiversity. The European Green Deal places 
NbS at the centre of climate adaptation and mitigation and highlights their role 
in ensuring healthy and resilient seas and oceans. The application of NbS is 
supported by several EU Green Deal initiatives, notably the Green 
Infrastructure Strategy (2013), (39) the Communication on a new approach for a 
sustainable blue economy in the EU Transforming the EU's Blue Economy for 
a Sustainable Future (2021), and the Strategy on Adaptation to Climate 
Change (2021). 

●  Aquaculture planning is critical to food supply and security in a changing 
climate and aims to support sustainable development of innovative and 
restorative aquaculture within appropriate sites in the marine and coastal 
areas. Offshore aquaculture, such as seaweed and shellfish farming, is 
expected to play a greater role in sustainable food production with the role of 
restorative ecosystem services through capture and utilisation of emissions 
(carbon dioxide (CO2) and nutrients). Given the complex hydrological and 
ecological requirements for aquaculture, spatial strategies and development 
criteria are developed against which aquaculture planning is assessed in 
agreement with national and local policy guidance and legislation. These 
areas take into consideration the physical character of the area, elements of 
the physical dynamics of the water bodies and the consideration of a range of 
issues that have the potential to be affected by aquaculture development. 
Aquaculture is gaining traction in all the sea basins and multiple aquaculture 
(e.g., mussel) farms are identified along European coastlines. Currently 
aquaculture only emerges strongly in the Atlantic with shellfish farming, 
seabass and seabream aquaculture. To support the sector, the European 

(37) The National Coastal  Protection and  Adaptation Strategy for the Maltese Islands was developed with a 
support  of  the  European  Union  via  the  Technical  Support  Instrument  (TSI)  of  the  European  Commission’s 
Directorate  General  for  Structural  Reform  Support  (DG  REFORM)  following  request  of  the  Maltese  Public 
Works  Department,  the  Ministry  for  Transport,  Infrastructure  and  Public  Works,  and  the  Malta  Tourism 
Authority – TSI 2021-2023 MTCoastal ‘Coastal-Climate Overall Vulnerability and Exposure Risk – Protection 
Strategy  for  the  Maltese  Islands’  (Coastal-COVER):  see  European  Commission  Directorate  General  for 
Structural Reform Support, 2023 (Websites) 
(38) TSI 2024-2026 Climate-MATCH ‘Mainstreaming of Climate Adaptation for Horizontal Coordination 
in Malta” (TSI COMMONCOAST ‘A common coast to cherish - Capping Climate Impact’) following 
request from the Public Works Department of the Ministry for Transport, Infrastructure and Public 
Works, and the Ministry for Environment, Energy and Regeneration of the Grand Harbour: see 
European MSP Platform, 2024b (Websites)  
(39) European Commission, 2013 (EU Strategies & Policies) 

18 

 
 
 
Commission published in 2021 Strategic guidelines for a more sustainable and 
competitive EU aquaculture for the period 2021-2030. In 2024, two 
Commission Staff Working documents were provided to authorities and 
policymakers in Member States as guidance for the allocation of marine space 
to aquaculture activities and to improve the regulatory and administrative 
framework for aquaculture (SWD(2024) 95 final; SWD(2024) 107 final).  

●  Desalinisation planning is a rapidly growing sector with over 2300 seawater 
desalination units in the EU, mainly in the Mediterranean. (40) The majority of 
the EU's operational plants are located on or near the coast. Due to climate 
change many regions in the EU will face severe water scarcity by 2050 when 
water demand is expected to increase by up to 30% for domestic, industrial, 
and agricultural use through the desalination of seawater. Currently Spain has 
65% of the EU's desalination capacity, with the rest in Italy, France, Cyprus, 
Malta and Greece. Most of the large plants recently established serve coastal 
cities in Spain. Desalination plants in Northern Europe -in Germany, the 
Netherlands, Belgium and Ireland, are primarily used for the production of 
drinking water and industrial water. Innovative approaches of coupling 
desalination and water reuse are currently being tested to supply fresh water 
for drinking and irrigation around the Mediterranean Sea. Due to high energy 
consumption of traditional desalination technologies, emerging trends in 
seawater desalination are new technologies using offshore renewable energy, 
including wind, ocean and SPV. Renewable energy-powered desalination 
plants gain popularity due to their environmental friendliness and cost-
effectiveness that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lower the operating 
costs of the desalination plant. 

The below regional overview was prepared based on the Sea Basins summaries 
provided by the European MSP Platform (41) and in the 2023 Future Uses review 
study; (42) European sea-basin strategies and action plans; the EU blue economy 
reports 2022, 2023; WindEurope and other industrial sources; and the MSP Green 
(43) and eMSP NBSR (44) projects’ deliverables. More detailed information can be 
found in these sources.  

3.1.  Baltic Sea 

All Member States from the Baltic Sea have adopted MSPs. HELCOM-VASAB 
provides a political framework within the sea basin, that stimulates strategic planning, 
collaboration and consensus building among the countries. The sea basin’s 
strategies and actions plans prioritise a healthy marine environment with diverse 
biological components functioning in balance, aiming at good ecological status and 

(40) EU Blue Economy Observatory, 2020 (Studies & articles) 
(41) European MSP Platform, 2024a (Websites) 
(42) European Commission, European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency  - Enet, P., 
2023 (Studies & articles) 
(43) MSP-GREEN, 2024 (Projects) 
(44) eMSP NBSR, 2024 (Projects) 

19 

 
 
 
supporting a wide range of sustainable economic and social activities. That includes 
climate change mitigation and adaptation, with offshore renewable energy production 
targets (Marienborg Declaration, 2022), carbon storage as CCS and nature-based 
solution, and resilience building. Climate-smart emerging sectors and future 
developments in the Baltic Sea are summarised in Table 1. 

Table 1.  Baltic Sea Basin climate-smart emerging sectors and future 

developments 

Baltic Sea basin   

The sea basis is characterised by the maritime activities: 
shipping, fisheries, tourism, aquaculture, energy production  

The key issues are: biodiversity, eutrophication, pollution, 
efforts of environmentally sustainable sea-based activities  

Climate change considerations: mitigation & adaptation  

Current climate-smart actions (now to short-term) 

Future climate-smart actions (mid- to long-term) 

n
o
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v 

v 

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v 

v 

Strategy/Action plans: EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region - most of the countries have set strategic 
climate targets for 2030 and 2050; HELCOM-VASAB MSP Roadmap 2021-2030; VASAB Vision 2040; Baltic 
Sea Action Plan; CPMR Baltic Sea Commission – Renewable Energy Working Group; 2022 Marienborg 
Declaration 

20 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Emerging climate-smart sectors and considerations:  
▪  Offshore  renewable  energy:  Offshore  wind  energy  production  is  projected  to  develop  rapidly.  Today 
installed capacity of offshore wind is over 2.8 GW (mostly in DK and DE waters). The Baltic Sea countries 
have committed to increase capacity to 19.6 GW by 2030 (Marienborg Declaration) and a 2040 target will 
be considered at a later stage.   

▪  Offshore  energy  grid  infrastructure:  A  recent  notable  example  of  international  collaboration  on  the 
interconnected offshore energy system is an agreement between Germany and Denmark for a multi-energy 
project to interconnect multiple countries while establishing hydrogen production facilities on the Island of 
Bornholm  in  the  Baltic  Sea.  Along  with  offshore  wind  capacity,  the  focus  will  be  on  cooperation  for 
international grid systems and liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a fuel in the short term. Maritime traffic is 
expected to increase significantly, driven by regional development, including the expansion of gas terminals 
in PL, EE and LT, and the development of cruise ship tourism.  

▪  Offshore hydrogen productions and storage: Various projects explore this sector, including the Interreg 
project Baltic Offshore Wind Energy to Hydrogen (BOWE2H); project Baltic Sea Hydrogen Collector (BHC) 
that aims to create an offshore hydrogen pipeline infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, initiated by the FI and SE 
transmission system operators Gasgrid Finland Oy and Nordion Energi AB together with the wind power 
developers OX2 in SE and DK. 

▪  CCS:  Today the  Baltic  States  do  not have  CO2  transport  and  sequestration infrastructure  and currently 
projects/initiatives  explore  this  sector,  such  as  the  RouteCCS  project  -  Routing  Deployment  of  Carbon 
Capture, Use and Storage in the Baltic Sea Region; the BASRECCS network of CCS expertise in the Baltic 
Sea Region; CCS project ‘Ørsted Kalundborg Hub’ in DK (by Ørsted); CCS Baltic Consortium project, the 
BASTOR project, ORLEN Group project to store carbon beneath Baltic Sea following Horisont Energi deal   

▪  Decarbonisation of maritime transport: Ongoing and future action, with the examples of transboundary 
projects  that  include  the  projects  of  the  Interreg  Baltic  Sea  Region  Programme  e.g.:  EnviSuM  project 
demonstrating the benefits of global environmental regulations of shipping,  ECOPRODIGI project and its 
extension phase project EXOPRODIGI about using digitalisation to increase eco-efficiency in the maritime 
industry, GO LNG project on LNG as a green fuel for shipping, SEAMEASURES project on decarbonisation 
of Baltic and North Sea shipping (the analysis of different options for decarbonisation and minimising the 
harmful impacts of shipping on air quality and the marine environment), GREEN SMALL CRAFT project on 
emissions mitigation of small craft operation in the Baltic Sea; industrial efforts, e.g. SE shipping industry 
active in decarbonising shipping, and private sector actions, e.g. MAERSK     

▪  EbA Adaptation: Ongoing and future action, including NbS, in the plans for the marine and coastal areas, 
especially  with  shallow  waters  and  sandy  coasts.  Provisions  in  the  plans  include  different  measures, 
including coastal adaptation solutions, buffer zones and areas for sand extraction. Enhancement of nature 
conservation and applying other types of nature-based solutions to increase climate resilience, for instance 
climate  refugia  areas,  are  being  developed,  including  in  the  regional  projects,  e.g.  Green  infrastructure 
concept for MSP and its application within Pan Baltic Scope Project. Research on climate risks is increasing 
in the region, e.g. the Danish Coastal Authority and Danish Meteorological Institute are conducting a study 
on impacts of high-water level during the worst possible storm surge today and in 100 years on the coastline 
of the Copenhagen metropolitan areas with several municipalities. 

▪  Aquaculture: Aquaculture is gaining traction in the Baltic Sea and multiple mussel farms can be identified 
along the Baltic coast. The main technology used is the longline. Seaweed farming and Integrated Multi-
tropic-aquaculture (IMTA) are also being increasingly explored. In 2023, HELCOM officially unveiled the 
comprehensive  Best  Available  Technologies  (BAT)  and  Best  Environmental  Practices  (BEP)  for 
sustainable  aquaculture in  the  Baltic  Sea  region  in  the  document  ‘BAT/BEP  descriptions  of  sustainable 
aquaculture in  the  Baltic  Sea region’.  Various  projects explore  this  sector,  including the  Interreg  project 
AquaBest  on  innovative practices  and  technologies  for developing sustainable  aquaculture  in the  Baltic 
Sea region; the Interreg project Baltic Blue Growth for the farming of blue mussels in the Baltic Sea; the 
AquaVIP project addressing the use of innovative environmentally friendly production technologies in the 
South  Baltic area, building on the  AQUAFIMA and InnoAquaTech projects; AQUA-LIT project, etc. The 
new  Horizon  Europe  project  LOCALITY  aims  to  create  multiple innovative, local,  and  sustainable  algae 
value chains in countries bordering the Baltic and North Seas. HORIZON Innovation Actions includes topics 
of low impact marine aquaculture and multi-purpose use of marine space in the Baltic and the North Sea 
basins (HORIZON-MISS-2021-OCEAN-04-01).  

Specific climate-smart future developments: decarbonisation of maritime transport and tourism cruise 
shipping; offshore renewable energy production - securing areas for wind energy production and electricity 
transmission; BEMIP and ENTSO, transformation of ports; EbA-based adaptation  

Other relevant projects to planning: Several methods have been developed for planning in the Baltic Sea 
by the public authorities, research institutes and other stakeholders, especially under VASAB and HELCOM or 
through the regional projects. Multiple regional projects developed tools and methods that provide 
opportunities for more efficient planning and collaboration on MSP. Examples: BalticScope project, Sea meets 
land project, BALANCE project, Plan4Blue, Capacity4MSP, Pan Baltic Scope, BONUS BASMATI, BalticLines, 
BalticScope, Seanergy 2020, BALTSPACE, PartiSEApate, Plan Bothnia, BaltSeaPlan, PlanCoast, BaltCoast, 
East-West Window, Baltic InteGrid, BalticRIM,  Grass, Land Sea Act, eMSP NBSR, MAREA, Blue Platform, 
MSPGreen, Baltic Sea2Land, MSP4Bio      

21 

 
 
3.1. 

North Sea 

All Member States from the North Sea have adopted MSPs. The North Sea Region 
2030 Strategy, the North Seas Energy Cooperation (NSEC), the Greater North Sea 
Basin Initiative (GNSBI) and the OSPAR Convention provide a framework with 
strategic documents and commitments at basin level, that stimulate the strategic 
planning and cooperation at the sea basin level. The North Sea Strategy 2030, that is 
a steering document for the North Sea Commission, includes several priority areas 
for cooperation: a productive and sustainable North Sea (healthy marine 
environment, MSP, sustainable aquaculture and fisheries, sustainable blue 
economy), a climate-neutral North Sea Region, a connected and smart North Sea 
Region as a front-runner in sustainable blue economy innovation. The recently 
established Greater North Sea Basin Initiative (45) aims to provide a regional platform 
for tackling the spatial and ecological challenges of the congested North Sea basin 
(Figure 4), including through better coordinated cross border MSP. The work streams 
of GNSBI include governance, nature restoration and conservation, use of space for 
multiple functions, cumulative impacts, long-term perspective of fisheries, and 
knowledge sharing. Climate-smart emerging sectors and future developments in the 
North Sea are summarised in Table 2. 

(45) Greater North Sea Basin Initiative, 2023 (EU Strategies & Policies)  

22 

 
 
 
 
 
Figure 4 – Spatial uses and infrastructure in the North Sea basin. Map was developed 
based on information from the EMODnet Human Activities with the added and refined 
data from other sources, such as national data repositories 

Source: Brosschot, S., 2022. 

Table 2.  North Sea Basin climate-smart emerging sectors and future 

developments 

North Sea basin 
The  sea  basis  is  characterised  by  the  maritime  activities: 
extensive  shipping,  fishing,  aggregate  extraction  and  energy 
production, such as hydrocarbon and offshore wind  

The key issues are: energy transition, nature, food, multi-use, 
congested space and environmentally sustainable activities 

Climate change considerations: mitigation & adaptation  

e
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Current climate-smart actions (now to short-term) 

Future climate-smart actions (mid- to long-term) 

v 

v 

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23 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Strategy/Action  plans:  The  North  Sea  Region  2030  Strategy  (a  steering  document  for  the  North  Sea 
Commission and priority list for cooperation in the North Sea Region); the Greater North Sea Basin Initiative 
(GNSBI); the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR); the 
North Sea Energy Cooperation (NSEC) to facilitate the development of the large renewable energy potential 
and the offshore grid in the region; 2022 Esbjerg Declaration & 2023 Oostend Declaration on offshore energy 
cooperation between the North Seas countries for delivering cross-border projects and anchoring the renewable 
offshore industry in the North Sea.   

24 

 
 
Emerging climate-smart sectors and considerations:  

•  Offshore renewable energy (windfarm installations, alternative offshore energy): Offshore wind is an 
intensive development in the North Sea. Today installed capacity of offshore wind is over 25 GW 
(including the UK and Norway). The countries committed to increase the capacity to 76 GW by 2030, 193 
GW by 2040, and 260 GW by 2050 (Esbjerg Declaration). Nine countries (Belgium, Denmark, France, 
Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, the UK) signed the Oostend declaration in 
2023, in which they pledge to build 120 GW of offshore wind in the North Sea by 2030 and 300 GW by 
2050. The North Sea countries have agreed to jointly develop the North Sea as a green power plant of 
Europe by connecting up countries with hybrid, multi-purpose and cross-border offshore projects and 
hubs.  

•  Offshore energy grid infrastructure: The North Sea countries recognise a need to move away from the 
separation of country interconnectors and radial project-based connections of wind farms towards an 
interconnected offshore grid. Today, collaborations on the offshore energy system include a few 
interconnectors, such as BritNed, NordLink and North Sea Link. Recent notable examples of international 
collaboration on the interconnected offshore energy system include the plans for a North Sea Wind Power 
Hub by the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany, and the Belgium energy island in the Princess Elisabeth 
Zone connecting wind parks of the North Sea countries. Energy storage at sea for ORE is emerging as a 
new consideration to locate storage facilities offshore that would include the possibility of oversizing 
OWFs beyond their connection capacity (resulting in lower costs for transmission) and allow for the use of 
storage technologies offshore, such as the ocean battery by Ocean Grazer. The Netherlands is preparing 
the North Sea Energy Infrastructure Plan (EIPN) for development of the infrastructure required for OWF in 
the 2030 to 2050 and how this will be integrated into the energy system (the plan will be published in 
2024). The subject of OWF and offshore energy grid infrastructure in the sea basin is addressed in the 
NSEC study (2022) “Spatial study North Seas 2030: Offshore wind development 2030 North Seas”.46 

•  Offshore hydrogen production and storage: The role of green hydrogen is recognised as a solution to 
enhance flexibility of the offshore energy system, with the production and storage of offshore hydrogen to 
facilitate the establishment of far-offshore wind farms in the North Sea basin. The PosHYdon project 
explores production of green hydrogen offshore on an operational gas platform by integrating offshore 
wind, offshore gas and offshore hydrogen. This pilot as well as other initiatives by pipeline operators (e.g., 
NGT and NOGAT in the Netherlands) demonstrate that these developments are technically feasible. 

•  CCS: There are multiple programmes on carbon storage/sequestration in the North Sea by various states 
(EU and non-EU members) to capture carbon in the form of carbon dioxide. Carbon is stored under the 
North Sea in old oil and gas workings, or within saline aquifers. Most of the CCS programmes are 
governed by the regulations of the countries, and there are efforts towards international co-operation on 
CCS. DK run a project Greensand by a consortium of companies to store carbon in the Nini West oilfield 
2.3 km below the sea (a drilling programme determined that it could store 450,000 tonnes of captured 
CO2 over a ten-year period). NL and DE recognise the need for CCS and they consider storage under the 
North Sea.  

•  Decarbonisation of maritime transport: Ongoing and future action, with the maritime industry, including 

shipping and ports, undergoing a significant shift to clean-energy generated alternative fuels like 
electricity and hydrogen. Multiple industrial efforts and regional projects are ongoing, with the examples of 
transboundary projects that include the projects of Zero Emission Ports North Sea (ZEM Ports NS) that 
analyses how port infrastructure must prepare for carbon-free shipping; Future Proof Shipping to advance 
toward hydrogen-driven vessels; HyTrEc2 project to produce hydrogen locally. The refuelling station of 
PURE Energy Centre is a fully operating demonstrator with production and storage of hydrogen.  

•  Adaptation: Ongoing and future action, with countries using advanced technologies for different areas of 

climate change adaptation, including climate risk assessments in coastal and marine areas (incl. 
projections for extreme events), such as numerical simulation models to predict weather and ocean 
conditions, and flood and coastal erosion, to build historical records and to observe trends and define 
design conditions for civil structures and identify risks to human populations and human activities: e.g., 
XBeach, WaveWatch III to compute future extreme scenarios to design infrastructure including 
maritime/ports/coastal defences, bridges, wind farms, etc. Structural technologies to protect and prevent 
risks (e.g., storm surge barriers and closure dams, TetraPods, riprap, etc.), NbS (‘Building with Nature’ in 
NL) as well as nature-inclusive designs and hybrid technologies in coastal and marine applications are 
advanced and continuously expanding with ongoing research, such as on resilient, adaptive and flexible 
measures. NbS to protect and restore marine and coastal habitats are increasing with sustainable project 
design for long-term viability and effectiveness of these solutions in ecological, economic, social, 
infrastructural, and financial terms. Technologies for generating socioeconomic information to determine 
exposure, vulnerability and conduct risk assessments serve for the preparation of adaptation strategies 
and plans in the North Sea countries with comprehensive disaster and climate risk management, e.g. 

25 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Delta Programme in the Netherlands. Provisions in the plans include different measures, including coastal 
adaptation solutions, buffer zones and areas for sand extraction. 

•  Aquaculture: Offshore aquaculture in the North Sea, such as seaweed and shellfish farms, is expected 

to play a greater role in sustainable food production in the future with the role of restorative ecosystem 
services through capture and utilisation of emissions (carbon dioxide (CO2) and nutrients). The EU 
programmes, such as Blue Growth Strategies, Interreg North Sea, Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe, 
have funded multiple projects on the topic of offshore aquaculture with the inclusion of economic and 
social aspects, e.g. North Sea Aquaculture. The current status of aquaculture in the North Sea indicates 
that commercial exploitation of offshore areas for aquaculture is currently limited with challenges related 
to limited site availability and suitability, concerns about environmental sustainability and spatial conflicts. 
Thus, considerations of multi-use of offshore wind farms with offshore aquaculture is increasing as a way 
to provide sustainable energy, nutritious seafood, and restorative ecosystem services through nutrients 
and carbon capture and utilisation. Several projects in the North Sea have modelled and tested if offshore 
aquaculture could be spatially combined with OWF in the areas that are otherwise restricted due to the 
safety of OWF operations and excessive infrastructure costs, which demonstrated that the multi-use of 
OWF could be combined with aquaculture of blue mussels and sugar kelp in the North Sea. The pilots in 
the H2020 UNITED project addressed offshore aquaculture in BE, DE and NL. The new project 
ULTFARMS (Horizon Europe Ocean Mission) is set to transform the future of Low-Trophic Aquaculture 
(LTA) systems through the integration of innovative engineering, technical, ecological, and biological 
processes; with three pilots in the North Sea (BE, DE and NL).       

Specific climate-smart future developments: ORE production (incl. energy islands, hydrogen infrastructure 
and  transport), decarbonisation  of maritime  transport,  pioneering technologies  (such  as combined cycle  gas 
turbine facilities with carbon capture technology in proximity to wind turbines) and approaches (such as artificial 
energy islands) to decarbonise industry, generate green hydrogen from solar farms and the offshore wind farms, 
and use space and existing infrastructure (e.g., decommissioned oil/gas platforms) 

Other relevant projects to planning: C-SCOPE, PISCES, BLAST, NorthSEE,- Improving the co-existence of 
Offshore Energy Installations & Shipping, SEANSE, eMSP NBSR 

3.2.  Atlantic 

All Member States from the Atlantic basin have adopted MSPs. The Atlantic Action 
Plan 2.0, Atlantic Strategy, and the OSPAR Convention provides an overarching 
framework in the sea basin, that stimulates strategic planning, collaboration and 
consensus building among the Member States. Atlantic ports as gateways and hubs 
for the blue economy, marine renewable energy, blue skills of the future and ocean 
literacy, healthy ocean and resilient coasts are the areas prioritised by the Atlantic 
Action Plan 2.0. Among synergetic objectives in the sea basin are: sustainable blue 
economy development, aligning offshore renewable energy initiatives with the 
objectives of the Strategic Energy Technology Plan, developing public awareness 
and strengthening cooperation in the European ocean energy community, the 
protection of the Atlantic’s marine and coastal environment, and creating synergies 
for a socially inclusive and sustainable model of regional development. Climate-smart 
emerging sectors and future developments in the Atlantic basin are summarized in 
Table 3. 

(46) DNV, 2022 (Studies & articles) 

26 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table 3.  Atlantic Basin climate-smart emerging sectors and future developments 

Atlantic 

The  sea  basin  is  characterised  by  the  maritime  activities: 
shipping, tourism, living resources, fishing, port activities 

The  key  issues  are:  port  connectivity,  decarbonization,  food, 
renewable energy, energy grid, nature, blue skills, ocean literacy, 
healthy ocean, resilient coasts  

Climate change considerations: mitigation & adaptation  

l

s
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Current climate-smart actions (now to short-term) 

Future climate-smart actions (mid- to long-term) 

v 

v 

v 

v 

v 

v 

v 

v 

Strategy/Action plans: The Atlantic Action Plan 2.0, Atlantic Strategy, the OSPAR Convention 

Emerging climate-smart sectors and considerations: 

Offshore renewable energy: Today installed capacity for offshore wind in the Atlantic is 537 MW (WindEurope). 
The countries are planning on increasing their ORE capacity to 12-14 GW by 2030, 21-26 GW by 2040 and 29-
43  GW  by  2050  (2023  non-binding  agreement  from  TEN-E  regulation).  The  total  potential  for  offshore  wind 
energy capacity in the Atlantic was assessed in a 2023 study (47) as 2650 GW. 54 projects are currently running, 
mostly dedicated to wind energy. Examples of pilot projects: tidal energy production  project in Raz Blanchard 
(FR)  with  4  turbines  to  be  set  up  in  2027;  SEM-REV  (FR)  -  a  multi-technology  offshore  testing  site  that  is 
connected to the grid (floating offshore wind, tidal power, wave energy, offshore hydrogen and floating SPV); 
R&D&I facilities for marine energy in ES, e.g., open sea test centres: BIMEP, PLOCAN and Punta Langosteria - 
X1 Wind installs floating platform in the PLOCAN test site; Mutriku wave power plant built into a breakwater at 
the harbour in Mutriku (ES) with a capacity of 296 kW;  DemoSATH floating offshore wind pilot project led by 
Saitec Offshore Technologies; CorPower C4 wave energy device under development at 4km offshore in northern 
PT. The WindFloat Atlantic project is the first semi-submersible wind farm in the world, installed in northen PT in 
2020 with 25 MW. ES has the intention for reinforcing the network of test platforms, (48) deploying a “plug & play” 
enabling framework that aims to become the most agile in the environment for the testing of new prototypes, and 
activating at least 200 million euros in public support for technological innovation. 77 offshore wind farm projects 
are under development in IE with a target to reach 37GW by 2050, e.g., Saoirse Wave Energy project developed 
off the Co Clare coast is expected to produce 5MW by 2030. Wave and tidal energy projects will develop as well, 
considering the high potential of the Atlantic, especially in IE, with a total capacity of about 40 GW in the Atlantic 
(IE). 

Offshore energy grid infrastructure: Along with offshore wind capacity the focus will be on cooperation for 
international grid systems. Various projects are currently running to develop the submarine network, e.g., the 
PISCES  -  Portugal 
Ireland  Spain  Connecting  Europe  Subsea  –  project  aims  at  providing  direct 
telecommunications connectivity between Ireland and the rest of EU through a trunk subsea cable to PT and 
branching links to ES; the West European Coast Festoon – project is a submarine cable system connecting PT, 
ES, FR, NL and IE. 

Offshore hydrogen production and storage: This sector is at an early phase, with a small number of projects 
exploring this sector. Pilot projects include: e.g., Sealhyfe project off FR coast, which finished in January 2024 
the experimentation phase; Hydrogen to Heat (H2Heat) project off the Canary Islands developed by PLOCAN 
that aims at combining floating offshore wind farms and green hydrogen production (ES); Jules Verne project in 
the Port of Vigo and a project in the Port of Huelva (ES); future joint development of offshore renewable hydrogen 
projects in ES and PT between the Spanish Capital Energy and the French Lhyfe companies, located in some 
of the 7.5 GW offshore wind farm sites. 

CCS:  Today  the  Atlantic  states  do  not  have  CO2  transport  and  sequestration  infrastructure  and  currently 
projects/initiatives  are  exploring  this  sector.  Pilot  projects  include:  e.g.,  Horizon  2020-funded  3D  (DMX 
Demonstration in Dunkirk) project developed in FR. A national study was published in IE on the suitability, costs 
and deployment options of CCS in 2022 which studied different scenarios to control future Irish CO2 pathways. 
ES run three pilot projects for CO2 capture and one for CO2 storage between 2006 and 2014, however, currently 
no commercial or demonstration projects are planned. In PT several studies related to CCS have been developed 
with the involvement of Universities, State Laboratories, DGEG, and Companies of the industrial sector and of 
the energy sector, e.g., the KTEJO project (sequestering and geologically storing CO2 at the Pego coal-fired 
thermoelectric power plant) and the COMET project (defining an integrated transport and storage infrastructure 
in PT, ES and Morocco) carried out a systematic analysis of the storage capacity in deep saline aquifers on a 
regional scale in an offshore environment. 

(47) European Commission Directorate General for Energy - Dubranna, J., Fofack-Garcia, R., Verrecchia, C., 
Rodrigues, B., Langiano, S., Berque, J., Iglesias, G., Laino, E., 2023 (Studies & articles) 
(48)  Spanish  Ministry  for  Ecological  Transition  and  the  Demographic  Challenge  –  MITECO,  2022  (MSP 
documents & national plans) 

27 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Decarbonisation of maritime transport: Ongoing and future action, with the examples of transboundary projects. 
Pilot  projects  are  running,  e.g.,  HYDEA  project,  launched  in  November 2023,  consists  of  pilot  tests  run  by  a 
consortium of partners from FR, IE, ES, PT for the development and application of hydrogen and methanol for 
the ports in the Atlantic; Salicórnia - first fully electric ferry in PT by Grupo ETE, co-financed by the EU through 
the Cohesion Fund; conversion in 2023 of a Cork Terminal owned by the UK biofuel supplier GBF into a GD+ 
fuel terminal in a joint initiative with GAC IE; initiatives by shipping companies towards boats fixed suction sails 
(e.g.,  FR  Ayro  company  developing  OceanWings  technology  for  newbuild  or  existing  ships;  ES  engineering 
company bound4blue in 2024 for the FR LDA company) and dual-fuel ships (e.g., CMA CGM received dual-fuel 
large containership using LNG). In ES there are many projects from the Port of Vigo, and other initiatives such 
as the Alianza NetZeroMar.   

Climate Change Adaptation: Coastal adaptation strategies are developed by the Atlantic states due to growing 
pressures  from  climate  change  impacts.  For  example,  ES  developed  the  regional  coastal  strategies  (Cádiz, 
Málaga, Almería and the Balearic Islands) and a National Strategic Plan for Coastal Protection considering the 
effects  of  climate  change  through  a  European  Commission’s  DG  REFORM  TSI  following  the  request  of  the 
Spanish Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO). FR created a new 
type of cooperation structure between national and local levels named partnership plans for planning (PPA) to 
encourage local processes of spatial withdrawal in coastal areas, in parallel with the National Strategy (GIZC 
2012). The Coastal Communities Adapting Together (CCAT) pilot project co-funded by the European Regional 
Development Fund used another approach based on stakeholders and citizens and aimed at supporting coastal 
communities to understand and how to adapt to climate change.  

Aquaculture:  The  sector  has  emerged  quite  strongly  in  EU  Atlantic.  Algae,  shellfish  farming  –  which  is  the 
principal  type  of  aquaculture  in  FR49-,  seabass  and  seabream  aquaculture  have  experienced  an  important 
growth. Important research effort for the last 30 years in FR led to the emergence of an aquaculture sector based 
on the production of marine fish (e.g., red drum, sturgeon caviar). Pilot projects include: AquaWind - a multi-use 
offshore platform, which combines ORE and aquaculture (fish farming) in the Atlantic Sea Basin (FR, ES and 
PT). Co-funded by the EMFAF and coordinated by the Government of the Canaries, it started in 2022 and is 
expected to finish in 2025. Innovative technologies to improve aquaculture production are developed in IE, e.g., 
the Oyster Pitch, based on sounds to monitor oysters’ welfare and reduce their mortality. A large-scale fish farm 
is  under consideration  in  northern  FR  (Boulogne-sur-mer), which could  produce  about  9000  tons of  salmons 
each year.  

Desalinisation:  Desalinisation  projects  are  under  development  in  the  area.  Pilot  projects  include:  e.g., 
construction of a new seawater desalinisation plant in the Algarve region (PT), in Albufeira; desalinisation power 
plant based on solar pv under development in Andalousia (ES). 

Specific  climate-smart  future  developments:  construction  of  new  ports  and  extending  the  existing  ones; 
offshore  renewable  energy  on  a  big  scale  including  hybrid  floating  offshore  platforms  (offshore  wind  farms  -
floating  and  fixed-,  wave  and  tidal  energy;  offshore  aquaculture  on  a  big  scale;  biotechnology  (e.g.,  algae); 
submarine power cable lines; big-scale extraction of seabed marine minerals 

Other  relevant  projects  to  planning:  SIMCelt,  TPEA,  Celtic  Seas  Partnership,  SIMNORAT,  EU-ATLAS:  A 
trans-Atlantic assessment and deep-water ecosystem based spatial management plan for Europe, SIMAtlantic, 
MarSP: Macaronesian Maritime Spatial Planning, MSP-OR, REGINA-MSP, Green MSP 

3.3.  Mediterranean Sea 

Not all Member States from the Mediterranean Sea have adopted MSPs. The 
Mediterranean Action Plan of the Barcelona Convention, the Mediterranean Strategy 
for Sustainable Development (2016-2025), and the Ministerial declaration on 
Sustainable Blue Economy (2021) integrated in the Union for the Mediterranean, 
deliver a political framework for the sea basin. The sea basin’s strategies and actions 
plans prioritise a prosperous and peaceful Mediterranean region, that includes 
investing in the environment as a mean to secure long-term, sustainable job creation 
and socio-economic development, and as an essential process for the achievement 
of long-term development for present and future generations. Addressing climate 
change is among the key synergetic objectives together with the transition towards a 
green and blue economy and improving governance for sustainable development.  

(49) Dosdat & De La Pomelie, 2003  

28 

 
 
 
 
Climate-smart emerging sectors and future developments in the Mediterranean Sea 
basin are summarised in Table 4. 

Table 4.  Mediterranean Sea Basin climate-smart emerging sectors and future 

developments 
Mediterranean Sea basin 
The sea basis is characterised by the maritime activities: tourism, 
shipping, port activities 

The key issues are: coastal erosion, energy production, nature, 
pollution, environmentally sustainable sea-based activities  

Climate change considerations: adaptation  

Current climate-smart actions (now to short-term) 

Future climate-smart actions (mid- to long-term) 

l

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Strategy/Action plans: Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development (MSSD, 2016-2025), Ministerial 
declaration  on  Sustainable  Blue  Economy  (2021)  integrated  in  the  Union  for  the  Mediterranean  (UfM), 
Mediterranean  Action  Plan  (MAP)  Barcelona  Convention,  Ecosystem  Approach  (EcAp) and  its  11  Ecological 
Objectives,  UNEP/MAP  Conceptual  Framework  for  ICZM/Marine  Spatial  Planning  (ICZM  Protocol  articulated 
with MSP), The Protocol on the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against Pollution from Land-Based Sources 
(2006),  Initiative  for  the  sustainable  development  of  the  Blue  Economy  in  the  Western  Mediterranean 
(WestMED), Community of Practice on MSP for the Mediterranean  

Emerging climate-smart sectors and considerations: 
•  Offshore renewable energy: Currently, offshore wind capacity in the Mediterranean Sea represents 0.1% 

of total capacity in Europe. In many countries, the projects are on hold, at initial stage, or cancelled. 
Currently, offshore wind is mostly deployed in the Northern Mediterranean, with many wind projects in the 
pipeline, most of which are in the planning and permitting development stages. In 2022, the first offshore 
wind farm in the Mediterranean was inaugurated off the coast of IT: the Beleolico wind project featuring ten 
bottom-fixed 3 MW offshore wind turbines, which have a total combined capacity of 30 MW. Three pilot 
projects for floating offshore farms have been approved in FR and are being constructed in the Gulf of 
Lion: EolMed project (a total capacity of 30 MW), Provence Grand Large project (three 8.4 MW wind 
turbines), and EFGL project (Les Eoliennes Flottantes du Golfe du Lion - three 10 MW wind turbines). Two 
other Mediterranean floating wind farms are going to be developed in Sicily and Sardinia (IT). The OWF in 
Sicily will have a capacity of 250 MW (21 turbines) and it should start running in 2026, while the OWF in 
Sardinia consisting of 42 wind turbines with a power of around 12 MW each (a total capacity of more than 
500 MW) is scheduled to enter commercial operation in 2028. The floating technology should lead to a 
more rapid deployment in the Mediterranean Sea. New and more ambitious targets have been set by the 
Mediterranean countries in their revised National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) leading to new 
offshore renewables strategies, and several projects by private investors. Based on final assessments of 
new NECP objectives, action plans for offshore RES present a range that is between 24 GW and 57 GW 
to the 2035 horizon, compared to 7 GW in 2030 as resulting from 2019 NECP objectives.   

•  Offshore hydrogen productions and storage: In line with EU’s ‘External Engagement Strategy’ and 
‘REPpowerEU’ Plan (50), the Mediterranean is starting to contribute to the production of hydrogen. A 
considerable amount of imported hydrogen is likely to come from Sub Saharan Africa and the Middle East 
via pipeline, where companies are currently signing agreements with local governments and the EU is 
channeling up to €300 billion funding via the ‘Global Gateway’. Some Eastern Mediterranean countries are 
seeking ways to maximize the potential of their natural gas resources while simultaneously focusing on 
hydrogen as part of their energy transition strategies. Recently, a €100 million green hydrogen refueling 
infrastructure for recreational boating, a project led by NatPower H, has been set to see its first station 
installed in IT in 2024. While much of the discussion regarding additional natural gas exports from the 
Eastern Mediterranean region has focused on LNG, pipeline options have also been considered. The 
EastMed gas pipeline project, which proposed to bring regional gas to mainland GR and IT via CY and 
Crete, completed a series of feasibility studies in 2018 and attracted support. In November 2021, GR and 
Egypt signed an MoU on energy cooperation that included a proposal to build a pipeline to bring regional 
gas to Europe via Egypt along an alternative, shorter, and more cost-effective sub-sea route. 

•  CCS: Export hubs and CO2 shipping routes are considered, with transport via sea emerging as a key 
transport modality. Greece’s first carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) project (Prinos CO2 
Storage), is to be conducted by the National Natural Gas System (DESFA) and Energean, expects to 
conclude important regulatory and financial issues within 2024 and hopes to enter its first phase of 

(50) European Commission, 2022c (EU Strategies & Policies) 

29 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
operations in 2025. In Italy, the Callisto (CArbon LIquefaction transportation and STOrage) Mediterranean 
CO2 Network integrated CCS project jointly proposed by Eni and Snam with the collaboration of Air 
Liquide, which is also its coordinator and which is anchored on the Ravenna CCS CO2 storage hub, has 
been selected by the European Commission to join the list of Projects of Common Interest (PCI). Callisto 
aims to develop a CCS value chain in southwestern Europe, focusing on the decarbonization of the Italian 
industrial areas, starting with those of Ravenna and Ferrara and the Fos-Marseille Hub in France. The 
project by leveraging the large total storage capacity of the Ravenna CCS hub, estimated at more than 
500 million tons, aims to develop the largest network in the Mediterranean for CO2 capture, transport, and 
storage by offering a decarbonization solution for Hard to Abate industries (such as cement plants, 
fertilizers, steel mills, etc.), acting as a reference for Southern Europe. 

•  Decarbonisation of maritime transport: With the growth of the O&G sector and the increased pollution 
risks it implies the Mediterranean Strategy for the prevention, preparedness, and response to marine 
pollution from ships (2022-2031) was developed. The Strategy starting on 1 May 2025 will become an 
Emission Control Area, where vessels will be required to burn marine fuel with sulphur content capped at 
0.1pc, down from 0.5pc sulphur. There are some initiatives like POSEIDON MED that are focusing on 
LNG as a fuel in short-term, considering the heavy traffic in the region and the expansion of cruise ship 
tourism.     

•  Adaptation: The Mediterranean coastal blue carbon ecosystems (saltmarshes and seagrasses) represent 
important climate adaptation and mitigation opportunities. The inclusion of blue carbon programmes in 
climate change strategies of Mediterranean countries requires knowledge on the extent of the capacity 
and variability of these ecosystems, the development of policy instruments, such as carbon offsets 
frameworks, and the ability on how to best develop coastal environmental management frameworks at 
local and national scales. Projects like Life Blue Natura, POSBEMED2 or MPA-ADAPT Interreg Med 
projects focused on building coastal resilience through NbS. Regarding the coastal erosion and flooding 
challenges, the countries in the regions develop coastal adaptation plans and initiatives. For example, in 
MT a National Coastal Protection and Adaptation Strategy for the Maltese Islands (enhancing the 
archipelago's resilience to climate change consequences) was developed within the EU TSI of DG 
REFORM following the request of the Department for Public Works of the Ministry for Transport, 
Infrastructure and Public Works, and the Tourism Authority. Similar works took place in ES, including all 
the ES islands in the Mediterranean Sea.   

•  Aquaculture: Mediterranean marine fish aquaculture, specifically seabass and seabream, faces a 

challenge in terms of production as productivity is stagnating or growing at a sluggish pace. EU-funded 
projects like MedAID aim to assess technical, environmental, market, socio-economic and governance 
weaknesses in the industry, by exploring innovative solutions and providing comprehensive toolboxes, to 
enhance the sector’s competitiveness and sustainability holistically. Collaboration between Mediterranean 
countries and northern European R&D institutions, takes place with a focus on innovative tools, integrated 
plans and improved governance, leading Mediterranean marine fish aquaculture into a transformative 
future. Innovative projects on value chains exist, like PerformFISH that integrate innovative approaches for 
competitive and sustainable performance across the value chain are ensuring the sustainable growth of 
the Mediterranean aquaculture industry. Interest has been given to examine opportunities for Multi-use 
activities between the aquaculture and renewable energies like the MEDAQUA project. 

•  Desalination: Innovative approaches of coupling desalination and water reuse are currently being tested 

to supply fresh water for drinking and irrigation for a large proportion of the population around the 
Mediterranean Sea. Suffering from a heightened vulnerability to climate change, the Mediterranean basin 
is projected to experience a significant decrease of freshwater supply and water stress over the next 
decades. The region’s water demand is expected to double or triple by 2050 (UNEP, 2023). The European 
Mediterranean countries are well integrated in the desalination market, and they are also rapidly 
expanding their shares in the regional desalination market. Additionally, there are innovative European 
projects, like the EU-funded W2W – Water to Water project, that are promoting an innovative desalination 
system that uses renewable energy and provides clean water from seawater or salty groundwater. The 
bilateral cooperation between Mediterranean countries (i.e. GR) and EEA grants are focusing to improve 
the operational intelligence of seawater desalination industry, using a satellite-assisted forecasting service 
line for coastal waters. It also creates an operational decision support system for seawater desalination 
plants. 

Specific  climate-smart  future  developments:  floating  offshore  windfarms;  coastal  adaptation  for  securing 
tourism services; desalination on a bigger scale and innovative approaches of coupling desalinization and water 
reuse to supply freshwater for a large share of the population around the Mediterranean and irrigation 

Other relevant projects to planning: MEDTRENDS, MAREMED, COCONET, PERSEUS, PEGASO, MESMA, 
Coastal  Area  Management  Programme  –  CAMP,  COASTGAP,  COASTANCE,  Co-Evolve,  PHAROS4MPAs, 
PANACEA,  SUPREME,  SHAPE,  ADRIPLAN,  THAL-CHOR  1  (ΘΑΛ-ΧΩΡ),  Paving  the  Road  to  MSP  in  the 
Mediterranean: MSP MED – Greece, PLANCOAST, COEXIST, PORTODIMARE, MARISCA, PROTOMEDEA, 
DORY, Med-Iamer, AMPMED, SIMWESTMED, SwitchMed, THAL-CHOR 2, REGINA-MSP, MSP Green 

30 

 
 
 
 
 
 
3.4.  Black Sea 

The Member States from the Black Sea have adopted MSPs. The Common Maritime 
Agenda for the Black Sea and the Strategic Action Plan for the Environmental 
Protection and Rehabilitation of the Black Sea provide a framework for the sea basin. 
They prioritise the preservation of the ecosystem as a valuable natural legacy of the 
region with Long-term Ecosystem Quality Objectives (EcoQOs) and ensuring the 
protection of marine and coastal living resources for sustainable development of the 
Black Sea states, well-being, health and security of population. Specifically, 
synergetic objectives of EcoQOs include: preservation of commercial marine living 
resources (sustainable use of commercial fish stocks and other marine living 
resources; restore stocks of commercial marine living resources); and conservation 
of Black Sea Biodiversity and Habitats (reduce the risk of extinction of threatened 
species; conserve coastal and marine habitats and landscapes). Climate-smart 
emerging sectors and future developments in the Black Sea basin are summarised in 
Table 5. 

Table 5.  Black Sea Basin climate-smart emerging sectors and future 

developments 

Black Sea basin 

The sea basis is characterised by the maritime activities: 
shipping, tourism, port activities, fishing, gas exploration 

The key issues are: preservation of ecosystem - conservation of 
biodiversity and habitats, protection of marine and coastal living 
resources, sustainable use of commercial fish stocks and other 
marine living resources     

Climate change considerations: mitigation & adaptation  

Current climate-smart actions (now to short-term) 

Future climate-smart actions (mid- to long-term) 

v 

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Strategy/Action  plans:  Common  Maritime  Agenda  (CMA)  for  the  Black  Sea,  Strategic  Action  Plan  for  the 
Environmental  Protection  and  Rehabilitation  of  the  Black  Sea,  Black  Sea  Strategic  Research  and  Innovation 
Agenda, Convention on the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution (“Bucharest Convention”), EU Joint 
Operational Programme Black Sea Basin 2014-2020, Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans in the Black 
Sea Mediterranean Sea and Contiguous Atlantic Area, EU Black Sea Synergy 

Emerging climate-smart sectors and considerations: 
•  Aquaculture and renewable energy (bottom-fixed and floating wind farms) are emerging sectors in the 

region, currently in early stages and are expected to develop pilot projects in the coming years. 

•  Offshore renewable energy: offshore wind energy represents a good way of diversifying the energy 

sources that make up the national energy mix, thus ensuring the fulfilment of the objective of economic 
development, but, most importantly, that of consolidating the country's energy security. As assessed 
based on World Bank studies, RO’s offshore wind energy potential has a theoretical capacity of 76 GW, 22 
GW in the form of fixed turbines and 54 GW in the form of floating turbines. From the point of view of the 
cost-benefit ratio, the first turbines to be installed are the fixed ones. 

•  Aquaculture: Aquaculture is more developed in BG. There are some initiatives to develop mariculture in 
Romanian waters in the future, as well as similar initiatives, including legislative changes, to support multi-
use approach aquaculture facilities and offshore wind farms in the Black Sea basin.  

•  Decarbonisation of maritime transport by using green hydrogen for vessels is mentioned as a possible 

way for pollution reduction.  

•  EbA Adaptation Extending the network of natural marine protected areas to at least 30% of the marine 
surface (both in the territorial waters area and in the EEZ); Identification and designation of protected 
natural areas with strict protection, of at least 10% of the marine surface; Effective management of natural 

31 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
marine protected areas by establishing conservation measures and developing management plans. The 
growth of future activities will be determined by the level of environmental degradation currently affecting 
the sea basin, and the wider geopolitical landscape shaped by the commercial and strategic importance of 
the Black Sea.   

Specific climate-smart future developments: Aquaculture and renewable energy are emerging sectors in the 
basin, currently in early stages and are expected to develop pilot projects in the coming years. 

Other relevant projects to planning: PlanCoast, PEGASO, COCONET, MARSPLAN-BS, MARSPLAN-BS-II, 
ECOAST  (COFASP),  MISIS,  SymNet/CBC-Black  Sea,  ICZM/CBC-Black  Sea,  SRCSSMBSF,  CREAM, 
MARSEA, ANEMONE, TEAM4SEAS, MSP Green, MSP4BIO, DOORS, JUST4MPA, ResPonse, DTE-Climate 

32 

 
 
 
 
 
4.  EU MEMBER STATES CLIMATE-SMART ACTIONS  

Over the last three years Member States across all EU sea basins have been 
incorporating the elements of the European Green Deal (EGD) into their MSPs, 
including climate change mitigation and adaptation, and aligning their plans to the 
ambition of the EGD. (51) At the sea-basin scale, countries jointly commit to deliver 
energy transition and the fight against climate change, for example through the 
Esbjerg, Oostend and Marienborg declarations, and they establish the frameworks 
for collaboration among countries to address the challenges of the impacts of climate 
change on the sea, coasts, and marine ecosystems, healthy biodiversity, and to 
ensure there is space for all uses and transitions in the sea basins. 

This chapter presents an overview of how all EU coastal Member States integrate 
climate-smart trends and actions into their plans, with the evolution of climate-
related considerations and emerging sectors. The primary source of information for 
the preparation of this synthesis were the national plans and strategies, i.e., the 
MSPs and other national plans relevant to emerging sectors / climate-smart actions 
in marine and coastal areas, available at the European MSP Platform (52) and 
national/regional sources.  

The previous overviews, which covered a restricted number of countries, were also 
considered in the preparation of the current synthesis. These overviews include the 
eMSP NBSR policy brief on climate-smart MSP in the North and Baltic Sea Regions 
(2023),(53) the MSPGreen project deliverable “Green Deal Component of the EU MSP 
Plans” (2023),(10) and the Regina-MSP project results at the regional level (2024).(54) 

In this study, climate-smart actions and values are mapped into the categories of 
climate change mitigation, climate change adaptation, ecosystems and society, 
considering actions now established in the plans (current actions), and also 
projections, i.e., actions that will be considered in the future by countries (future 
actions) and which are now included in the amendments / new plans. The EGD, 
approved in 2020 before the finalisation of the MSP cycle in 2021, might not have 
been integrated into many MSPs given that most MSs had already prepared their 
MSPs by that time. Thus, this synthesis provides information about the climate-smart 
actions that are being included by MSs for the future, e.g., in the amendments to 
MSPs that encompass the increased ORE and biodiversity targets, and which will be 
integrated into the next national MSP cycles.   

Given the different nature of the plans in each country in Europe, the mapping of 
national efforts in climate-smart areas also distinguishes functions in terms of spatial 
provisions/designations and targets. The former refers to the allocation of space and 
specifying uses that contribute to climate-smart efforts as spatial designations in the 
plans. The latter refers to the delivery of strategic objectives and specifying targets 
that embrace climate-smart considerations. For example, regarding offshore 

(51) MSPGreen - Cornet, A., Arki, V., Bocci, M., Ramieri, E., & al., 2023 (Studies & articles) 
(52) European MSP Platform, 2024a (Websites) 
(53) eMSP-NBSR - Varjopuro, R., Rekola, A.and K. Gee, Policy Brief on Climate-smart MSP, 2023 (Studies & 
articles) 
(54) Regina-MSP - Ramieri, E., Bocci, M. & al., 2024 (Studies & articles) 

33 

 
 
 
renewable energy production, some MSs specify spatial allocations for ORE without 
identifying production targets for these sites (e.g., FI, LV, ES), while other MSs 
include only ORE production targets with no spatial provisions (e.g., FR). Some plans 
include both targets and spatial allocation (e.g., DE). These specificities of plans are 
also mapped in the synthesis.  

Climate-smart actions and values in the plans encompass in this review the following 
elements:  

 Mitigation - considers low-carbon pathways:  

•  Renewable energy transition  

❖  wind energy (fixed and floating offshore wind platforms) 
❖  alternative renewable energy (solar photovoltaic energy, wave and tidal 

energy) 

❖  offshore hydrogen generation and storage  
❖  prohibition of hydrocarbons’ exploration/exploitation  

•  Decarbonisation of maritime sectors  

❖  decarbonisation of shipping 
❖  transformations in ports   
❖  carbon capture and storage 
❖  multi-use and co-existence 

 Adaptation - considers reducing vulnerability and enhancing resilience of maritime 
activities, and marine and coastal areas to climate-related risks:  

•  Climate risk assessments (incl. projections for slow onset and extreme events) 
•  Adaptation strategies with comprehensive disaster and climate risk 

management 

•  Adaptation measures, including emerging sectors for adaptation, such as: 

❖  resilient and adaptive/flexible measures 
❖  aggregate extraction 
❖  desalinisation 
❖  aquaculture 

•  Ecosystem-based Adaptation (nature-based solutions, nature-inclusive 

designs) 

 Ecosystems - consider enhancing the resilience of marine and coastal ecosystems 
to climate-related risks: 

•  Ensured effective protection (incl. coherent MPA networks) 
•  Ensured conservation and restoration 
•  Ensured protection of climate refugia areas 

 Society - considers enhancing coastal communities’ socio-economic resilience to 
climate-related risks: 

34 

 
 
•  Promoting climate literacy and strengthening understanding of the climate 

risks (for fostering societal support and understanding for climate solutions at 
sea) - endorsing understanding of impacts of, and vulnerability to, climate 
change, current and future climate variability and extreme events, and the 
implications for sustainable blue economy development; it includes 
multidisciplinary research on ocean-climate nexus 

•  Climate-smart technological innovations  
•  A just transition (reskilling, upskilling and new skills) to a sustainable blue 

economy - ensuring that the transition to a zero-emission maritime industry 
and the development of sustainable blue economy is safe and just (reskilling, 
upskilling and new skills in maritime sectors) 

•  Environmental justice (public-private and cross-sectoral) - ensuring the fair 
treatment and meaningful involvement of all people with respect to the 
development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, 
regulations, and policies, including providing new prospects and creating jobs 

In addition to MSPs, the efforts of countries’ work in the climate-smart MSP areas, 
which are not included in MSPs yet were mapped, e.g., on enhancing resilience to 
coastal flooding and erosion due to climate change. These are the climate change 
adaptation actions, which might not be incorporated in the MSPs yet as these works 
were finalised after the previous MSP cycle, but they are relevant to this synthesis as 
it addresses the climate adaptation and resilience building of coastal areas. 

The MSP status in the EU’s Member States with the climate-smart features in MSP is 
presented in Table 6. Detailed mapping of climate-smart considerations in the 
Member States’ plans, including MSPs and other plans, is presented in Table 7. 

The sections after the tables offer insights gained from Table 6 and 7 (as well as 
Tables 1-5), i.e., plans adopted by Member States drawn from the national sources, 
comprising the MSPs as well as coastal adaptation plans/strategies (if available) and 
the National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs). NECPs leading to new offshore 
renewables strategies were relevant in this review particularly for countries without 
adopted MSP.  

35 

 
 
Table 6.  MSP status in the EU Member States – current status and next steps regarding climate-smart actions. The table has 

been elaborated by the European MSP Platform 

Current MSP status and examples (E.g.) of climate-smart features in MSP 

Next steps regarding climate-smart actions 

BE 

2019: Belgium Maritime Spatial Plan for the Belgium Part of the North Sea: Revision started in 2023 and MSP 
is in public consultation 2023-2024. Study on additional zones for ORE. E.g.: ORE, CCS development 

BG 

2023:  Marine  Spatial  Plan  of  the  Republic  of  Bulgaria  (developed  under  the  MARSPLAN  projects):  Revision 
process started end 2023, E.g. Preservation of ecosystems and food, Blue carbon  

Progress on the revised MSP. Public and international 
consultation to take place before the election in June 
2024  

In 2024, the  results and conclusions for the areas of 
revision  change  and  scope  and  activities  for  the 
update 

HR  NO MSP: Croatia MSP legislative framework entered into force in July 2023. Ongoing SEA process. 

MSP to be adopted 

CY 

2023: Cyprus Maritime Spatial Plan: E.g. Conservation areas, desalinization 

DK 

2021:  Maritime  Spatial  Plan  of  Denmark  (legally  binding  map):    Revision  of  MSP  for  raising  the  offshore 
renewable energy and biodiversity targets, with the consultation on the draft amendment on executive order on 
Denmark's MSP and the environmental assessment. E.g. ORE, energy islands, CCS 

EE 

2022: Estonian Maritime Spatial Planning: Monitoring phase. E.g. Renewable energy targets 

FI 

2020: Finnish maritime spatial plan: The revision was launched in 2024; E.g. Climate refugia 

Integration  of 
transboundary 
the  public  and 
consultations  responses.  The  agreement  will  be  an 
amendment  to  the  current  Danish  MSP,  allowing  for 
allocation of more areas to ORE and biodiversity   

Implementation  of  offshore  wind  park  development 
projects; MSP revision planned for 2027 

Studies  on  offshore  wind  energy  and  stakeholder 
involvement process; work on update of coastal zone 
strategy 

2022: French National Strategy for the Sea and Coast + Documents strategiques de façades: Endorsement of 
the new national strategy (decree in March/April 2024). Ongoing revision with public consultation with a focus 
on OWF E.g. OWF. Vocational charts for future OWF settlement (fixed and floating) and on some areas use of 
current OWF 

On  the  basis  of  the  consultation  which  includes 
proposed maps, edition of new MSP for each maritime 
“façades” with higher ambition for OWF production on 
each of them 

2021: German Maritime Spatial Plan of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea + 3 plans for the coastal federal States: 
Initiation of the Offshore Site investigations for wind turbines for tendering in 2026 and 2027 for the German EEZ 
of the North Sea. E.g. ORE, nature conservation and restoration 

Revision  of  the  preliminary  draft  of  site  development 
plan  to  be  published  and  consulted  internationally  in 
2024.  

NO MSP: Submission of a proposal for the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for the maritime spatial 
unit where the pilot study has been carried out (North Aegean), and for the elaboration of the Maritime Spatial 
Planning Frameworks (MSPFs), for the rest of maritime spatial units in Greece 

Ministerial Decision for the technical specifications for 
the MSPFs to be issued in 2024. MSP expected within 
3 years 

2021: Irish Marine Planning Policy Statement: Implementation of MSP within national thematic/sectoral strategy 
E.g. protection (MPA), ORE 

National  Industrial  Strategy  for  Offshore  Wind  to  be 
published in 2024 

NO MSP: Received the assessment comments for their submitted Technical Committee Assessment (need for 
3-4 months to revise the proposed plans according to the received comments) 

Address the received comments and amend the plans 

FR 

DE 

GR 

IE 

IT 

36 

 
 
 
  
 
LV 

LT 

2019: Maritime Spatial Plan for Internal Waters, Territorial Waters and Exclusive Economic Zone of the Republic 
of  Latvia.  Interim  evaluation  report  published  end  2023.  E.g.  GHG  emissions,  Renewable  energy,  Coastal 
erosion 

Integration  of  the  coastal  zone  thematic  in  the  next 
MSP (after 2025) 

2021: Lithuania Comprehensive Plan. Publication of the Implementation action plan. E.g. Renewable energy, 
Coastal erosion 

Offshore  wind  farm  tenders,  implementation  of  the 
action plan. Revision of the MSP planned in 2030 

MT 

2015: Malta Strategic Plan for Environment and Development; Ongoing revision of the MSP. Economic scenarios 
analysis delivered  

NL 

PL 

PT 

2022: The Netherlands North Sea Programme 2022-2027 (Annex to the National Water Programme): In 2023 
started the Partial Revision and the Strategic Environmental Assessment of the North Sea Programme 2022-
2027,  including  revision  of  MSP  for  raising  the  offshore  renewable  energy  targets  (50  GW  by  2040). 
Transboundary  consultation  in  the  scoping  process  for  SEA  for  the  Partial  Revision  of  the  Dutch  North  Sea 
Programme. Preparation of the North Sea Energy Infrastructure Plan (EIPN). E.g. Offshore renewables, nature 
conservation, nature-based adaptation 

2021: Maritime spatial plan for the internal marine waters, the territorial sea and the exclusive economic zone 
on a scale of 1: 200,000. At that time MSPs for Szczeciński Lagoon, Kamieński Lagoon, Vistula Lagoon and for 
port areas waters (4 plans) were still under adoption. Ongoing process on the adoption of several MSPs for small 
ports and bays. E.g. GHG emissions, Renewable energy, Resistance to climate change 

2019:  Portugal  Plano  de  Situacão  do  Ordenamento  do  Espaço  Maritimo  Nacional  (PSOEM)  -  The  National 
Ocean Strategy 2021-2030 was approved in 2021. As part of the PSOEM, the ORE Allocation Plan (PAER) – 
West Coast of the Continent subdivision in Portugal, refers to the definition of areas for the exploration of ORE 
for commercial purposes. PAER constitutes an important contribution to the country's ability to achieve the goals 
established in the Roadmap for Carbon Neutrality 2050 (RNC 2050). One of newly published reports is on the 
implementation and development of ORE (2023). Report’s findings will feed the new development of MSP Plans. 
E.g. the Allocation Plan for ORE  

RO 

2023:  Romania  Maritime  Spatial  Plan  (developed  under  the  MARSPLAN  projects);  Approval  of  the  Offshore 
Energy Law in December 2023. E.g. ORE 

SI 

2021: Slovenia Pomorski prostorski plan Slovenije 

2023:  Spain  Planes  de  Ordenación  del  Espacio  Marítimo  (POEM):  Ongoing  revision  of  the  MSP.  Currently 
working on developing the contracts to fulfil the measures stated under 2.3 (Medida OEM1 – OEM9). E.g. ORE, 
Hydrocarbons exploitation and exploration prohibition, MPAs, ‘blue corridors’ – Marine Green Infrastructure  

A background paper to analyse how Ecosystem-based 
assessment is included in the MSP and how it could be 
further included in future revision of MSP 

The  Partial  Revision  of  the  North  Sea  Programme 
2022-2027  is  expected  to  be  finalized  in  September 
2025,  including  revision  of  MSP  for  raising  the  ORE 
targets (50 GW by 2040) 

Licensing and auctions of offshore wind park areas 

The public consultation phase on the allocation plan for 
offshore  renewable  energies  ended.  The  ambition  of 
achieving an installed offshore wind energy capacity of 
10 GW by 2030 in the national maritime space of the 
Mainland subdivision 

Start of a study to prepare procedures for concession, 
exploitation  activities,  turbines  construction  and  to 
determine the suitable perimeters for concession 

Once the OEMs results are obtained + results from the 
EU projects, that the revision of the MSP Plans will be 
done 

MPA  (current  and  future)  are  considered  under  the 
MSP and will be reviewed for the next MSP phase 

2022: Sweden Maritime Spatial Plan: Ongoing revision (focus on offshore wind energy development and nature 
areas)  -  proposal  to  be  submitted  to  the  government  by  December  2024.  Espoo  transboundary  consultation 
process in 2024. E.g. Acidification, Climate refugia, multi-use 

Bilateral  meetings  (Finland,  Demark,  potentially  also 
Poland)  about  the  revisions  and  impact  assessment; 
Licencing, permitting process ongoing 

37 

ES 

SE 

 
 
 
  
 
More information about the national MSPs can be found at the European MSP Platform country pages: https://maritime-spatial-
planning.ec.europa.eu/msp-practice/countries. 

38 

 
 
  
 
Table 7.  Scan of climate-smart considerations in the Member States’ plans. Legend: Plans with spatial allocation (in blue), with 

targets (in yellow), with both spatial allocation and targets (in green); Actions currently considered in plans (C), to be 
considered in the future (part of the revised but not yet published plan) (F); Information not available (N/A); Item not included 
in the national plans (N/I). The grey columns correspond to MSs without published MSP. The table has been elaborated by the 
European MSP Platform 

i

m
u
g
e
B

l

a
i
r
a
g
u
B

l

a
i
t
a
o
r
C

s
u
r
p
y
C

k
r
a
m
n
e
D

BE 

BG  HR  CY 

DK 

1. Mitigation (Low-carbon pathways) 

1.1. Renewable energy transition 

1.1.1. wind energy (fixed and floating offshore 
wind platforms) 

1.1.2.  alternative  renewable  energy  (solar 
photovoltaic energy, wave and tidal energy) 

1.1.3.  offshore  hydrogen  generation  and 
storage 

1.1.4. 
exploration/exploitation 

prohibition 

of 

hydrocarbons’ 

1.2. Decarbonization of maritime sectors 

F
+
C

F
+
C

/

A
N

/

A
N

6
5
F
+
C

9
5
F
+
C

/

A
N

/

A
N

F
+
C

C

/

A
N

I
/

N

F

/

A
N

/

A
N

/

A
N

i

a
n
o
t
s
E
E
E 

F
+
C

C

F

/

A
N

d
n
a
n
 F

i

l

e
c
n
a
r
F

FI 

FR 

F
+
C

/

A
N

/

A
N

/

A
N

7
5
F
+
C

F
+
C

/

A
N

C

y
n
a
m
r
e
G
D
E 

F
+
C

/

A
N

/

A
N

I
/

N

e
c
e
e
r
G
G
R 

5
5
y
a
t
I

l

d
n
a
e
r
I

l

IT 

IE 

i

a
v
t
a
L
L
V 

i

a
n
a
u
h
t
i
L
L
T 

-
r
e
h
t
e
N
N
L 

a
t
l
a
M
M
T 

s
d
n
a

l

d
n
a
o
P
P
L 

l

l

a
g
u
t
r
o
P
P
T 

i

a
n
a
m
o
R
R
O 

F
+
  C

F
+
  C

A
  N

/

A
  N

/

F
+
C

/

A
N

/

A
N

F

F
+
C

/

A
N

/

A
N

I
/

N

F
+
C

/

A
N

/

A
N

I
/

N

F

F

/

A
N

/

A
N

F
+
C

F
+
C

F
+
C

/

A
N

F
+
C

C

/

A
N

I
/

N

C

/

A
N

/

A
N

/

A
N

F
+
C

F

/

A
N

/

A
N

i

a
n
e
v
o
S

l

SI 

8
5
I
/

N

I
/

N

I
/

N

/

A
N

n
e
d
e
w
S
S
E 

i

n
a
p
S
E
S 

F
+
C

F
+
C

I
/

N

F
+
C

C

F

C

C

(55) The Italian MSP Plan has not been published yet but was analysed in MSP-GREEN - Cornet, A., Arki, V., Bocci, M., Ramieri, E., & al., 2023 (Studies & articles). 
(56) MSP-GREEN - Cornet, A., Arki, V., Bocci, M., Ramieri, E., & al., 2023 (Studies & articles): "Bulgarian plan points to the potential for developing renewable energy 
production, including offshore wind energy, but does not formulate an explicit quantitative objective or zones allocated for offshore renewable energy development." – 
thus, no color in the cell. 
(57) Ongoing spatial local allocation as was not meant to be so far in MSPs ("vocation zone") - recent legislative update – the updates of MSP will allocate dedicated 
areas on each “façade” 
(58) Not considered due to limited spatial possibilities (unfeasible) 
(59) Idem. 

39 

 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1.2.1. decarbonization of shipping 

1.2.2. transformations in ports 

1.3. Carbon capture and storage 

1.4. Multi-use and co-existence 

/

A
N

/

A
N

/

A
N

F

C

F

F
+
C

F
+
C

/

A
N

/

A
N

/

A
N

C

/

A
N

/

A
N

/

A
N

F

C

C

C

C

F

F

C

F

F

C

/

A
N

3
6
C

/

A
N

/

A
N

1
6
/

C

F
+
  C

F
+
  C

A
  N

/

F
+
  C

C

C

C

C

4
6
C

I
/

N

/

A
N

C

/

A
N

I
/

N

F
+
C

/

A
N

F
+
C

F
+
C

/

A
N

/

A
N

F
+
C

F
+
C

F
+
C

F
+
C

/

A
N

I
/

N

2
6
C

/

A
N

0
6

I
/

N

I
/

N

/

A
N

5
6
F

F

F

/

A
N

F

/

A
N

/

A
N

/

A
N

F
+
C

6
6

F
+
C

F
+
C

I
/

N

F
+
C

C

I
/

N

F
+
C

C

BE 

B
G 

H
R 

C
Y 

D
K 

E
E 

FI 

F
R 

D
E 

G
R 

IT 

IE 

LV  LT 

M
T 

N
L 

P
L 

PT 

R
O 

SI 

E
S 

S
E 

2. Adaptation (Enhancing resilience of maritime activities and coastal areas to climate-related risks) 

2.1.  Climate  risk  assessments  (incl.  projections  for 
slow onset and extreme events) 

2.2.  Adaptation  strategies  with  comprehensive 
disaster and climate risk management 

/

A
N

/

A
N

/

A
N

A
  N

/

F

C

C

  C

/

A
N

/

A
N

F
+
C

F
+
C

F
+
C

F
+
C

F

F
+
C

F
+
  C

/

A
N

A
  N

/

C

F
+
C

/

A
N

/

A
N

C

C

F

7
6
F
+
C

F
+
C

F
+
C

/

A
N

C

C

/

A
N

F
+
C

/

A
N

/

A
N

F
+
C

C

C

C

2.3. Adaptation measures, including emerging sectors for adaptation such as: 

(60) MSP encompasses only the activities that require the reservation of an area of volume for the use of the marine environment,  resources or ecosystems services 
(no fishing or shipping) 
(61) Illegal in Germany 
(62) Underground storage of carbon dioxide may be carried out in basins with the basic function of reserve for future development with extraction allowed on the basis 
of separate provisions 
(63) Within vocational maps and in accordance with activity compatibility. 
(64) Co-existence only 
(65) Through pilot plans 
(66) Due to limited spatial possibilities and the presence of various interests, important national will to ensure conditions for a long-term coexistence of all activities 
(67) Ongoing (cf. TSI projects) 

40 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
C

F

A
  N

/

C

9
6
C

0
7
C

2.3.1. resilient and adaptive/flexible measures 

2.3.2. aggregate extraction 

2.3.3. desalinization 

2.3.4. aquaculture 

F
+
C

C

/

A
N

/

A
N

/

A
N

/

A
N

8
6

  C

A
  N

/

  C

/

A
N

2
7
C

/

A
N

/

A
N

/

A
N

2.4.  Ecosystem-based  Adaptation  (incl.  nature-
based solutions and nature-inclusive designs) 

C

C

  C

C

C

/

A
N

F
+
  C

/

A
N

F

F

/

A
N

/

A
N

/

A
N

F
+
C

F
+
C

3
7
/

/

A
N

/

A
N

/

A
N

/

A
N

C

C

A
  N

/

F
+
  C

F
+
  C

F

C

F
+
  C

5
7
C

6
7
C

/

A
N

F
+
C

/

A
N

/

A
N

F
+
C

F
+
C

/

A
N

1
7
C

C

/

A
N

C

/

A
N

/

A
N

A
  N

/

/

C

/

A
N

/

A
N

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

F
+
C

F
+
C

/

A
N

C

/

A
N

/

A
N

/

A
N

7
7
F

F

/

A
N

/

A
N

/

A
N

8
7
F
+
C

/

A
N

F
+
C

4
7
C

C

F
+
C

F
+
C

C

C

/

A
N

C

C

(68) coastal zone adaptation to Climate Change management project 2009-2012 
(69) coastal protection approach 
(70) coastal protection approach 
(71) coastal protection approach 
(72) mainly in the energy field 
(73) only for construction purposes 
(74) only allowed for beach nourishment purposes 
(75) Republica Portugesa,2021: SG5  
(76) Republica Portugesa,2021: PIA5 (focus on locally sourced production) 
(77) “incoherent and unreasonably restrictive legislation constrains development of the aquaculture sector” (European Commission,  European Climate, Infrastructure 
and Environment Executive Agency – Riclet, E., Huntington, T., Herpers, F., 2023) 
(78) Republic of Slovenia – Ministry of Economic Development and Technology, 2017: eco-tourism development  

41 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
B
E 

B
G 

HR  CY  DK 

E
E 

FI 

F
R 

DE 

G
R 

IT 

IE 

L
V 

L
T 

MT  NL 

P
L 

P
T 

R
O 

SI  ES  SE 

3. Ecosystems (Enhancing resilience of marine and coastal ecosystems to climate-related risks) 

3.1. Ensured effective protection (incl. coherent MPA 
networks) 

C

C

  C

C

/

A
N

C

F
+
C

F
+
C

F
+
C

9
7
F
+
C

F
+
C

C

C

3.2. Ensured conservation and restoration 

3.3. Ensured protection of climate refugia areas 

C

/

A
N

/

A
N

/

A
N

  C

/

A
N

+
C

/

A
N

F

C

+
C

F

+
C

F

+
C

F

+
C

F

+
C

F

+
C

F

C

C

/

A
N

F

/

A
N

/

A
N

/

A
N

/

A
N

/

A
N

/

A
N

/

A
N

F
+
C

+
C

/

A
N

F

/

A
N

F

C

C

/

A
N

/

A
N

F
+
C

/

A
N

/

A
N

/

A
N

F
+
C

F
+
C

C

C

+
C

F

/

A
N

C

F

4. Society (Enhancing coastal communities socio-economic resilience to climate-related risks) 

4.1. Promoting climate literacy and strengthening 
understanding of the climate risks (for fostering societal 
support and understanding for climate solutions at sea) 

/

A
N

/

A
N

0
8
C

/

A
N

/

A
N

/

A
N

F
+
C

F

  F

C

F

C

F
+
C

F
+
C

C

C

/

A
N

1
8

I
/

N

4.2. Climate-smart technological innovations 

4.3. A just transition (reskilling, upskilling and new 
skills) to a sustainable blue economy 

C

C

/

A
N

F
+
C

2
8
C

/

A
N

F
+
C

C

/

A
N

/

A
N

F

3
8
F

F
+
C

F
+
C

F
+
C

F
+
C

/

A
N

F
+
C

C

F

/

A
N

/

A
N

C

/

A
N

/

A
N

C

F
+
C

F
+
C

/

A
N

4
8
C

/

A
N

5
8
C

/

A
N

/

A
N

F

F
+
C

C

6
8
F
+
C

C

F
+
C

F
+
C

/

A
N

(79) Republica Portugesa, 2021: PIA3  
(80) specific studies during the MSP's drafting to collect data and close some data gaps (e.g. for offshore wind and wave potential and hydrography) 
(81)  insufficient  research  (e.g.  on  underwater  cultural  heritage,  cf.  European  Commission,  European  Climate,  Infrastructure  and  Environment  Executive  Agency  – 
Kyvelou, S. & Henocque, Y., 2022) 
(82) development of a web-GIS service to map relevant maritime uses 
(83) especially linked to ORE, objectives depend on facades 
(84) geoportal developed 
(85) only data sharing tools 
(86) geoportal and GIS developed 

42 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4.4. Environmental justice (public-private and cross-
sectoral) 

/

A
N

7
8
C

  C

C

C

/

A
N

F
+
C

8
8

/

A
N

/

A
N

C

/

A
N

/

A
N

/

A
N

F
+
C

/

A
N

/

A
N

4
C

/

A
N

/

A
N

/

A
N

(87) not all stakeholders were involved in the creation process 
(88) difficulty faced by some stakeholders in conceptualizing planning at a façade scale 

43 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
As shown in Table 7, Member States have integrated climate-smart trends and new 
technologies into their latest plans, addressing both climate mitigation and adaptation 
actions. In planning, currently, these climate actions are predominantly referred to 
separately with the dominance of mitigation in MSPs. In particular, the development 
of offshore renewables steers spatial planning and is a key driver for revisions of 
MSPs in response to the EGD’s Strategy on Offshore Renewable Energy and the 
Strategy on Hydrogen. Examples include the revision of MSP in DK to increase 
offshore renewable energy with an allocated 30% area coverage of zones for ORE 
and energy islands, and an ongoing partial revision of the North Sea Programme 
2022-2027 in NL, including revision of MSP to increase ORE targets to reach up to 
50 GW by 2040 in the Dutch waters. 

Co-benefits of climate change mitigation and adaptation actions, in a broader 
context, for low-emission economy and climate resilient development, are mentioned 
in plans, while climate-smart synergies are being sought across several maritime 
sectors, including offshore energy, infrastructure development, ecosystems and food 
systems. Provisions for the protection of the marine environment are increasing in 
plans in response to the EGD’s Strategy for Biodiversity 2030 targets, with allocated 
NbS to address hazards, mitigate and adapt to climate change while enhancing 
marine/coastal biodiversity, following the Green Infrastructure Strategy and the 
Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change. For example, MSP in ES considers 
resilience of marine ecosystems through the Marine Green Infrastructure.  

The sections below provide further insights gained from national plans, comprising 
the MSPs as well as other plans/strategies (if relevant to MSP), as summarized in 
Tables 1-7. 

Mitigation 

Climate change mitigation actions are included in the MSPs in all sea basins with the 
objective to reduce or capture greenhouse gasses. All Member States (except SI) 
have included approaches in their MSPs that integrate climate change mitigation into 
planning. The most direct contributions of all MSPs is the allocation of the production 
of offshore renewable energy. 

Offshore wind farms: The main effort has been dedicated to developing offshore 
wind production for the EU target of 111 GW of offshore wind by 2030, and 340 GW 
by 2050. Nearly all countries have designated offshore wind farms (OWF) in their 
MSPs as space allocation and/or production targets. The North Sea countries have 
included both space allocation and production targets in their MSPs, while ES and 
some countries from the Baltic Sea (e.g., FI, LV) included only OWF spatial 
provisions, and others provided only production targets (e.g., FR, IE). Though BG 
provides neither space nor production targets, its MSP mentions the OWF potential in 
the future.  

The space allocation for OWF in the MSPs of the countries in the North Sea and the 
Baltic Sea is around 38,184 km2, that includes 23,587 km2 and 14,597 km2, 
respectively (Table 8). The current space occupied by OWF installations in these sea 
basins is 2,027 km2, that includes 1,531 km2 in the North Sea and 497 km2 in the 

44 

 
 
Baltic Sea. That means, according to OWF provisions in the current MSPs, in the 
North Sea the OWF space will increase 15 times, while in the Baltic Sea it will rise 29 
times. 

The current MSP designations for OWF in the North Sea and Baltic Sea provide the 
required space for countries’ 2030 pledges from the Esbjerg and Oostend 
Declarations (76-120 GW) in the North Sea (except BE), and from the Marienborg 
Declaration (19.6 GW) in the Baltic Sea. For 2040 commitments from the Dublin Joint 
Declaration (193 GW), the currently allocated space in MSPs of BE, DE and NL will 
not be sufficient (Error! Reference source not found.Table 9). The MSP revisions 
will allow for the increase in spatial provisions for OWF, however, more 
considerations will require attention, such as congested space and wake losses.         

45 

 
 
Table 8.  Offshore Wind Farms Planning in the EU Member States in terms of production, space and power density: A) current 

status of operational OWFs (based on information from the EMODnet Human Activities Energy - Wind Farms, and Wind Europe); 
B) national MSP allocations (based on information from the EMODnet Human Activities MSP and national MSPs); C) projections 
for 2030, 2040 and 2050 for production (based on national commitments in regional ORE declarations, such as Esbjerg, 
Oostend and Marienborg, and/or non-binding agreements per Member State/sea basin). The table has been elaborated by the 
European MSP Platform 
A) Operational OWFs 

C) OWF projections 

B) MSP 

  Capacity 
y
r
(GW) - 
t
n
u
Wind 
o
C
Europe 

Capacity 
(GW) - 
EMODne
t Wind 
Farms 

Area 
(km2) - 
EMOD
net 
Wind 
Farms 

2.26 
2.26 
BE 
8.1 (tot)90  6.73 
DE 
2.3 (tot)90 
0.78 
DK 
3.51 
NL 
3.45 
13.28 
North Sea: 
DE 
DK 
EE 
FI 
LT 
LV 
PL 
SE 

8.1 (tot)90  1.08 
2.3 (tot)90  1.98 
0 
0.07 
0 
0 
0 
0.19 

0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 

238 
745 
141 
406 
1531 
106 
390 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 

Power 
Density 
(MW/km
2) - 
calculat
ed 
average 
9 
9 
5 
9 
8 
10 
5 

Space for 
OWF 
(km2) - 
EMODnet 
MSP / 
MSPs 

51089 
5100 
1350892 
4469 
23587 
334 
2286 
1781 
4070 
N/A 
164994 
2311 
2166 

Capacity 
2030 
(GW) - 
national 
pledges 

Capacity 
2030 
(GW) - 
non-
binding 

Area for 
OWF 2030 
(km2) - 
extrapolate
d 

Power 
Density 
2030 
(MW/km2) 
- 
extrapolate
d 

Capacity 
2040 (GW) 
- national 
pledges 

632 
3321 
2331 
2427 
8711 
373 
1240 

9 
8 
2 
7 
7 
11 
6 

6 
30 
12.8 
21 
76-120 
3.8 
6.3 
1 
0.7 
1.4 
0.4 
5.9 
0.7 

6 
26.4 
5.3 
16-21 
53.7 
4.1 
7.9 
1 
1 
1.4 
0.4 
5.9 
0.7 

8 
50-7591 
19 
30-50 
193 
4.1 
N/A 
3.5 
5 
0.4 
2.8 
11 
N/A 

Capacity 
2040 
(GW) - 
non-
binding 

8 
60 
19 
30-50 
135-158 

3.5 
5 
2.8 
0.4 
10.9 

Capacity 
2050 (GW) 
- national 
pledges 

8 
75 
35 
70 
260-30093 
4.1 
N/A 
N/A 
12 
0.4 
4.5 
N/A 
N/A 

Capacity 
2050 
(GW) - 
non-
binding 

8 
66 
35 
38-72 
171-218 

12 
4.5 

(89) Based on the Belgium MSP. The Belgium MSP (2020-2026) designated the area of 225 km² of the eastern wind farm zone and an additional area of 285 km² (the 
Princess Elisabeth Zone) that is reserved for the development of OWF in three zones: Noordhinder North (Zone 2), Noordhinder South (Zone 3) and Fairybank (Zone 
4) 
(90) Total capacity for the North Sea and Baltic Sea 
(91) DE has a target of 75 GW in 2045 
(92) In DK two large areas are allocated for OWF (MSPDK16 of 10079.28 km2 in the North Sea and MSPDK17 of 5713.91 km2 between the North Sea and Baltic Sea 
basins) - the EMODnet Human Activities MSP 
(93) The Esbjerg and Oostend declarations pledge 260 GW and 300 GW, respectively, by 2050 for the North Sea states, including non-EU members. The North Sea 
Member States are currently working on revisions of MSPs to increase their OWF targets and align with the ambitions in the energy declarations. Current MSP targets 
for 2030: BE: 5.8 GW; DE: 30 GW; DK: 12.8; NL: 21 GW 
(94) Based on the Latvian MSP that has allocated 5 research areas for OWF development with a total area 1648,76 km2, which is 5,82% of total MSP areas 

46 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Baltic Sea: 
ES 
FR 
IE 
PT 

0.005 
0.48 
0.025 
0.025 

Atlantic: 0.53 

3.06 
0 
0 
0.025 
0.025 

0.05 

497 
0 
0 
3.49 
52.03 

55.5 

8 

7 
0.5 

4 

14597 
325096 
N/A 
N/A 
N/A 

19.695 
1-3 
1.7 
7 
10 

12-14 

22.5 
0.5-1.6 
1.7 
0.5-1 
10 

12.7-14.3 

2762 

9 

977 
20812 

N/A 
N/A 
5.2-7.5 
20 
10 

21-26 

34.6 

4.2-7.5 
7 
10 

22-26 

N/A 
N/A 
36-5197 
37 
10 

29-43 

46.8 

4-16 
15 
10 

30-43 

0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 

0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 

NO MSP 
67 
169896 
N/A 
NO MSP 
NO MSP 
N/A 
N/A 

0 
CR 
0 
CY 
0 
ES 
0 
FR 
0.03 
IT 
0 
GR 
0 
MT 
SL 
0 
Mediterranean: 
0 
BG 
RO 
0 
Black Sea: 
The table has been elaborated by the European MSP Platform based on various national and sea-basin overviews, including: Wind Europe;(99) EMODnet Human Activities (100) 
Energy and Maritime Spatial Planning themes; national MSPs collected at the European MSP Platform country pages;(101) Esbjerg Declaration (2022),(102) Oostend Declaration 
(2023),(103)  Marienborg  Declaration  (2022);(104)  non-binding  agreements  per  sea  basin;(105) North  Sea  Energy  Cooperation  (NSEC)  study  “Spatial  study  North  Seas  2030: 

0.51 
0.1 
0.5-1.5 
0.6 
4.5 
2.7 
0.05 
0 
8.5 
0 
1 
1 

1.6-6.5 
4.5 
10 
0.4 
0 
24-57 
0 
1 
1 

1.6-14 
4.5 
17.3 
0.4 
0 
24-57 
0 
1 
1 

N/A 
N/A 

1.2 
0.1 

3 
0.1 

4-7.598 

0 
0 
0 

0 
0 
0 

(95) The Baltic Sea states committed in the Marienborg Declaration to increase the OWF capacity to 19.6 GW (The Baltic Sea Energy Security Summit, 2022 – Strategies 
& Regulations) 
(96) “Zonas de alto potencial para el desarrollo de la energía eólica marina “ based on Royal Decree 150/2023, of February 28, which approves the maritime space 
management plans of the five Spanish marine demarcations: (Spanish Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge – MITECO, 2023 - Strategies 
& Regulations) 
(97)  Target for 2050 in the 3 French facades (except the Mediterranean) (French Ministry for Ecological Transition and Terriorial Cohesion, 2024 – Websites)  
(98)  Target for 2050 in the French Mediterranean façade (French Ministry for Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion, 2024 – Websites)  
(99) Wind Europe, 2024 (Websites) 
(100) European Marine Observation and Data Network – EMODnet, 2024 (Websites) 
(101) European MSP Platform, 2024b (Websites) 
(102) NSEC, 2022a (EU Strategies & Policies) 
(103) NSEC, 2023 (EU Strategies & Policies) 
(104) The Baltic Sea Energy Security Summit, 2022 (EU Strategies & Policies) 
(105) European Commission Directorate General for Energy, 2023 (Websites) 

47 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Offshore wind development 2030 North Seas” (106) (2022); EC study on the offshore energy potential in the Atlantic Ocean (2023);(107) national energy overviews. The detailed 
OWF industrial projects can be found per country on TGS website.(108) Extrapolated values in the table for space and power density for 2030 and 2040 assume the technological 
development of OWF as of today. 

Table 9.  Offshore Wind Farms production and required sea space until 2050 in the North Sea basin for Belgium, Germany, 

Denmark and the Netherlands 
A) Operational OWFs 

B) MSP  C) OWF projections 

  Capacity 
y
r
t
n
u
o
C

(GW) - 
EMODnet 
Wind 
Farms 

BE  2.26 

DE  6.73 

DK  0.78 

NL  3.51 

Area 
(km2) - 
EMOD
net 
Wind 
Farms 

238 

745 

141 

406 

13.28 

1531 

Power 
Densit
y 
(MW/k
m2) - 
calcula
ted 
averag
e 
9 

9 

5 

9 

8 

Space 
for 
OWF 
(km2) - 
EMOD
net 
MSP / 
MSP 

510 

5100 

Capacity 
2030 
(GW) - 
national 
pledges 

Area for 
OWF 
2030 
(km2) - 
extrapol
ated 

Power 
Density 
2030 
(MW/km2
) - 
extrapola
ted 

Capacity 
2040 
(GW) - 
national 
pledges 

Area for 
OWF 
2040 
(km2) – 
extrapolat
ed 

Power 
Density 
2040 
(MW/km2
) - 
extrapola
ted 

Capacity 
2050 
(GW) - 
national 
pledges 

Area for 
OWF 
2050 
(km2) – 
extrapolat
ed 

Power 
Density 
2050 
(MW/km2
) - 
extrapola
ted 

6 

30 

13508 

12.8 

4469 

21 

632 

3321 

2331 

2427 

23587 

76-120 

8711 

9 

8 

2 

7 

7 

8 

50-75 

19 

30-50 

193 

842 
5535-
8302 
3515 
3468-
5779 
13359-
18438 

9.5 

9 

5.5 

8.7 

8 

8 

75 

35 

70 

842 

8302 

6374 

8091 

9.5 

8 

5.5 

8.9 

260-300 

23609 

8 

The table has been elaborated by the European MSP Platform based on sources as indicated above.

(106) DNV, 2022 (Studies & articles) 
(107) European Commission Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, 2023b (Studies & articles) 
(108) TGS, 2024 (Websites)  

48 

 
 
 
 
 
Table 9 with estimates for the North Sea shows calculated (for current capacity) and 
extrapolated (for projections) values for the current state of technology. Today the 
power density is in the range of 5 to 9 MW/km2, and approximate density projections 
are around 7-8 MW/km2. That means, from the spatial perspective, that with the 
allocated areas in MSP increased capacity could be achieved with extra OWF, 
without considering the wake effect. The estimates indicate that current total MSP 
designations for OWF of 23,587 km2 could be sufficient up to 2050 (23,609 km2), and 
that is largely due to the large space provisions for OWF in DK. The other North Sea 
countries are densely planned – while DE and NL will require additional space from 
around 2040 (with new areas in NL possible), in BE it will be around 2030. It can also 
be expected that future OWF technology trends, such as taller wind turbines and 
reduced wake losses, could increase the capacity factor of OWF. 

The current MSP revisions concern increasing OWF production targets and the 
OWF-related studies (e.g., DK, NL, BE). In NL, additional areas were designated in 
2022 to match the ambition for wind energy (from 11 GW to 21 GW until 2031) in the 
North Sea Programme 2022-2027 (Figure 5 (a)). The ongoing Partial Revision of the 
North Sea Programme 2022-2027 is required to designate additional space for at 
least 23-26 GW of additional OWF after 2031 to continue the development of OWF 
towards a target of 50 GW offshore wind capacity in 2040. NL is preparing different 
scenarios of increased energy demand and set (Figure 5 (b)). To match the NL target 
of 50 GW, the designation of new MSP areas is undertaken in the partial revision of 
the North Sea Programme due to long lead time for energy infrastructure. Additional 
space for the 2050 ambition (70 GW) will be developed at a later stage in the new 
North Sea Programme (2028-2033). In view of OWF expansion and the need for 
more robust, reliable and efficient energy systems, NL is currently preparing the 
North Sea Energy Infrastructure Plan (EIPN) that provides a strategic plan for 
development of the infrastructure required for OWF in the 2030 to 2050 period and 
how this will be integrated into the existing energy system. The EIPN plan will be 
published in 2025. 

49 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Figure 5 – Offshore wind energy ambition production and demand in the Netherlands: 
a) added areas in 2022 (in orange); b) OWF ambition and different scenarios 
depending on developments and (policy) decisions on export, bunker fuels, H2 
storage and alternatives for sustainable energy production 

a 

b 

Source: The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, webinar ‘Procedure and background of the Partial 
Revision and the Strategic Environmental Assessment of the North Sea Programme 2022-2027’; 17 January 
2024) 

MSP in DE specifies the priority areas, reservation areas, conditional priority areas 
and conditional reservation areas for OWF, in the allocated space of about 5,100 km2 
in the EEZ in the North Sea and 334 km2 in the Baltic Sea (Table 8 based on 
EMODnet Human Activities MSP). These spatial provisions are sevenfold the current 
OWF space in the North Sea, i.e., 745 km2 for a capacity of 6.7 GW (Figure 6), and 
threefold the current OWF space in the Baltic Sea, i.e., 106 km2 for the production of 
1.1 GW. The space requirements for the 2030 projected capacity of 30 GW in the 
North Sea and 3.8 GW in the Baltic Sea will increase to about 3,321 km2 and 373 
km2, respectively, which can be accommodated within the current MSP spatial 
provisions, particularly in the North Sea. Bringing total capacity to 70 GW by 2045 
(more than double the capacity from 2030) will require additional space for OWF to 
what is currently provided in MSP. It is estimated that in 2040 OWF in DE will need 
approximately 5,500 km2 in the North Sea and 400 km2 in the Baltic Sea, with the 
current state of OWF technology. 

Providing more space for OWF in DE in the future might, however, present a 
challenge given how busy their marine space is with activities in the current MSP 
(Figure 6 (a)). Another challenge will lie in wake losses of energy generation capacity 
of the downstream turbines (i.e., the wind speed is reduced) that can significantly 
impact energy production. The German MSP Authority (BSH - Federal Maritime and 
Hydrographic Agency) carried out a study on estimation of long-term offshore wind 
energy yield in the German EEZ that analyses the impact of capacity density and 
turbine technology on energy yield through use of modelling methods to show future 
wake losses (to be published in 2024). 

50 

 
 
 
 
Figure 6 – a) German MSP from 2021 for the EEZ in the North Sea with designated 
multiple activities - priority areas for shipping are indicated in blue; b) Offshore wind 
farms allocations in German MSP for the EEZ in the North Sea (polygons in grey) 
against the current OWF areas (contours in orange)  

Source: a) German Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency - BSH; b) EMODnet Human Activities MSP and 
Wind Farms layers 

a 

b 

The Baltic Sea and Atlantic states committed to increase OWF capacity to 19.6 GW 
(Marienborg Declaration) and 12-14 GW by 2030 (non-binding agreement TEN-E 
regulation), respectively. Non-binding agreements pledge to build 47 GW of offshore 
wind in the Baltic Sea by 2030 and 30-43 GW in Atlantic states by 2050. The 
countries from these sea basins are in the phase of inclusion of targets in their MSPs 
and developments are expected later as provisions (e.g., IE, FI) or they have chosen 
a spatial approach by allocating space for OWF without necessarily setting specific 
production targets in their MSPs (e.g., SE, LI, LV, PL, PT).  

ES included high spatial provisions for OWF in its MSP that are linked to the national 
Roadmap for offshore wind and marine energy development in ES. (109) MSP will 
define the High Potential Areas for OWF development in ES in both Atlantic and the 
Mediterranean waters. In other countries from the Atlantic basin and the 
Mediterranean Sea, spatial provisions for OWF development are not directly 
specified in their MSPs. In IE that has the National Marine Planning Framework for 
the future development of the marine planning system in Ireland towards 2040, the 
Maritime Area Consent is a first step in the new planning process of OWF 
developments under the Maritime Area Planning Act. 

In FR, there is no spatial provision for OWF in MSP, but following the amendment of 
the MSP legal basis to include the designation of potential zones for OWF 
development within the scope of MSP, there are currently several provisions under 

(109)  Spanish  Ministry  for  Ecological  Transition  and  the  Demographic  Challenge  –  MITECO,  2022  (MSP 
documents & National plans) 

51 

 
 
 
 
 
the public consultation for each façade for the designation of offshore renewable 
energy areas. (110) CY’s MSP includes an area for Renewable Energy Storage (RES) 
that will be further investigated for the development of offshore floating wind 
platforms. 

For the Member States who have not officially adopted their MSPs yet, some specific 
climate mitigation actions have been included in other plans, which will have 
implications for future maritime plans. For example, in GR, there are regional climate 
change strategies, which after consultation and strategic environmental assessment 
are now approved by the Regional Councils. They will have implications for the 
spatial planning of the coastal and marine areas of each region. There are also plans 
for the fair energy transition for some regions (e.g., Peloponnese) that are defining 
strategies for decarbonization.  

All Member States have developed National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs),(111) 
where they have presented their climate and energy objectives and targets, as well 
as the policies and measures to achieve them until 2030 (with an outlook to 2040 and 
the longer term). In addition, national long-term strategies (112) were developed by all 
Member States to meet their Paris Agreement commitments and the energy union 
objectives that should be consistent with countries’ integrated NECPs for the period 
2021-30. NECPs and national long-term strategies are acknowledged, however, they 
were not analysed.  

Alternative offshore renewable energy: The development of alternative renewable 
energy, i.e., solar photovoltaic, wave and tidal energies, is considered by fewer 
countries in all sea basins. Following the EU ORE Strategy of at least 1 GW of ocean 
energy by 2030, and 40 GW by 2050, technological innovations are expected. 
Alternative ORE has already been included in the plans of FI, FR, IE, LV, and space 
allocation has been specified in BE, DE, DK, ES, NL. In DK, PL, SE the alternative 
ORE is foreseen in the same spatial allocations as OWF as the functional zone is 
called ‘energy production’. In EE alternative renewable energy is considered as 
multiuse with aquaculture. Currently, the biggest ORE production capacity is in the 
Atlantic basin. The ORE production is also in BE (wave/wind ORE of capacity 600 
kW), NL (tidal ORE of capacity 2090 kW), SE (wave ORE of capacity 3000 kW, and 
tidal ORE 10 kW), ES in the Mediterranean Sea (wave ORE of capacity 7000 kW), IT 
(wave ORE of capacity 7711 kW, tidal 300 kW, and wave/tidal 50 kW) (based on 
EMODnet Ocean Energy Facilities). Currently, total ORE production for the EU is 
360,436 kW, from which 339,551 kW is in the Atlantic (Table 10). Tidal ORE 
production in FR alone is 260,620 kW. The EU’s first grid-connected wave energy 
array was launched in ES (Gibraltar), supplying 100 kW with an expansion plan to 1–
5 MW. 

(110) French Ministry of Economy, Finances and Industrial Sovereignty and Digital Technologies, 2024a; 2024b; 
2024c; 2024d (MSP documents & National plans) 
(111)  NECPs  were  introduced  by  the  Regulation  on  the  governance  of  the  energy  union  and  climate  action 
(EU)2018/1999, agreed as part of the Clean energy for all Europeans package which was adopted in 2019 
(112)  https://commission.europa.eu/energy-climate-change-environment/implementation-eu-countries/energy-
and-climate-governance-and-reporting/national-long-term-strategies_en 

52 

 
 
 
Table 10.  Alternative Offshore Renewable Energy production in the Atlantic (based 
on information from the EMODnet Human Activities Energy - Ocean Energy 
Facilities). In the brackets is information about the number of projects by 
country for which the energy production is provided and/or for which the end 
year of the site is not provided  

Country 

Tide ORE 

Wave ORE 

Number 

Capacity (kW) 

Number 

Capacity (kW) 

Total alternative ORE 
production 
Capacity (kW) 

ES 

FR 

IE 

PT 

0 

8 (7) 

1 (0) 

1 (0) 

0 

12 (7) 

260620 

0 

0 

6 (3) 

4 (1) 

4 (3) 

46318 

12300 

5000 

15313 

Atlantic 

10 (7) 

260620 

26 (14) 

78931 

46318 

272920 

5000 

15313 

339551 

The table has been elaborated by the European MSP Platform based on sources as indicated above 

Offshore hydrogen generation and storage: Offshore hydrogen development is 
currently considered in the MSPs by DK and NL, while it is being explored in some 
other countries (e.g., SE, FI) through various projects. EE and SE have mentioned 
offshore hydrogen in their plans as a future activity, yet there are no spatial 
allocations or targets. It raises issues of transport and transboundary cooperation for 
pipelines. Projects of artificial islands are under development in the north - in BE and 
DK. There are a few projects on offshore hydrogen production platforms in BE, DE, 
DK, FR, IE, NL (Table 11). 

Country/Site 

Denmark: Esbjerg 

Belgium: Oostende 

Table 11.  Offshore hydrogen production platforms in Europe 
Project 
Hyport Oostende Hydrogen Project of 
DEME Group and H2 Energy 
Esbjerg Offshore Wind-to-Hydrogen 
Project, Swiss energy company H2, Energy 
Europe 
Offshore Hydrogen Production of Lhyfe 
and Centrale Nantes 
AquaVentus Project 
PosHYdon of NEPTUNE Energy 
Bantry Bay green energy facility of Zenith 
Energy and EI-H2 
OYSTER of ITM Power, Ørsted and 
Siemens Gamesa 
Salamander Project 
DOLPHYN Project 

France: SEM-REV, Centrale 
Nantes offshore test site 
Germany: Helgoland 
Netherlands 

United Kingdom: Peterhead 
United Kingdom: Scotland 

United Kingdom: Grimsby 

Ireland: Bantry Bay 

Capacity 

Operation 

50 MW 

2025 

1 GW 

2024 

10-100 MW 

2022 

10 GW 
- 

3.2 GW 

MW scale 

5 GW 
4 GW 

2035 
2023 

2028 

2024 

2028 
2035 

Source: Zhang, M. & al., 2024 

Prohibition of hydrocarbons exploration and exploitation: ES, FR and SE 
adopted laws to prohibit hydrocarbons’ exploration and exploitation, and IE has 
started working on it. Many countries foresee in their plans to use hydrocarbons, e.g., 
DE, DK, LT, LV, PL.  

The decarbonization of maritime sectors is the subject of ongoing efforts for many 
countries. Decarbonization of shipping is currently included in the MSPs of ES, FR, 
IT, LV, LT and SE, and many pilot transboundary projects are running, especially in 

53 

 
 
 
the Baltic and North Sea regions. This topic is mainly mentioned as being important 
to consider in MSP, while often not specifying targets. Transformation of ports is also 
required to support the maritime transport efforts. NL is particularly advanced by 
setting a target of at least 70% reduction of CO2 emissions from shipping by 2050, 
compared to 2008. 

Carbon capture and storage through which MSP can contribute to climate change 
mitigation is included in the MSPs from the northern countries: development targets 
were set in BE, IE, NL, PL, while areas have already been allocated in DK and are 
planned to be allocated in FI. In DK, 8 zones are designated for CO2 storage, and 
they mostly overlap with other sea uses, like OWF or Nature and environmental 
protection zones. In PL underground storage of carbon dioxide may be carried out in 
basins with the basic function of ‘reserve for future development with extraction 
allowed on the basis of separate provisions’. Projects and initiatives are emerging in 
the other EU countries (e.g., in the Baltic Sea) to explore the sector. DE’s plan makes 
no reference to CCS and no concrete projects exist because it is prohibited under the 
German legislation.    

Multi-use and co-existence approach of maritime activities is considered by many 
countries to address the increased spatial demands for energy, nature and food by 
combining different uses where possible. Pilot projects have been running in different 
EU sea basins. (113) Almost all Member States have considered the integration of 
multi-use in their plans (e.g., LV, DE, IT, FR as options, CY, IE, ES, SI as targets) or 
will include it in their next MSPs (e.g., BE, FI, PT, RO). For example, DE designed a 
new type of area used both as a priority area for offshore wind and a reservation area 
for scientific research. Countries like DK, NL and SE have already allocated areas for 
multi-use of space initiatives, especially regarding different renewable energy 
production methods (wind and alternative renewables). 

Adaptation 

Climate change adaptation is another area of climate-smart action in MSPs, aiming at 
reducing exposure and vulnerability, and strengthening resilience of maritime 
activities and sectors, as well as marine and coastal areas to climate-related risks. 
Many countries have planned actions to enhance the resilience of their sectors and 
marine/coastal areas to climate-related risks, which are not necessarily included in 
the current MSPs, e.g., the national coastal adaptation strategy in the NL, ES, MT. 
The majority of MSPs do not refer to comprehensive disaster or risk management in 
marine/coastal areas.    

Climate risk assessments, including projections for sea-level rise and extreme 
events, have been prepared in EE, FI, FR, IT, LT, MT, PL, PT, ES, SE; and are 
planned in DE, DK. These assessments are used by the countries to improve the 
adaptation strategies with comprehensive disaster and climate risk 
management, which exist in the majority of them. Various climate change 
adaptation measures are delivered in the plans, including: 

(113) European MSP Platform, 2023 (Websites) 

54 

 
 
 
Resilient and flexible measures are included in the national plans of BE, CY, EE, 
FI, FR, LT, MT, NL, PL, PT, ES, SE to enhance the adaptability of the maritime and 
coastal areas and sectors (e.g., MT developed a National Coastal Protection and 
Adaptation Strategy for the Maltese Islands in 2023). 

Aggregate extraction sector (for coastal protection and adaptation purposes) is 
emerging in BE, DK, NL, LI, PL, SE with specific areas allocated. Other countries 
only consider the extraction for building and industrial purposes (e.g., FR). LT is 
foreseeing to use the extracted sand due to infrastructure (mainly port) development 
for beach nourishment. In NL, sand extraction is an activity of national importance to 
prevent the Dutch coastline from eroding - the extracted sand is used to maintain the 
current coastline (currently about 12 million m3 per year) and as fill material on shore 
(currently about 13 million m3 per year). (114) In NL’s MSP, an area is reserved for 
sand extraction out to 12 NM limit that covers 5,134 km2 (Figure 7). In that zone, 
sand extraction is given priority, but other uses are also possible. As part of the 
ongoing Partial Revision and the Strategic Environmental Assessment of the North 
Sea Programme 2022-2027, possible expansion of spatial reservation for sand 
extraction is considered up to 14 NM for the purpose of coastal safety due to climate-
induced sea level rise. With the extended limit to 14 NM, the total area for sand 
extraction would reach about 6,000 km2. Given the location of the sand extraction 
zone along the entire national coastline, the setting of new cables in the extraction 
zones will need to be re-considered earlier to allow the targeted ORE development.  

(114) Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, 2023 (Websites) 

55 

 
 
 
Figure 7 – Raw material extraction zones (in dark blue) extend in NL along the entire 
coastline, and are also considerable in BE, DK and DE 

Source: EMODnet Human Activities MSP 

Desalinisation, as an adaptation to droughts, is mostly under development in the 
Mediterranean countries in the form of pilot projects, without being specified in the 
national MSPs (except CY). Most of the desalinisation plants are placed on the coast 
or near the coast (Figure 8 - EMODnet Human Activities). In addition to the majority 
of plants in ES, IT, FR, CY, MT and GR, there are also plants in BE, DE, NL and IE 
(primarily used for the production of drinking water and industrial water). 

Currently in the majority of MSs, even though its future development is planned, there 
are no spatial offshore aquaculture designations, but some plans aim to provide a 
framework for the establishment of marine aquaculture (e.g., DE). The countries who 
have aquaculture designations in their plans include BE, CY, DK, IE, MT, PL, PT. 
Mostly there is no reference to algae at this stage. The planning objective for 
aquaculture of some countries (e.g., DE, NL) aims to encourage co-use with existing 
installations, such as offshore wind farms, to achieve greater spatial efficiency. In 
many cases, the plans talk about the impacts, e.g., on aquaculture, while measures 
are not yet proposed in MSP. EMODnet Human Activities MSP provides information 
about aquaculture designations in six Member States (Figure 9). The significant 
spatial provisions for aquaculture are in the MSP from ES in the Atlantic basin 
(12,738 km2 in 3 zones including the Canary Islands) and in the Mediterranean Sea 

56 

 
 
 
 
(5,585 km2 in 2 zones); and in PL (17,425 km2 in 30 zones). BE reserved 518 km2 in 
4 zones, and many zones have been allocated for aquaculture in DK, EE and FI. 

Figure 8 – Location of desalinization plants in the Mediterranean Sea 

Source: EMODnet Human Activities MSP 

Figure 9 – Aquaculture designations in the Baltic Sea and North Sea 

Source: EMODnet Human Activities MSP 

57 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Ecosystem-based adaptation is considered in ongoing and future actions, including 
nature-based solutions for established approaches that use natural, regenerative and 
adaptive methods, in the plans for the marine and coastal areas of DE, ES, FI, IT, 
MT, NL, PL, SE. It is planned to be included for BE and FR in the next revisions. NbS 
can be broadly categorized into protection and (active and passive) restoration (next 
section). Provisions in the plans include different measures, including coastal 
adaptation solutions, buffer zones (e.g., in ES) and areas for sand extraction (e.g., in 
DE and NL – see section on aggregate extraction) to help the coastline and marine 
areas adapt to climate-related risks. Besides areas for sand extraction, the NbS 
serving protection and adaptation currently do not have big spatial designations in 
plans. In the past decade, NbS were mostly applied to terrestrial/urban systems, and 
much less in marine and coastal areas. (115) In view of the EGD and the Green 
Infrastructure Strategy, which place NbS at the centre of climate adaptation and 
mitigation, spatial provisions for NbS adaptation are expected to increase in the 
future in MSPs to leverage the national seas for societal and biodiversity benefits that 
includes contribution to a sustainable blue economy.  

For the countries who have not officially adopted their MSPs yet, some specific 
climate adaptation actions are provided for coastal areas, e.g., through the 
application of the Protocol on Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) in the 
Mediterranean.  

Ecosystems 

Actions to enhance the resilience of marine and coastal ecosystems to climate-
related risks are included in all plans. They comprise the identification and allocation 
of spaces for ecosystem protection, restoration and conservation of existing “blue 
carbon” ecosystems, that is, marine and coastal ecosystems that sequester and store 
large amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere (e.g., seagrass beds, kelp 
forests and salt marshes). The MSPs include these measures as such, while they are 
not analysed from an established based on climate change considerations (no criteria 
or factors). 

Measures to ensure the conservation and restoration of ecosystems are included 
in all national MSPs, mostly through the designation of marine protected areas 
(MPAs) which can be specified differently by countries. For example, ES has defined 
one type of nature conservation areas, i.e., priority use areas for the protection of 
biodiversity, while in EE nature conservation areas are contained in six different 
categories (i.e., Conservation areas, Nature reserves, Natura 2000 Special 
Protection Area, Natura 2000 Sites of Community Importance, Proposed protected 
areas, Proposal for offshore protected area). Different rules, especially on co-
existence with other activities like fishing or shipping, also apply in these nationally 
designated areas. 

Measures to ensure protection (including coherent MPA networks) are being 
developed to ensure a high level of protection of marine and coastal zones. The 

(115) O’Leary, B. & al, 2023 (Studies & articles) 

58 

 
 
 
dashboard of the EU Biodiversity Strategy (116) shows the progress of Member States 
towards the targets set for 2030 for protection of a minimum of 30% of the EU's sea 
area, considering both nationally protected areas and Natura 2000 sites. Figure 10 
presents the status of marine protected area coverage of the EU's seas in 2023 (12% 
of the EU's seas), based on data reported by countries and provided every year to 
the European Environment Agency. 

Figure 10 – Marine protected area coverage (%) of the EU's sea area 

Source: EU Biodiversity Strategy Dashboard 

FI and SE created climate refugia areas, which are zones that remain relatively 
buffered from the effects of climate change over time, enabling them to play a vital 
role in safeguarding biodiversity. DK has revised its MSP to increase biodiversity 
targets (as a revision to MSP) - the proportion of strictly protected areas at sea will 
gradually increase to 8% of the sea area in 2028 and 10% strict protection by 2030.  

Restoration has not been addressed by all MSP, while the debate is ongoing on 
conservation measures, largely not from climate perspective. 

Society 

Climate-smart actions for enhancing communities’ socio-economic resilience to 
climate-related risks were assessed in the areas of promoting climate literacy and 
reinforcing the importance of social knowledge, equity and change. This social 
dimension is important in plans as it strengthens socio-economic resilience, facilitates 
environmental justice (by enabling meaningful involvement of stakeholders in 
decision-making), and fosters societal support and understanding for climate 
mitigation and adaption actions in MSP.  

The measures for promoting climate literacy and the strengthening of 
understanding of impacts of, and vulnerability to climate change, current and future 
climate variability and extreme events, and the implications for sustainable blue 

(116) European Commission Digital Observatory for Protected Areas, 2023 (Websites) 

59 

 
 
 
 
 
economy development are included in several plans. That includes multidisciplinary 
research on the ocean-climate nexus. For example, it has been developed in DE and 
ES where special zones are developed for marine research. In LI studies are being 
developed on the biological values in the national marine areas. Climate-smart 
technological innovations include, for example, marine ORE and biotechnologies 
in NL, data-sharing tools in PT, and ORE-related research in FR.  

Measures for a just transition to a sustainable blue economy, to ensure the 
transition to a zero-emission maritime industry by 2050 and the development of 
sustainable blue economy is safe and just (reskilling, upskilling and new skills in 
maritime sectors), are included in multiple plans. For example, ES included it in its 
MSP specific objectives for pollution prevention, while GR developed plans for fair 
energy transition for some regions (e.g., in Peloponnese and western Macedonia). 

The creation of jobs across the energy supply chain and the transition to scalable 
zero-emission marine fuels is vital in supporting climate action, furthering climate 
ambition and the wider economy, and ensuring that the climate-smart maritime 
sectors create opportunities for the people affected. The new jobs could also be a 
replacement for the jobs of the high-carbon sectors (O&G), fishermen going out of 
business due to dwindling fish stocks, new opportunities for the tourism sector or new 
multi-use/marine parks’ rangers. Hereby, new jobs in climate-smart sectors would 
provide more diverse opportunities for the currently established sectors and they 
would be a driver for wider decarbonisation across national economies at a large 
scale. In MSP, the potential climate-smart job creation comes as a starting point for 
further work with stakeholders on exploring the scale of this opportunity and how to 
turn this potential into action. 

Environmental justice, to ensure the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of 
all people with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of 
environmental laws, regulations, and policies, is addressed in most of the countries 
(e.g., creation of Communities of Practices in NL). 

60 

 
 
 
 
 
 
5.  KEY CONSIDERATIONS OF CLIMATE-SMART 

EMERGING SECTORS  

This chapter addresses opportunities, challenges and needs in steering climate-
smart technologies and innovation for planning at sea, drawn from the sea-basin 
strategies and plans of Member States (Chapters 3 and 4), and technological and 
innovation advances with cutting-edge technologies. 

Planning driving climate-smart innovation at sea  

The development of technological advances across emerging maritime sectors is 
growing, led by offshore renewable energy with the next generation offshore facilities, 
as essential for the European Green Deal. Through planning for space of climate-
smart actions in the marine and coastal zones, MSP supports (national and sectorial) 
strategies for the spatial management of those emerging sectors. It also provides 
views to the space needed at sea for long-term development according to other 
policy mechanisms, such as climate mitigation plans, as included in NECPs and 
national long-term strategies.  

Driven by national offshore renewables energy targets, spatial provisions for OWF in 
MSP provide perspectives to spatial management of ORE pledges by countries. For 
example, in the North Sea basin, from the currently utilised space for OWF there is 
fifteenfold increase in spatial provisions for OWF in national MSPs, which will be 
insufficient for the majority of countries (national OWF pledges) in the next 6 to 16 
years (Figure 11). While the addition of new areas for OWF will be possible for some 
countries, for other Member States it will be challenging due to densely planned 
activities in their MSPs. 

Figure 11 - Projections of Offshore Wind Farms production until 2050 and estimations 
of the required space for OWF in Belgium, Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands 

Source: Projections are based on national pledges; space estimations are extrapolated based on the information 
in the EMODnet Human Activities Energy (Table 9). The figure has been elaborated by the European MSP 
Platform 

Constrained space available to the offshore wind sector, expanding to produce 23 
times (in the North Sea) its current energy capacity within the next 26 years, will drive 
innovation at a fast pace. This will include construction of taller and more powerful 
wind turbines and more efficient configurations of turbines within a wind farm to 

61 

 
 
 
reduce wake losses, as well as the development of an interlinked electricity grid for 
integrated offshore renewable energy, the conversion of power to hydrogen 
(production and storage), and the construction of offshore electricity storage to 
increase the flexibility of the system. The consideration for planners is how ORE 
technology and grid technology are likely to evolve between now and 2050, and how 
locations of OWF will be chosen to maximize their energy output and their social 
benefits, while ensuring they have the minimum impact possible on the environment. 

While ORE is presumably the most space-demanding of all emerging sectors, other 
climate mitigation and adaptation actions will also claim space, and thus their 
priorities, needs and uptake of technologies are equally important to mainstream into 
planning and spatial management.  

Technological needs and uptake of emerging sectors in climate-smart planning  

MSP can drive climate-smart innovation in facilitating, accelerating and scaling up 
technology transfer for mitigation and adaptation. Spatial needs and space 
availability included in MSP, based on spatial data analysis, (will) allow for example 
for the integration of ORE systems with the large scale deployment of infrastructure, 
including high voltage direct current (HVDC) electrical interconnectors and high 
voltage alternating current (HVAC) interconnectors, as well as transformers, offshore 
energy hubs, and integration of flexible resources in the system for stable offshore 
electricity production. 

Technology needs for mainstreaming climate change actions into planning and 
development policy can be in various areas. They can include, for instance, the need 
to improve efficiency and technologies specific to particular locations and climate 
change-related hazards, or the need to balance technologies’ maximized output, 
socio-economic benefits and the minimum impact of technologies on the 
environment. The increased size of wind turbines while maximizing energy efficiency 
will also have bigger impacts on the environment that need to be carefully considered 
by planners. The current diameter of turbine rotors is estimated to increase in 2030 
up to 350 m and a power of 25 MW (Figure 12). To support the delivery of ORE in a 
biodiversity-positive manner, i.e., in ways that responsibly contribute to avoiding and 
reducing impacts and restoring and enhancing biodiversity (including species, 
habitats, ecological connectivity and function), the concept of net-positive impact 
(NPI) is being advanced at the project level by sequential and iterative actions. (117)  

(117) UN Global Compact, 2024 (Studies & articles) 

62 

 
 
 
Figure 12 - Trend of offshore turbine size, 1980-2030 

Source: GWEC, 2024 

For implementing the renewable energy goal through MSP, the development of the 
energy grid is an important milestone with planning of the national energy grid 
systems and cross-border grid integration that connects countries and foster spatial 
diversification of energy generation. For the planning and operation of a complex, 
integrated and multinational offshore energy system, most required technologies 
have already attained a level of maturity suitable for large-scale deployment. This 
involves the development of an interlinked electricity grid establishing links between 
offshore energy generation assets and onshore infrastructure, the conversion of 
power to hydrogen, and also the construction of offshore electricity storage to 
increase the flexibility of the system, including storage facilities, carbon storage sites, 
hydrogen storage assets, and more.  

Similarly, planning for reduced vulnerability and enhanced resilience of maritime 
sectors, marine/coastal areas and ecosystems, as well as communities’ socio-
economic resilience, continuously stimulates technology development and transfer 
with advanced systematic observation, information and knowledge, solutions to 
protect and prevent risks, including Nature based Solutions to protect and restore 
marine and coastal habitats, as well as capacity-building for climate adaptation. While 
the use of advanced technologies in adaptation enables more informed planning to 
protect and prevent vulnerabilities and risks, the social dimension fosters societal 
support and understanding for climate actions planning in MSP for long-term viability 
and effectiveness of these technologies. 

In addition to existing technologies, there are also needs to develop new 
technologies in all Member States in support of all emerging sectors, including new 
products, processes and services, such as capacity-building with training in climate-
smart techniques. 

Optimising sea space utilisation with new technologies for planning  

MSP can drive climate action with new technologies that concurrently support the 
effort to optimize space utilization at sea within spatial planning frameworks. Limited 
space, particularly in the congested sea basins and coastal areas, will increasingly 
require identification of spatial management solutions to accommodate emerging 
sectors, which will be expanding due to the compulsory climate actions of Member 
States. As such, a vital consideration for planners is accommodating the 

63 

 
 
 
 
infrastructure and spatial requirements with designated suitable areas for deployment 
of emerging sectors for climate action either in isolation or in-combination, for 
example, with offshore windfarm development. This considers allocating the OWF 
with the alternative offshore renewable energy (solar photovoltaic energy, wave and 
tidal energy), grid infrastructure, offshore electricity storage assets, as potential sites 
for hydrogen production and storage, CCS infrastructure, aquaculture and 
nature/NbS sites, as well as desalinization sites in the future. These multi-
technological implications account for co-existence and multi-use solutions, requiring 
innovation advances with cutting-edge technologies.    

The utilization of the (co-existing) climate-smart technologies at sea is today largely 
limited to emerging attempts in national MSPs (e.g., SE and NL allocated areas for 
multi-use mainly regarding different ORE technologies; in DE, EE and NL, ORE is 
considered as multiuse with aquaculture), pilots (e.g., hydrogen pilots, multi-use 
pilots), and research/industrial projects (examples in Tables 1-5), while acceleration - 
both technological and practical deployment by planners- will be required for the 
larger-scale application in MSPs. The initial plans mentioning offshore hydrogen (EE, 
SE) currently are without spatial allocations or targets in MSPs. Also, the designation 
of offshore hub locations is in general without including spatial data analysis, and 
similarly most of the studies about the offshore grid system are with little 
consideration for space. (118) Currently grid system integration is demonstrated at the 
project level, but new EU regulations ENTSO-E (European Network of Transmission 
System Operators for Electricity) and ENTSOG (European Network of Transmission 
System Operators for Gas) are expected to lead to an unprecedented planning of 
offshore energy system integration.   

Large-scale application of climate-smart technologies in an integrated way will 
necessitate potential adjustments in MSP to accommodate the infrastructure and 
spatial requirements of the emerging sectors while balancing environmental 
concerns. More detailed and high-quality data, resourceful information, application of 
advanced and new generation modelling, as well as evidence-based assessments, 
will enable the comprehensive spatial analyses in planning for larger-scale 
deployment of emerging sectors. For this purpose, the emerging initiatives, such as 
the Digital Twin of the Ocean (119) and the application of high-quality and real-time 
data continuously collected at operational sites of the ORE industry, (120) could offer 
many benefits to planners. For example, it could improve information at various 
temporal and spatial scales for development of all-inclusive and integrated spatial 
plans; to facilitate advances in data integration (121) and interoperability for cross-
sectoral collaboration and information sharing; and to address knowledge gaps and 
uncertainties concerning potential effects from individual/multiple activities for 
evidence-based decision-making and stakeholder engagement. 

Innovations in technologies of the emerging sectors, as well as those technologies 
serving the development and deployment of the emerging sectors, are the facilitator 
of blue growth and climate action, including climate change mitigation and adaptation 

(118) Martínez-Gordón, R. & al., 2022 (Studies & articles) 
(119) European Commission, 2024 (Websites) 
(120) UN Global Compact, 2023 (Studies & articles) 
(121) Davret, J. & al., 2023 (Studies & articles) 

64 

 
 
 
within a maritime spatial planning system. The examples of innovative technologies 
and approaches in climate-smart areas of maritime planning are presented in Table 
12, describing the current status and future prospects of relevance to planning.  

Complexities and challenges with mainstreaming and the uptake of 
technologies in planning  

Today, Member States face various challenges and needs related to technology 
uptake and transfer, underscoring the need to enhance technological innovation in 
order to implement their climate-smart plans. Across all emerging sectors, various 
barriers, gaps and challenges can complicate the development and uptake of 
technologies in planning. These barriers, gaps and challenges exist in many areas, 
including policy and regulatory barriers, research and innovation needs, information 
gaps, financial and economic constraints, cultural and social barriers, capacity-
building gaps. At the same time, good practices for advancing technology 
development can be identified for mitigation and adaptation actions in the MSPs, 
which for example include embedding technology development and use in wider 
systemic approaches to sectoral action, such as the North Sea offshore energy 
system policies and the international collaborations on the interconnected offshore 
energy system (Table 2). (122) 

One of the key challenges in emerging sectors for climate mitigation is that the 
offshore energy system integration currently faces barriers impeding the integration 
of offshore energy systems relating to regulation and technology. At the same time, 
grid systems in many countries can take only limited additional capacity, while the 
permits for ORE development with accelerated production are ambitious and above 
the existing capacity. Today energy grid system integration is being demonstrated at 
the project level, while legal frameworks can pose uncertainty surrounding ownership 
and responsibilities for cross-border infrastructure. Regarding energy storage at sea 
for ORE, currently none of the countries have established an official licensing 
procedure, which impedes the advancement of offshore-compatible storage 
technologies and large-scale project plans, including collaborative efforts. 

Regulatory frameworks are currently missing for the establishment of offshore 
hydrogen infrastructure at scale. There is a lack of a functional international hydrogen 
market and a comprehensive certification scheme, both required for investments in 
hydrogen production facilities offshore. Currently there is a lack of commercially 
established offshore platforms dedicated to the hydrogen industry, for which the O&G 
sector presents opportunities for repurposing existing infrastructure by locating 
hydrogen production facilities on pre-existing offshore platforms or utilizing 
established gas pipelines, which can extend the economic lifespan of O&G 
infrastructure and delay decommissioning costs. However, the current regulations in 
the EU do not offer a certification or permitting scheme for the repurposing of existing 
pipelines for hydrogen transport. Also, a limited number of studies in the literature 
address the topic of integration of offshore hydrogen production in the energy 
system. One of the few studies that analysed the role of offshore hydrogen focusing 
on its integration in the energy system, was based on different scenarios for offshore 
hydrogen production pathways in 2035 and 2045. (123) 

(122) Court of Editors, 2023 (Studies & articles) 
(123) Gea-Bermúdez, J. & al, 2021 (Studies & articles) 

65 

 
 
 
A lack of studies about emerging sectors in MSP from the spatial planning and future 
scenarios perspectives, can impede mainstreaming and uptake of these sectors and 
technologies into MSP frameworks by the planners. Exchange of knowledge at the 
technical level among planners is therefore necessary on the topic of climate-smart 
emerging sectors, within and beyond each sea basin, especially that methodologies 
applied in one sea basin can possibly be transferred to other sea basins. 

For example, a recent study (124) that analysed the benefits of the North Sea Offshore 
Grid design in 2050 using an enhanced version of the IESA-NS optimization energy 
system model, (125) modelling different scenarios with all the sectors of the energy 
system, developed a methodology to link the IESA-NS model with GIS data to 
integrate the spatial analysis of the sea basin, including space availability, co-
existence of offshore activities and multi-use of space. The study projected the 
locations of the offshore hubs of the North Sea Offshore Grid using spatial data 
clustering and considering space use, where future potential for wind energy 
production was estimated based on space availability including competing activities. 
Though the area of the study was the North Sea, the developed methodology can be 
applied to any other sea basin. 

Complexities and challenges with mainstreaming and up-take of technologies in 
planning for climate adaptation are listed in Table 12. Among the key issues are that 
planners might not always be familiar with technological advances, such as solutions 
offered by numerical models (e.g., next-generation mesoscale numerical model 
prediction systems) that are able to capture all relevant processes at sea; geospatial 
technologies for more accurate risk assessments and mapping; technologies for 
generating socioeconomic data and scenarios to assess socioeconomic trends; 
continuously developed and validated international ocean observatory networks and 
systems; and other technological opportunities for informed planning and 
policy/decision making. 

Aquaculture faces technological and regulatory challenges in addition to the remote 
locations of farms, information and data gaps, and inadequate planning methods. 
Regarding the application of nature-based solutions, the engineering solutions are 
repeatedly prioritized mainly due to concerns of planners over reliability and cost-
effectiveness of NbS compared to engineered alternatives, and their resilience to 
climate change. (126) While advancements in desalination technology, including 
reverse osmosis and renewable energy integration, are continuously improving 
efficiency, reducing costs, and minimizing environmental impact, they have yet to 
fully mitigate these challenges. In community-based adaptation, the key challenge is 
that not all stakeholder groups play a role in developing and deploying climate-smart 
technologies. Overall, the application of risk-informed planning methods is mostly 
limited.  

In cross-sectoral settings, the issues are, for example, disparate level of digitalization 
by sectors (no sectoral unifying digitalization principles), limited understanding of the 
interaction between spatial complexities by sectors, and a limited understanding of 

(124) Martínez-Gordón, R. & al., 2022 (Studies & articles) 
(125) Martínez-Gordón, R. & al., 2021 (Studies & articles) 
(126) Seddon, N. & al, 2020 (Studies & articles) 

66 

 
 
 
the effects of climate change on managed systems, (127) which present a challenge 
for enabling cross-sectoral leveraged input into whole system planning for spatial 
management of emerging sectors. Evidence-based adaptation and mitigation actions 
in MSPs are a prerequisite for it, supported by national climate mitigation and 
adaptation plans with targets for mitigation and adaptation defined in the Nationally 
Determined Contributions (NDCs). 

(127) Queirós, A. & al, 2021 (Studies & articles) 

67 

 
 
 
Table 12.  Examples of technologies, approaches and techniques in climate-smart MSP – current status, challenges and future 

prospects in planning 

Climate 
category 

Examples of frontier and innovative technologies for climate-smart MSP (non-
exhaustive list) – current status and challenges 

Future prospects in the uptake of technologies for climate actions in 
MSP 

1.  Offshore  Wind  Farm  -  Fixed  offshore  wind  turbines  with  the  most  common 
foundations currently used being mono-pile and gravity-based structures, followed 
by space frame structures (for intermediate and deep-water depths). Innovation will 
include construction  of  taller and  more  powerful  wind  turbines, and more  efficient 
configuration  of  the  turbines  within  a  wind  farm  to  reduce  sea  space  and  wake 
losses.  

Floating Offshore Wind Farm will increase in areas with deeper water (>100 m) 
extending  the  available  space  for  development  and  installation  of  plants.  Longer 
distance to shore implies energy losses during transport as well as higher costs for 
both distribution infrastructures and for construction and maintenance. 

2.  Wave energy – there are several systems at the full‐scale prototype stage 2GW. 
Based  on  their  orientation,  the  predominant  types  of  Wave  Energy  Converters 
(WECs) are the attenuator, the point absorber, the oscillating wave surge converter, 
the oscillating water column, the overtopping device and the submerged pressure-
differential device. In the last decade the opportunity of combining offshore wind and 
wave  energy  technologies  has  arisen  and  research  is  being  conducted  on  hybrid 
systems. 

Mitigation 

3.  Tidal  energy  -  Tidal  current  or  tidal  stream  energy  converters  (TECs)  involve 
installing turbines underwater in fast flowing tidal streams. TECs may have gravity, 
piled or floating structures. Many converters are still in the R&D phase. 

4.  Solar energy - deployment is increasing, and new policies and targets proposed in 
the  REPowerEU  Plan  and  The  Green  Deal  Industrial  Plan  are  expected  to  be 
important drivers of solar PV investment in the coming years. 

5.  Eco-efficient technologies and energy sources that tend towards “zero emissions”, 
such  as  new  propellers  based  on  renewable  energies,  alternative  fuels  and 
propulsion systems, etc. -> in MSP allocation of spatial permits to marine activities 
that use these eco-efficient technologies and green energy sources   

Challenges:  OWF  bottom-fixed  technology  is  well established,  while  alternative  ocean 
energy is lagging behind. National plans set ambitious targets to develop ORE with the 
countries and private sector investing over the last ten years in research and pilot projects 
on  ocean  energy,  while  there  is  continuous  need  for  technological  progress  in  ORE. 

1. Development of ORE technology between now and 2050 will be significant  

➔  Choose locations of ORE in order to maximize their energy output while 
ensuring  they  have  the  minimum  impact  on  the  environment  and 
safeguarding social sustainability 
Investigate  long-term  estimations  for  OWF  development  as  DE  in 
planning with the use of new generation (numerical modelling) methods 
and enhanced databases 

➔ 

➔  Diligent  planning  of  sea  space  for  the  timely  updates  of  the  national 

energy and climate plans 

➔  Apply  technologies  for  addressing  environmental  aspects  linked  to 
planning  ORE  deployment  to  limit  the  environmental  footprint  of 
renewables development 
Implement the co-existence of different ORE technologies in planning, 
for which practices from current co-using sea space can be useful 

➔ 

2. Energy storage at sea for ORE will develop for locating storage facilities 
offshore that would include the possibility of oversizing wind farms beyond 
their connection capacity, resulting in lower costs for transmission; and allow 
for  the  use  of  storage  technologies  in  the  offshore  environment.  E.g.  the 
ocean battery by Ocean Grazer. 

3.  Development  of  hybrid  systems  for  ORE  (e.g.  OWF  and  wave  energy 
technologies) due to the opportunity of using the multipurpose platforms for 
other  marine  uses  e.g.  aquaculture;  accelerated  development  of  wave 
energy  technologies  by  using  the  experience  of  OWF;  the  integration  of 
multiple  sea  energy  converters  leading  to  smoother  power  output  and 
minimum  energy  production  at  a  constant  rate  (independently  of 
meteorological conditions); a significant cost reduction. 

➔  Plan to combine climate-smart technologies when technically feasible. 
E.g. in GR, the Wave2Water device was installed that can be used for 
desalination  or  for  producing  electricity  or  both  and  is  modular  (more 
units  can  be  assembled  in  the  configuration),  capable  of  producing 
energy even at low sea conditions. 

68 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Deploying ORE faces practical, social and environmental challenges that have not yet 
been  sufficiently  addressed.  Permitting  procedures  of  some  MSs  slow  down  ORE 
development.  While  facilitating  the  development  of  ORE,  national  MSP  are  not  fully 
resolving  conflicts  of  use  yet.  Despite  transboundary  consultation  and  numerous 
cooperation forums, cross-border ORE projects are not yet common practice. The impact 
of offshore installations on the marine environment has not been adequately  analysed 
and  addressed,  while  the  social  implications  of  ORE  development  have  not  yet  been 
comprehensively taken into account. More details on these (and other challenges) are 
provided  in  the  Special  Report  of  the  European  Court  of  Editors  (2023)  ‘Offshore 
renewable energy in the EU’128 that examined ORE and MSPs.  

6.  Grid  system  -  with  the  expansion  of  installed  OWF,  transmission  of  significantly 
increased  levels  of  energy  to  shore  requires  optimization  of  a  spatial  network  for 
offshore electricity networks in the sea basins. Innovation includes development of 
an  interlinked  electricity  grid  for  integrated  offshore  renewable  energy,  the 
conversion of power to hydrogen (production and storage), and the construction of 
offshore electricity storage to increase the flexibility of the system. New/upgraded 
methods  are  applied  for  analysing  offshore  infrastructure  routing  options  for 
planning, e.g. modelling of offshore connections to onshore energy sinks for efficient 
and cost-effective networks at sea.  

7.  Methods  to  designate  internationally  interconnected  electricity  corridors  for  an 
offshore  electricity  grid  are  increasing  to  limit  the  routing  deviations  and  thus 
decrease both the costs and spatial footprint of connections at sea. E.g., currently, 
infrastructure corridors are defined in the Belgian and German MSPs. 

8.  Hydrogen  production  and  storage  to  enhance  flexibility  of  the  offshore  energy 
system (serving as both a storage medium and an energy carrier). Currently offshore 
hydrogen infrastructure efforts exist as pilots and are not developed at scale, while 
innovative designs of offshore hydrogen  platforms present a promising solution to 
bridge  the  gap  between  offshore  wind  and  hydrogen  integration  in  the  energy 
system.  

9.  Offshore  hydrogen  production  presents  opportunities  for  the  O&G  sector  to 
repurpose  existing  infrastructure  by  locating  production  facilities  on  pre-existing 
offshore  platforms  or  utilizing  established  gas  pipelines,  which  can  extend  the 
economic  lifespan  of  O&G  infrastructure  and  delay  high  decommissioning  costs. 
E.g., the PosHYdon project in the North Sea explores production of green hydrogen 
offshore on an operational gas platform by integrating offshore wind, offshore gas 
and offshore hydrogen. This pilot as well as other initiatives by pipeline operators 
(e.g., NGT and NOGAT in NL) demonstrate that these developments are technically 
feasible  (for  transporting  hydrogen  offshore,  the  pipeline  operators  have  sought 
validation through private certification companies, attaining a ‘fit for purpose’ label 
for their pipelines). 

4.  Increase  of  marine  activities  that  use  eco-efficient  technologies  -> 
Increase of marine activities that use energy sources that tend towards zero 
emissions 

5.  Development  of  holistic  offshore  renewable  energy  system  with  an 
interlinked electricity grid for ORE, the conversion of power to hydrogen, and 
the construction of offshore electricity storage to increase the flexibility of the 
system 

➔  Considering  in  planning  how  ORE,  grid,  hydrogen  production  and 
storage technology are likely to evolve until 2050, and how locations of 
these  technologies  will  be  chosen  in  order  to  maximize  their  energy 
output and their social benefits, while ensuring they have the minimum 
impact possible on the environment. E.g., NL is currently developing the 
North  Sea  Energy  Infrastructure  Plan  that  is  a  strategic  plan  for 
development of the infrastructure required for OWF in the 2030 to 2050 
period and how this will be integrated into the existing energy system. 

➔  Considering  in  planning  cross-border  grid  integration  for  multinational 
offshore  energy  system  that  connects  countries  and  foster  spatial 
diversification of energy generation. E.g. the North Sea Offshore Grid 

➔  Recent studies explore the topic of offshore energy grid infrastructure 
planning by  different methods  including  modelling  and  high-resolution 
scenario building support in a geographical information system, e.g. in 
the North Sea basin and the Baltic Sea study. 

➔  Offshore infrastructure and maritime ports to play a vital commercial and 
societal role in ORE systems, will require to apply risk-informed planning 
methods, in order to ensure their resilience to climate change. Careful 
risk-informed planning for maritime infrastructure resilience as a method 
for  planning  at  sea  uses  risk  in  the  planning  process  to  improve  the 
effectiveness  of  protection  plans  and  disaster  reduction  plans,  while 
addressing the socio-economic development, natural requirements and 
impact  of  sustainable  design  in  the  long-term.  The  use  of  these 
approaches  for  risk-informed  planning  and  risk-based  designs  will  be 
further  supplemented  using  other  methods,  such  as  decision-making 
tools, to support the risk-based planning process of decisions in the face 
of present and future uncertainties. 

(128) European Court of Editors, 2023 (Studies & articles) 

69 

 
 
 
10.  Port Planning for the energy transition for decarbonization of maritime transport: 
Ports  have  a  vital  role  in  the  construction,  operation  and  maintenance  of  ORE 
systems  –planning  of  port  facilities  with  socio-economic  benefits  for  local 
communities.  

Challenges:  Grid  systems  in  many  countries  today  can  take  only  limited  additional 
capacity, while the permits for ORE development above this capacity. Offshore energy 
system integration currently faces barriers impeding the integration of offshore energy 
systems relating to regulation and technology. Legal frameworks can pose uncertainty 
surrounding ownership and responsibilities for cross-border infrastructure of the energy 
grid system. Currently, the countries have not established an official licensing procedure 
for  offshore  energy  storage,  which  impedes  the  advancement  of  offshore-compatible 
storage technologies and large-scale project plans. Regulatory frameworks are currently 
missing for the establishment of offshore hydrogen infrastructure at scale. There is a lack 
of commercially established offshore platforms dedicated to the hydrogen industry, while 
the current regulations in the EU do not offer a certification or permitting scheme for the 
repurposing of existing pipelines for hydrogen transport. A lack of studies about emerging 
sectors in MSP from the spatial planning and future scenarios perspectives, which can 
impede  mainstreaming  and  uptake  of  these  sectors  and  technologies  into  planning 
frameworks. 

A.  Ocean  observation  technologies  (OOTs)  for  understanding  climate-ocean 
interactions  and  the  impact  of  global  phenomena  and  drivers,  including  thermal 
expansion, mass redistribution and sea level rise, which are needed for generating 
projections  and  climate  scenarios,  and  for  forecasting  hydro-meteorological 
conditions in order to facilitate accurate marine and coastal risk assessments. OOTs 
serve  for  climate  change  related  issues:  forecasting  of  weather/climate  extremes 
(operational  forecasting,  mid-  and  long-term  projections),  storm  surge  prediction, 
ocean  temperature, sea  level rise, ocean  acidification, bottom  water  oxygenation, 
the Atlantic Meridional overturning, etc. 

➔  Status: Networks and systems of OOTs are installed in the European territories and 
globally, including platforms that provide specific measurements (e.g. for sea level 
rise:  ARGO  with  Euro-Argo  ERIC,  arrays,  GRACE,  satellite  altimetry,  SST 
observations, Coastal Water Level Observation System / Système d’Observation du 
Niveau des Eaux Littorales - SONEL that serves as the GNSS data assembly centre 
for the Global Sea Level Observing System - GLOSS) and OOTs that measure many 
different variables (e.g. EuroGOOS). Structured ocean data infrastructures are well-
founded  in  Europe  that  includes  the  Copernicus  Marine  Service  (CMS),  the 
European  Marine  Observation  and  Data  Network  (EMODnet),  the  Sea  Data 
Net/Cloud. They offer global and pan-European quality-controlled ocean observation 
data, forecasts, analysis and projections. Planners benefit from data and information 
from  OOTs,  e.g.  EuroGOOS  for  better  storm  surge  prediction,  Euro-Argo  and 
Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) for climate modelling, EMODnet for the 

Adaptation 

a. 

surface 

Increasingly  emerging  technologies  will  be  expanding  the  capabilities 
and  coverage  of  existing  OOTs  systems,  including  sea  surface 
observation  technologies  (e.g.  moored  buoys,  drifters,  space-borne 
sensors,  autonomous 
vehicles),  profile  observation 
technologies (e.g. Argo floats, underwater gliders), seafloor observation 
technologies  (e.g.  autonomous  underwater  vehicles,  cabled  seafloor 
observatories).  In  the  future,  the  capabilities  and  coverage  of  OOTs 
systems  will  be  enlarged  by  combination  of  the  static  and  dynamic 
observing  technologies  where  advances  will  be  progressing  from  the 
conventional  single  node,  static  and  short-term  modalities  to  multiple 
nodes, dynamic and long-term modalities, to increase the density of both 
temporal and spatial samplings at the sea. Planning should embrace the 
existing  OOTs,  e.g.  through  MSP  authorities’  participation  in  OOTs 
exchange of knowledge and experiences and striving for harmonization 
to enhance comparability of monitoring between countries in networks 
such as JERICO RI, EurOcean, European Marine Board, which enable 
understanding of expanded capabilities and coverage of OOTs systems 
in the future of MSP. Next Generation Multiplatform Ocean Observing 
Technologies  for  Research  Infrastructures  (GEORGE)  develop  novel 
technologies  with  high-precision  sensors  and  platform  technology  to 
provide  planners  and  policymakers  with  high-quality and  reliable  data 

70 

 
 
integrated maritime planning and policy (e.g. EMODnet Human Activities – the MSP 
layer).  

on the ocean condition to make informed decisions on how to adapt to 
climate change and reduce its impacts. 

➔  Challenges:  Not  all  Member  States  participate  in  international  OOTs  networks, 
systems, projects and programmes on ocean data collection and management, and 
hence not all planners are aware of existing OOTs possibilities and how make better 
use of data in their informed policy/decision making. A few countries are advanced 
in OOTs, such as France (e.g. CMS), Germany (AtlantOS), Belgium (IODE/IOC).  

B.  Geospatial  technologies  (GTs)  -  remote  sensing,  global  positioning  systems 
(GPS), digital elevation models (DEMs) and geographic information systems (GIS) 
for  gathering  and  creating  baseline  data  for  planning  (supporting  data  collection, 
developing  a  spatiotemporal  change-sensitive  plan,  enforcing  and  monitoring  the 
plan) 

➔  Status:  GIS  and  web  mapping  are  widely used  for  planning  and  for specific  MSP 
needs - collecting and processing location-associated data, while other geospatial 
technologies  might  be  less  used,  such  as  repeated  airborne  light  detection  and 
ranging technology (LiDAR) and unmanned aerial vehicle optical photogrammetric 
surveys (UAV). A single technology in relation to MSP uses is frequent. In order to 
establish exposure trends and projections of the exposure of the marine and coastal 
areas,  accurate  geospatial  data  are  used,  including  GTs  such  as  DEMs,  LiDAR 
information, high-quality sea/land cover data. 

➔  Challenges: static management for dynamic conditions in marine and coastal areas; 
more  accurate  mapping  is  required  to  assess  exposure  to  coastal  erosion  and 
flooding,  with  the  use  of  technologies  for  generating  socioeconomic  data  and 
scenarios to assess socioeconomic trends. Planners might not always be aware of 
technological  GTs  solutions  available  for  the  development  and  implementation  of 
MSPs.    

C.  Modelling  technologies  (MT)  –  numerical  and  physical  models  for  predicting 
weather and ocean conditions and flood and coastal erosion, that can also serve to 
build  historical  records  to  observe  trends  and  define  design  conditions  for  civil 
structures or identify risks to human populations and human activities 

➔  Status:  There  has  been  an  increase  in  the  number  of  numerical  models  being 
developed and improved to reliably predict a possible hazard event and its possible 
damage.  Today’s  numerical models  can capture  different processes:  atmospheric 
change, ocean circulation, wave and current action, tides and storm surges, sand 
transport,  morphological  changes  and  damage  to  vegetation,  e.g.,  XBeach, 
WaveWatch  III  to  compute  future  extreme  scenarios  to  design  infrastructure 
including  coastal  defences,  bridges,  wind  farms,  etc.  Planners  use  modelling 
technologies for different areas of climate change adaptation, including climate risk 
assessments in coastal and marine areas (incl. projections for extreme events), to 
predict weather and ocean conditions, and flood and coastal erosion. The focus of 
numerical models typically varies depending on the scale; they can be used to study 

b.  Given  all  GTs  address  the  needs  of  MSP/coastal  planners,  in  each 
planning  stage,  they  will  thus  all  be  increasingly  used  in  planning  for 
evidence-based  decisions  and 
in  effective  helping  stakeholders 
recognize, manage and operationalize informed marine management. 
Planners  shall  be  incorporating  GTs  in  all  MSP  stages,  including 
supporting  data  collection,  developing  a  spatiotemporal  change-
sensitive plan, enforcing and monitoring the plan. Also, there is needed 
anticipation  that  in  the  future  GTs  will  support  dynamic  ocean 
management  enabling  a  more  spatiotemporal-sensitive  approach  to 
managing mobile human uses and mobile marine fauna conservation, 
which should be incorporated in MSP by planners. 

c.  The MTs/models are constantly being upgraded and new technologies 
are  emerging  with  the  ability  to  model  changing  processes  and 
conditions better and faster and providing more reliable trend analyses 
and projections. New models will enable planners to study large areas 
and broad combinations of processes like extreme winds, storm surges, 
waves  and  currents  and  their  action  on  the  maritime  infrastructure, 
coastline or on civil structures. A next-generation mesoscale numerical 
weather  prediction  system  -  the  Weather  Research  and  Forecasting 
Model  (WRF),  designed  to  serve  both  atmospheric  research  and 
operational  forecasting  needs,  is  an  example  of  next  generation 
numerical  modelling.  WRF  serves  a  wide  range  of  meteorological 
applications  across  scales  from  tens  of  meters  to  thousands  of 
flexible  and 
kilometres  and 
computationally  efficient  platform,  while  reflecting  recent  advances  in 
physics,  numerics,  and  data  assimilation.  In  EU,  building  on  existing 
core data infrastructures and ocean services of CMS, Copernicus Data 

it  offers  operational 

forecasting  a 

71 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
large-scale weather and ocean phenomena, or they can be used to downscale large-
scale phenomena to the regional and local scale. Based on the downscaled data 
dedicated models can  be  used  to  simulate  the  actual  impact  (or exposure) at the 
local scale, for example, in terms of flooding, erosion and associated damages. The 
impact models can include many effects and take into account coastal erosion and 
breaching of sea defences, flash flows from rivers and rain bursts, and the impact of 
these  phenomena  on  specific  rural  and  urban  topographic  settings,  including 
impacts on drainage systems.   

➔  Challenges:  With  the  computational  power  increasing,  numerical  models  that  are 
able to capture all relevant processes are expensive in the computational sense, and 
today  there  is  a  limited  availability  of  technologies  for  combined  effects.  As  a 
consequence,  different  models  are  coupled  together  to  combine  processes 
occurring  at  different  scales,  such  as  cyclone  atmospheric  processes  and  storm 
surges,  storm  surges  and  local  wave  action,  and  ocean  currents  and  sediment 
transport in coastal zones. Further, in risk assessments, socioeconomic information 
is crucial to determining exposure and vulnerability. That includes establishing trends 
and providing projections of the exposure of the human environment that depends 
on the availability of historical information and future projections of a large variety of 
socioeconomic data (e.g. population, assets, infrastructure, economic activity). 

D.  Technologies to ensure that maritime installations and coastal/port areas and 

structures can cope with the climate of the future and uncertainties 

➔  Status: There is a common use of the structural technologies to protect and prevent 
risks in planning (e.g., detached breakwaters, storm surge barriers, closure dams, 
groins,  seawalls,  revetments,  TetraPods,  riprap,  and  other  coastal  protection 
barriers),  beach  nourishment  and  reclamation,  nature-based  solutions  or  hybrid 
solutions 
the 
construction  of structures  such  as seawalls and  riverbanks  to  protect  and  restore 
marine and coastal habitats, relocating and rebuilding endangered structures, early 
warning  systems  based  on  the  operational  forecasting  system  and  on  the  trend 
analysis and decision-support system. 

integrate  ecosystem-based  adaptation  considerations 

into 

to 

➔  Challenges:  The  provision  of  laboratories  and  equipment  to  collect  and  analyse 
related  data.  The  structural/engineering  solutions  are  often  prioritized  over  the 
nature-based  solutions,  while  NbS  use  marine/coastal  ecosystems  for  prevention 
and mitigation as well as adaptation and response/recovery. The challenge is also 
the  uncertainty  relevant  to  adaptation  policy  and  planning  that  encompasses 
uncertainty  about  the  dynamic  nature  of  risks,  and  uncertainty  in  the  scale  and 
direction  of  changing  risks,  which  are  difficult  or  impossible  to  foresee  on  the 
temporal and spatial scales needed in policy and planning.  

and Information access services (DIAS), and EMODnet, the European 
Digital Twin of the Ocean (European DTO) is being developed for using 
real-time  and  historical  data  to  represent  the  past  and  present  and 
numerical  models  to  simulate  future  scenarios.  DTO  will  provide  for 
planners  consistent  high-resolution,  multi-dimensional  descriptions  of 
the  ocean  that  includes  its  physical,  chemical,  biological,  socio-
ecological and economical dimensions, with forecasting periods ranging 
from  seasons 
to  multi-decades.  The  European  Blue  Economy 
Observatory with data from administrations, international organizations, 
and  private  sector  sources,  will  give  more  consideration  to  marine 
environment-economy  linkages  and  ecosystem  services  to  provide  a 
comprehensive base for planning of the marine areas. 

d.  Promoting  resilient  maritime  and  coastal  infrastructure  in  planning  to 
protect  infrastructure  and  communities  against  climate-induced  sea 
level rise and extreme events. In this, expanding nature-based solutions 
/  hybrid  solutions  in  marine/coastal/port  planning  for  integrating 
ecosystem-based  adaptation  considerations  into  the  construction  of 
maritime  and  coastal  structures,  considering  resilient,  adaptive  and 
flexible measures in planning with sustainable project design for long-
term  viability  and  effectiveness  of  these  solutions  in  ecological, 
economic, social, infrastructural, and financial terms. In planning, use of 
holistic approaches for adaptation planning with integrated knowledge 
and governance for climate change with the application of disaster risk 
reduction  and  management  for  minimizing  vulnerabilities,  and  for 
dealing with uncertain future conditions and changing risks, e.g. through 
the application of adaptation pathways for more anticipatory and more 
adaptive ways of planning, with transferable climate change adaptation 
science  and  data  into  evidence-based  planning  and  policy-making  in 
MSP. 

E.  Aquaculture 
➔  Status: Marine and coastal aquaculture produces one of the most sustainable and 
fastest-growing  sources  of  animal  protein.  Aquaculture  farms  have  become 

e.  Cutting-edge  tools,  including  new  satellite  technologies,  will  help 
aquaculture expand, reduce its environmental impact and make farmed 

72 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
increasingly  efficient  with  the  growth  of  technologies  to  monitor  fish  health  and 
growth rate, water quality and other aspects of the farm. Tools to remotely control 
feed timings and other interventions have also improved production.  

➔  Challenges: There’s a trend towards establishing farms up to several kilometres off 
the coast (where presumably farming has a reduced impact on the environment), but 
access  is  challenging  (no  fiber  connection  so  far  offshore).  Aquaculture  farms  in 
remote locations that lack connectivity rely on staff visiting the sites to monitor the 
farm. This limits when and how much information can be gathered, and slows the 
interventions, for example when farms can be cut off for days by storms. Another 
challenge are overlapping other sector activities in the limited sea space. Problems 
for optimal planning processes in marine aquaculture development usually relate to 
inadequate planning methods and human capacity, as well as information and data 
gaps.   

fish  more  efficient 
to  produce.  Combining  advanced  satellite 
communication  technology  with  advanced  analytics  will  provide  to 
manage  aquaculture  operations  in  a  more  efficient  way.  These  new 
technologies  will  also  enable  aquaculture  to  move  farther  out  to  sea. 
Currently  pilots  running.  Co-existence  and  multi-use  is  an  important 
consideration for aquaculture, currently applied in pilots in all sea basins. 
An  ecosystem-based  approach  to  aquaculture,  with  a  range  of 
instruments for access to space, will be needed to ensure the long-term 
economic, environmental and social sustainability of the sector, and its 
ultimate contribution to blue economic growth. 

F.  Desalinisation 
➔  Status:  Seawater  desalination  technology  exists  for  several  decades  and  has 
become  an  important  source  of  freshwater  for  many  countries.  The  process  of 
seawater  desalination  is  expensive,  energy-intensive,  and  requires  large-scale 
infrastructure.  With  advancements 
in 
in 
design, seawater desalination process has become more affordable and efficient. 

technology  and 

innovations 

➔  Challenges: Seawater desalination processes’ energy consumption leads to a high 
dependence  on  fossil  fuels  and  contributes  to  greenhouse  gas  emissions.  While 
advancements in desalination technology, including reverse osmosis and renewable 
energy  integration,  are  continuously  improving  efficiency,  reducing  costs,  and 
minimizing environmental impact, they have yet to fully mitigate these challenges. 

•  Ocean observation technologies for marine and coastal ecosystems include the 
technologies  described  above 
for 
understanding geophysical and hydrobiological conditions, in order to systematically 
observe  changes  in  the  climate  system.  These  technologies  are  completed  by 
specific  tools  dedicated  to  the  observation  of  marine  life  (marine  habitats  and 
plankton).  

for  adaptation  purposes 

(A),  needed 

Ecosystems 

➔  Status: The on-going efforts to monitor biodiversity and ecosystems includes through 
the  establishment  of  baseline  estimates  of  ecosystems  in  cooperation  with 
environmental protection agencies. Current techniques used for observing marine 
environment  are  based  on  satellites,  autonomous  stationary  or  moving  assets 
(moorings,  surface  ships,  free-floating  floats,  guided  gliders,  etc.),  and  formalized 
single- and multi-platform observing networks (e.g., ARGO with ABiogeochemical-
Argo Programs, the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI), OceanSITES, the Marine 
Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON), and the Long-Term Ecological Research 
(LTER)  Program).  To  observe  marine  ecosystems  in  deeper  waters  (i.e.  beyond 
divers’ reach, >200m depth), new technologies have been developed like remotely 

f.  The  seawater  desalination  technology  based  on  offshore  renewable 
energy  and  ocean  thermal  energy  is  considered  to  have  significant 
development potential in the future due to its vast reserves and stable 
energy supply. In particular it is suitable for low latitude regions, such as 
the  Mediterranean  Sea,  with  the  most  effective  method  of  flash 
evaporation technology. Currently, pilots are implemented.   

➔ 

In  addition  to  (a),  due  to  the  multiplication  of  ocean  observations’ 
programmes  and  structures,  there  is  a  growing  need  to  “build  an 
intelligent  ecosystem  observation  network  by 
three 
observation methods with the help of network, IOT (Internet of Things), 
improving ecosystem observation ability and realizing fine observation” 
(Hou, 2023) to help aggregate existing data and guide planners. 

integrating 

73 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
operated  vehicles  (ROVs),  autonomous  underwater vehicles  (AUVs),  landers  and 
crawlers are operating thanks to manipulators and multiparametric sensor arrays. 

➔  Challenges:  discrepancy  across  different  methods  and  approaches,  making  it 
difficult to compare observations across multiple time series; lack of synergy among 
databases  also  makes  it  more  challenging  for  end-users  to  find  comparable  data 
sets  of  interest  from  within  and  across  regions;  limited  incentive  to  invest  time  in 
sharing data that have been collected with a great deal of effort (Benway & al., 2019) 

•  Geospatial technologies (GTs) 
➔  Status: Tools include satellites and water-based platforms carrying various sensors 
and receivers for environmental ocean data and animal telemetry via multispectral, 
acoustic, radar, and other means. 

➔  Challenges: lack of data on the marine environment, high mobility of both  animals 

and humans 

•  Modelling technologies - numerical and physical models for predicting the state of 
the  potential 

the  marine  environment  and  marine  populations,  and  also 
consequences of human activities on them. 

for 

instrument 

to  environmentally-oriented  models) 

implementing  an  ecosystem  approach 

➔  Status:  Increasing  demand  for  more complex  multi-component  models, increased 
number of existing marine ecosystem models. Development of “end to end models” 
to  marine 
(=“key 
management”,  by  opposition 
that  can 
encompass the entire food web and physical components of an ecosystem at a fine 
spatial scale.  E.g.,  Atlantis  is a  spatial deterministic model designed  for  exploited 
marine ecosystems which considers 4 areas (biophysical, fishing, management and 
socio-economic) and has already been used to evaluate management strategies as 
it  includes  fishing  and  other  types  of  anthropogenic  activities  that  can  affect  the 
environment. Some of them are  “individual-based models” (IBM) (focus “on bottom-
up  construction  and  on  explaining  how  macro-phenomena  arise  as  a  result  of 
relatively simple local interactions of organisms”) which are useful for studying the 
issues from small-scale interactions to the consequences of non-stationarity of the 
natural environment affected by climate change → models can incorporate decision-
making  algorithms  to  reconstruct  the  behaviour  of  individuals,  e.g.  OSMOSE  for 
environmental and fisheries issues; InVitro for the management of different human 
activities (fisheries, tourism, shipping, oil and gas production, etc). Hybrid approach 
with EURO-BASIN project. (Bernikov & al., 2022). 

➔  Challenges:  Uncertainties  related  to  the  models’  performances  –  a  need  to 
encompass  the  modelling  of  other  marine  dimensions  such  as  hydrophysical, 
hydrochemical,  hydrobiological  aspects  of  the  functioning  of  marine  ecological 
systems.  Need  to  include  humans  as  the  highest  trophic  level,  responding  and 
adaptation  to  changing  conditions.  No  mechanisms  for  taking  into  account  the 
adaptative ability of populations to environmental changes and external influence). 

➔  GTs  -  support  of  dynamic  ocean  management  enabling  a  more 
spatiotemporal-sensitive approach to managing mobile human uses and 
mobile marine fauna conservation. Due to the dynamic characteristic of 
the marine ecosystems, there is a need for planners to adopt dynamic 
management approaches. 

➔  The models are constantly being upgraded and new technologies are 
emerging with the ability to model changing processes and conditions 
better  and  faster  and  thus  provide  more  reliable  trend  analyses  and 
projections. New models will enable planners to study large areas and 
broad combinations of processes. 

➔  For  deployment  of  offshore  energy  system  infrastructure  in  a  space-
efficient and nature-friendly way, application of methods will be needed 
that give priority to environmental and social criteria to address the twin 
crises  of  climate  and  biodiversity.  E.g.,  an  ecosystem-based  MSP 
approach  could  act  as  a  foundation  to  a  centralized  approach  to 
tendering for offshore renewable energy projects. 

➔  The  need 

for  provision  of  evidence-based  cumulative 

impact 
assessments will increase based on detailed data at various temporal 
and spatial scales. 

➔  Broad  interconnection  corridors  for  future  infrastructure  as  well  as 
allocated  ecologically  or  biologically  significant  marine  areas  (for 
conservation  and  restoration)  at  various  scales  in  seas,  between 
increasingly  require 
countries  and 

in  different  sea  basins,  will 

74 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Society 

•  Prioritisation  -  tools  and  methods  to  prioritize  ecosystem  services  for  marine 
management,  such  as  prioritizing  ecosystem  services  for  marine  management 
through  stakeholder  engagement  (Custodio,  et  al,  2022).-The  engagement 
methodology  can  help  planners  capture  stakeholders’  perceptions  regarding  the 
importance of local Ecosystem Services, thus providing a baseline for establishing 
priorities during Ecosystem Services modelling and management.  

•  Sensitivity mapping – spatial representation of the sensitivity of an area or species 

to an environmental change (e.g. new human activity, climate variability)  

➔  Status: Used worldwide to prepare contingency planning e.g. for oil spills or wind 
farm installations. Enhancement of original sensitivity maps by combination to visual 
analysis, remote sensing and GIS technologies or radar satellite data. Simple tool 
which facilitates the consideration of various aspects like seasonal variability and the 
interpretation of environments with strong geomorphological dynamics.  

➔  Challenges:  Consideration  of  two  dimensions  for  ocean  resource  sensitivity  while 
the  marine  environment  is  tri-dimensional  (Venegas‐Li  et  al.,  2018):  “mapping 
marine habitats from the water surface to the ocean floor is also necessary since 
marine environments and biotic processes vary with depth” 

o  Community-based Adaptation – to help ensure that communities play a role in the 
adoption of climate-smart technologies in maritime planning, which in turn increases 
the sustainability and social acceptance of these technologies.  

➔  Status:  Currently  different  stakeholder  groups  participate  in  developing  and 
deploying climate-smart technologies in MSP, including national governments (their 
role is mainly establishing policies to support climate-smart technologies in planning, 
and  facilitating  an  enabling  environment  for  climate-smart  technologies),  local 
governments  (supporting  technology  users,  assist  with  scaling  up  small-scale  or 
community-led technologies), communities (selecting and deploying technologies), 
research community (developing and testing new technologies). 

➔  Challenges:  Not  all  stakeholder  groups  play  a  role  in  developing  and  deploying 
climate-smart  technologies  in  MSP.  Planning  for  a  just  transition  based  on  social 
dialogue  and  stakeholder  engagement,  which  optimizes  social,  economic  and 
employment impacts towards net-zero emissions and environmental sustainability, 
is limited today. There is also a lack of understanding of the effects of climate change 
on marine and coastal areas, and managed systems.  

o  Member  States  start  planning  their  space  in  an  adaptive  manner  with  the 
participation  of  different  groups  of  stakeholders.  Participatory  processes  and 
capacity building will are needed to make the climate-smart technologies effective. 
o  Collaboration  for  synergistic  approaches  is  increasing  with  more  support  and 
coordination of legislation and regulations, and with related services. E.g. in NL a 
nature-inclusive ‘Maripark’ aims at delivering an overarching approach to make the 

development  and utilization  of  new/upgraded  methods  for planning  at 
sea. 

➔  Development  and  application  of  decision  tools  for  prioritization  of 
conservation  and  restoration  sites  within  planning  will  be  at  a  larger 
scale  than  today,  considering  the  linkages  between  environmental, 
economic  and  social  elements  and  identifying  the  potential  risks  of 
adverse effects for biodiversity.  

➔  Environmental (and social) aspects will be increasingly considered in all 
methods  for  preserving  space  for  the  future  uses  of  the  seas  and 
addressing the needs of future generations, for aligning climate change 
mitigation  with  the  biodiversity  strategy  targets,  and  other  urgent 
challenges  at  sea.  For  example,  within  the  planning  sites,  spatial 
distribution of EBA-metrics will need to be produced at adequate spatial 
scales  to  quantitatively  assess  dispersal  and  movement  corridors  of 
different life stages (i.e., structural and functional connectivity) as well 
as spatial conservation and restoration of biodiversity. 

o  Through innovative approaches for engaging stakeholders (beyond the 
traditional  avenues),  planners  should  engage  various  groups  of 
stakeholders  in  climate-smart  technology  development,  selection, 
deployment  and  upscaling  of  technologies,  and  to  advance  particular 
climate-smart  technology  options  for  MSP  at  the  national  or  sectoral 
level. Mobilizing technology champions can for example include private 
sector  actors, 
including  startups  and  small  and  medium-sized 
enterprises (for developing technologies and providing related services, 
building capacity for technology implementation), youth (for identifying 
priorities  and  suitable  technologies,  implementing  technologies),  non-
governmental/civil society organizations (for researching, implementing, 
facilitating,  monitoring  and  evaluating  climate-smart  technologies, 
facilitating  communication  among  multiple  stakeholders,  promoting 
appropriate technologies), etc. 

o  A  comprehensive  base  for  supporting  decision-making  for  planning, 
management and protection of the seas will be increasingly through the 
use of information for improved blue economy statistics that will enable 
assessment of how complex interactions may affect the integration of 
ecological and socio-economic objectives in planning.     

o  Adaptive approaches will allow for adjustment of the current methods for 
planning  focused  on  the  short-term  (to  medium-term)  perspective,  to 
methods for capturing medium- and long-term forecasting of changes at 
the sea. Adaptive management tools will be able to continuously evolve 
planning methods, to assist environmental assessments and cumulative 
impact assessments to include suitable long-term scenarios. 

75 

 
 
 
 
implementation of shared use of space within wind farms economically viable with a 
positive effect on the ecosystem.   

o 

Improvements in planning of the climate-smart emerging sectors to take 
place  through  more  inclusive  involvement  of  stakeholders  who  can 
stimulate enabling technologies for lessening risks from climate change, 
biodiversity loss and other environmental issues. 

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Future uses/needs of the seas: Integration of climate-smart trends and new technologies in 
maritime spatial planning 

Complementarity of climate-smart actions and technologies in plans 

Among Member States, climate mitigation actions are most prioritised for trends 
and technology needs, and as such are well documented in national maritime 
spatial planning and national planning cycles, while adaptation actions to 
reduce vulnerability, bolster resilience and enhance adaptive capacity are less 
widespread in national MSPs, being included largely in other national and 
subnational/sectoral plans. Despite the expanding landscape of mitigation and 
adaptation technologies, there are still urgent and growing technology related 
needs that must be met for these technologies to fulfil their potential for 
planning low carbon pathways and reducing vulnerability.  

Focusing on either mitigation or adaptation in maritime planning as a point of 
entry for climate action can lead to competition for space and resources 
between mitigation and adaptation. In contrast to prioritisation of climate actions 
in complementarity, planning in the future might be considered as synergic 
approach focused on the optimal mix of mitigation and adaptation actions and 
technologies in a functionally sustainable planning system. It is particularly 
important in view of enhancing positive synergies between mitigation, 
adaptation, and sustainable development while minimising potential trade-offs 
between them. 

The plans also address less the specific linkages between mitigation and 
adaptation actions, mainly in the form of potential mitigation co-benefits 
resulting from adaptation actions and vice versa, which would feed into planning 
to drive climate-smart innovation in emerging sectors at sea. For example, 
countries planning mitigation options that deliver potential adaptation co-
benefits in the energy sector, and adaptation options that deliver potential co-
benefits for mitigation, would result in mitigation with adaptation actions’ co-
benefits, such as socio-economic benefits - job creation, and improved 
electricity access and security. Thus, it is vital to integrate mitigation action 
planning into long-term adaptation plans to enhance resilience with 
technological innovations. 

Furthermore, applying adaptive management to continuously evolve planning 
(as new data and information become available) will be required for spatial 
management in view of the ongoing technological advances in emerging 
sectors that are inevitable for the planning of the future uses of seas and 
oceans. 

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Future uses/needs of the seas: Integration of climate-smart trends and new technologies in 
maritime spatial planning 

6.  CONCLUSIONS 

Understanding the evolving landscape of national maritime plans and how 
climate actions, trends and technologies are considered in them, is important for 
mainstreaming and the uptake of emerging sectors into climate-smart planning. 
Based on the assessment done in this study of the latest national plans and at 
sea-basin level, key considerations and recommendations for the integration of 
climate trends and climate-smart technologies are identified for planners/MSP 
practitioners as outcomes:    

•  The Member States increasingly integrate future climate-smart trends 
and new technologies in their national plans and national targets with 
implications for quick development of emerging sectors in all EU sea 
basins, stimulated by the European Green Deal and EU regulatory 
frameworks and strategies, and the NDC obligation under the Paris 
Agreement. The use of climate-smart technologies is, however, currently 
limited to emerging attempts in national MSPs, pilots and projects, while 
accelerated and larger-scale inclusion in the national MSPs is required.    

•  Technological innovation of emerging sectors plays a pivotal role in 
enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of climate mitigation and 
adaptation actions in the marine and coastal areas, and it will play a 
more prominent role in the future in all EU sea basins. These include 
offshore renewable energy with next generation offshore facilities, 
resilient approaches for adaptation, aquaculture and desalination, with a 
string of enabling methods and technologies. The emerging sectors will 
also enhance each other’s technological advances, such as offshore 
wind farms enhancing the advancement of offshore renewable energy 
system planning with the interconnected grid system, hydrogen 
infrastructure and offshore storage technologies for energy; or offshore 
aquaculture and seawater desalinisation (energy supply). The 
regulations are, however, frequently based on old technologies and old 
approaches, making it challenging to implement new technological 
advances.  

•  Adept planning can drive climate-smart innovation at sea to meet climate 
action needs and to facilitate acceleration and scaling up of technology 
transfer for climate change mitigation and adaptation to all Member 
States. Finding suitable areas and enough space to accommodate over 
300 GW of offshore renewable energy and other climate-smart emerging 
sectors, while ensuring they have the minimum impact on the 
environment, requires cautious spatial planning with cutting-edge 
technologies for spatial management solutions. The rapid development 
of new and innovative technologies will provide opportunities to apply 
novel practices and techniques in the service of climate-smart planning 
at sea, and in some cases to improve upon the existing techniques by 
making them more efficient and environmentally sustainable.   

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Future uses/needs of the seas: Integration of climate-smart trends and new technologies in 
maritime spatial planning 

•  MSP can drive climate action with new technologies, and it is expected 
that climate-smart emerging sectors will have considerable implications 
for the stimulation of advances and the efficiency of the spatial planning 
frameworks. For example, technologies can offer a way to address 
challenges related to restricted space and climate change impacts, as 
well as providing opportunities for synergies between different emerging 
(and established) sectors. As such, pushing innovation into spatial co-
location of technologies aims to make best use of the physical space 
available at sea. Knowledge about spatial provisions and targets in MSP 
as well as integrated development of emerging sectors (today they 
largely grow in a sectoral way) are critical to the effort of space 
optimalisation at sea in national and also transboundary settings, e.g., for 
sea-basin integrated energy system planning.  

•  Large-scale application of climate-smart technologies in a holistic and 
coherent way will necessitate potential adjustments in MSP in order to 
accommodate the infrastructure and spatial requirements of the 
emerging sectors while balancing environmental concerns. Rapidly 
growing demand and long lead times of new technologies require timely 
planning today. Technologies, such as multi-use platforms at sea, 
advanced and new generation numerical models, technologies 
supporting evidence-based assessments, will require more detailed high-
quality data and advances in data integration in order to improve 
information at various temporal and spatial scales and to develop all-
inclusive and integrated spatial plans, assuring interoperability for cross-
sectoral collaboration. 

•  Current national MSPs focus on either climate mitigation or adaptation as 
a point of entry for climate action with mitigation actions mostly prioritised 
for trends and technology needs, while adaptation actions are less 
widespread in national MSPs, being included mainly in other 
national/subnational plans. The MSPs also address less the specific 
linkages between mitigation and adaptation actions, while co-benefits of 
mitigation with adaptation actions could be, for example, socio-economic 
benefits. Both climate mitigation and adaptation emerging sectors will 
claim space and their priorities, needs and uptake of technologies are 
equally important for mainstreaming into spatial planning. Thus, it is 
important to integrate evidence-based climate mitigation and adaptation 
actions in national MSPs, supported by national climate mitigation and 
long-term adaptation plans. 

• 

In addition to existing technologies, there are also needs to develop new 
technologies, including new products, processes and services, such as 
capacity-building with training in climate-smart techniques. To enable 
cross-sectoral leveraged input into whole system planning for spatial 
management of emerging sectors, it is important to address the disparate 
level of digitalisation by sectors; required standards and standardisation 
with best practices; limited understanding of the interaction between 
spatial complexities by sectors; considerations for economic, 
environmental and social constraints; a lack of understanding of the 

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Future uses/needs of the seas: Integration of climate-smart trends and new technologies in 
maritime spatial planning 

effects of climate change on managed systems; participatory processes 
and capacity building for climate-smart planning with adaptive 
management, as well as short-term decision-making with a long-term 
perspective for the development of climate-smart emerging sectors.  

The study shows that it is necessary that the links between spatial planning and 
the advances of ocean/sea-based technologies for climate actions are 
continuously strengthened. To enhance the coherence and impact of climate-
smart technologies in maritime planning, the study offers the following 
recommendations based on the above analysis, from the planning perspective:  

➔  Being cognizant of the links between maritime spatial planning and the 
advances of sea-based technologies for climate actions in order to 
enhance understanding of future prospects of spatial claims and the 
interaction between spatial complexities for the optimum sustainable 
development of all emerging sectors 

➔  Working towards cross-sectoral leveraged input into system planning for 
spatial management with an enabling environment that is conducive to 
the application of emerging sectors, including appropriate policy and 
regulatory frameworks, accrued digitalisation, standards and 
standardization  

➔  Taking a holistic approach to climate-smart technologies in timely 

planning that incorporates emerging sectors in tandem (e.g., OWF-grid 
system-hydrogen production/storage-CCS, and their respective plans) to 
fulfil their potential for delivering efficient and effective climate actions  

➔  Ensuring that climate mitigation and adaptation trends, actions and 
technologies are integrated into MSP, supported by national climate 
mitigation and adaptation plans, to enhance positive synergies between 
climate actions and sustainable development while minimizing potential 
trade-offs 

➔  Taking advantage of emerging frontier technologies for planning (e.g., 
Digital Twin of the Ocean) alongside established technologies to 
reinforce informed and evidence-based spatial management as well as 
better understanding of future conditions for consideration in current 
planning 

➔  Applying adaptive planning to integrate climate change trends and allow 
for update of climate technologies to stimulate transformation to climate-
smart MSP and effective processes to explore synergies and trade-offs 
between climate actions, resulting in synergistic approaches in planning 

➔  Considering the need for climate-smart technology transfer and capacity-
building to facilitate the uptake of novel practices and techniques in the 
service of climate-smart planning, particularly in the transboundary and 
sea basins settings for more efficient and sustainable development in the 
EU   

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maritime spatial planning 

To help Member States meet these needs, encapsulate the knowledge on 
related good practices and take advantage of the opportunities identified for 
integration of future climate-smart trends and technologies in MSP as presented 
in this document, in particular Chapter 4 ‘Key considerations of climate-smart 
emerging sectors’. Further, this study built on the European MSP Platform’s 
technical background study from 2023 ‘Review on how to preserve space for 
the future uses of the seas: what methods can we apply to address the needs of 
future generations?’, (129) where broader considerations can be found regarding 
preserving space for future uses of the seas across sectors and sea basins, 
based on indications of future maritime growth, existing methods, and the 
projected increase in risks to marine areas from climate change, biodiversity 
loss and other environmental issues. 

(129)  European  Commission,  European  Climate,  Infrastructure  and  Environment  Executive  Agency  - 
Enet, P., 2023 (Studies & articles) 

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maritime spatial planning 

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Green Deal Component of the EU MSP Plans. Deliverable report D2.1. 
https://mspgreen.eu/results/   

O’Leary, B. & al (2023). Embracing Nature-based Solutions to promote resilient 
marine and coastal ecosystems. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nbsj.2022.100044  

PIANC (2020). Climate Change Adaptation Planning for Ports and Inland 
Waterways. https://www.pianc.org/publication/climate-change-adaptation-
planning-for-ports-and-inland-waterways-2/  

Queirós, A. & al. (2021). Bright spots as climate-smart marine spatial planning 
tools for conservation and blue growth. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15827  

Regina-MSP - Ramieri, E., Bocci, M. & al (2024). Regional analysis report: 
results of the analysis of strategies and plans available at the regional level. 
https://www.regina-msp.eu/  

Seddon, N. & al (2020). Understanding the value and limits of nature-based 
solutions to climate change and other global challenges. 
https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2019.0120  

Steenbeek, J. & al. (2021).  Making spatial-temporal marine ecosystem 
modelling better – A perspective.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2021.105209  

UN Global Compact (2024). Net-Positive Biodiversity in Offshore Renewable 
Energy: Minimum Criteria and Recommendations for Action’. 
https://unglobalcompact.org/library/6197   

UN Global Compact (2023). Enabling Data and Knowledge Sharing in the 
Marine Space: The Role of Offshore Renewable Energy. 
https://unglobalcompact.org/library/6155  

UN Global Compact (2021). Roadmap to Integrate Offshore Renewable Energy 
into Climate-Smart Marine Spatial Planning. 
https://unglobalcompact.org/library/5977  

UN Global Compact (2021). Blueprint for a Climate-Smart Ocean to Meet 1.5*C. 
https://unglobalcompact.org/library/5968  

UNESCO-IOC. 2021. MSPglobal Policy Brief: Climate Change and Marine 
Spatial Planning. Paris, UNESCO. 
https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000375721  

Venegas‐Li, R., Levin, N., Possingham, H., Kark, S. (2018). 3D spatial 
conservation prioritisation: accounting for depth in marine environments. 
Methods Ecol. Evol., 9 (3), pp. 773-784, https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-
210X.12896   

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maritime spatial planning 

Werner, S. & al. (2013). Rapid prioritization of marine ecosystem services and 
ecosystem indicators. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2014.03.020 

Zhang, M. & al. (2024) Conceptual design of an offshore hydrogen platform, 
International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2024.02.077  

7.2.  Websites 

Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (2023). Surface mineral 
extraction (webpage). https://www.noordzeeloket.nl/en/functions-and-
use/artikel-baseline/  

eMSP-NBSR (2024). Homepage (webpage). https://www.emspproject.eu/ 

European Marine Observation and Data Network – EMODnet (2024). Human 
Activities Data (webpage). https://emodnet.ec.europa.eu/en/human-activities  

EU Blue Economy Observatory (2020). Desalinisation (webpage). https://blue-
economy-observatory.ec.europa.eu/eu-blue-economy-
sectors/desalination_en?prefLang=lv  

European Commission (2024). European Digital Twin of the Ocean (European 
DTO) (webpage). https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-
opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe/eu-missions-
horizon-europe/restore-our-ocean-and-waters/european-digital-twin-ocean-
european-dto_en  

European Commission (2023). The European Green Deal (webpage). 
https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-
2024/european-green-deal_en   

European Commission Digital Observatory for Protected Areas (2023). EU 
Biodiversity Strategy Dashboard (website). 
https://dopa.jrc.ec.europa.eu/kcbd/EUBDS2030-dashboard/?version=1  

European Commission Directorate General for Energy (2023). Non-binding 
agreement on goals for offshore renewable generation in 2050 with 
intermediate steps in 2040 and 2030 for priority offshore grid corridor. 
https://energy.ec.europa.eu/news/member-states-agree-new-ambition-
expanding-offshore-renewable-energy-2023-01-19_en  

European Commission Directorate General for Structural Reform Support 
(2023). Developing a National Coastal Protection Strategy for the Maltese 

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maritime spatial planning 

Islands (webpage). https://reform-support.ec.europa.eu/what-we-do/green-
transition/coastal-protection-strategy-malta_en   

European Commission – Joint Research Centre (2024). CO2 transport 
infrastructure: key to achieving climate neutrality by 2050 (webpage). 
https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/jrc-news-and-updates/co2-transport-
infrastructure-key-achieving-climate-neutrality-2050-2024-02-06_en 

European MSP Platform (2024a). Homepage (webpage). https://maritime-
spatial-planning.ec.europa.eu/  

European MSP Platform (2024b). Developing a National Coastal Protection 
Strategy for the Maltese Islands (webpage). https://maritime-spatial-
planning.ec.europa.eu/news/developing-national-coastal-protection-strategy-
maltese-islands   

European MSP Platform (2024b). Countries (webpage). https://maritime-spatial-
planning.ec.europa.eu/msp-practice/countries  

European MSP Platform (2023). Co-existence and multi-use of activities 
(webpage). https://maritime-spatial-planning.ec.europa.eu/msp-resources/co-
existence-and-multi-use-activities   

French Ministry for Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion (2024). 
Offshore wind (webpage). https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/eolien-en-mer-0  

MSP-GREEN (2024). Homepage (webpage). https://mspgreen.eu/  

OSPAR (2023). Carbon capture and storage (webpage). 
https://www.ospar.org/work-areas/oic/carbon-capture-and-storage  

TGS (2024). Global Offshore Wind Farm Database And Intelligence (webpage). 
https://www.4coffshore.com/windfarms/  

Wind Europe (2024). Interactive data & maps (webpage). 
https://windeurope.org/intelligence-platform/interactive-data-and-maps/  

7.3.  EU Strategies & Policy 

European Commission (2023). Communication from the Commission to the 
European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social 
Committee and the Committee of the Regions – Delivering on the EU offshore 
renewable energy ambitions (COM/2023/668). https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-
content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52023DC0668&qid=1702455230867  

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maritime spatial planning 

European Commission (2022a). Communication from the Commission to the 
European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social 
Committee and the Committee of the Regions – Towards a Strong and 
Sustainable EU Algae Sector (COM/2022/592). https://oceans-and-
fisheries.ec.europa.eu/publications/communication-commission-towards-strong-
and-sustainable-eu-algae-sector_en  

European Commission (2022b). Proposal for a Regulation of the European 
Parliament and of the Council on Nature Restoration (COM/2022/304). 
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52022PC0304  

European Commission (2022c). Communication from the Commission to the 
European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social 
Committee and the Committee of the Regions – REPowerEU Plan. https://eur-
lex.europa.eu/legal-
content/EN/TXT/?uri=COM%3A2022%3A230%3AFIN&qid=1653033742483  

European Commission (2021a). Communication from the Commission to the 
European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social 
Committee and the Committee of the Regions on a new approach for a 
sustainable blue economy in the EU Transforming the EU's Blue Economy for a 
Sustainable Future (COM/2021/240). https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-
content/EN/TXT/?uri=COM%3A2021%3A240%3AFIN  

European Commission (2021b). Communication from the Commission to the 
European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social 
Committee and the Committee of the Regions - Strategic guidelines for a more 
sustainable and competitive EU aquaculture for the period 2021 to 2030 
(COM/2021/236). https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-
content/EN/TXT/?uri=COM:2021:236:FIN  

European Commission (2021c). Communication from the Commission to the 
European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social 
Committee and the Committee of the Regions – Forging a climate-resilient 
Europe - the new EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change 
(COM/2021/82). https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-
content/EN/TXT/?uri=COM:2021:82:FIN  

European Commission (2020a). Communication from the Commission to the 
European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social 
Committee and the Committee of the Regions – An EU Strategy to harness the 
potential of offshore renewable energy for a climate neutral future 
(COM/2020/741). https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-
say/initiatives/12517-Offshore-renewable-energy-strategy_en  

European Commission (2020b). Communication from the Commission to the 
European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social 

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maritime spatial planning 

Committee and the Committee of the Regions – EU Biodiversity Strategy for 
2030 (COM/2020/380). https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-
content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A52020DC0380  

European Commission (2020c). Communication from the Commission to the 
European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social 
Committee and the Committee of the Regions – A hydrogen strategy for a 
climate-neutral Europe (COM/2020/301). https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-
content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52020DC0301  

European Commission (2019). Communication from the Commission to the 
European Parliament, the European Council, the Council, the European 
Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - The 
European Green Deal (COM/2019/ 640). https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-
content/EN/TXT/?qid=1596443911913&uri=CELEX:52019DC0640#document2  

European Commission (2013). Communication from the Commission to the 
European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social 
Committee and the Committee of the Regions – Green Infrastructure (GI) — 
Enhancing Europe’s Natural Capital (COM/2013/0249). https://eur-
lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A52013DC0249  

European Parliament and Council of the European Union (2023). Joint 
Communication to the European Parliament and the Council on the update of 
the EU Maritime Security Strategy and its Action Plan "An enhanced EU 
Maritime Security Strategy for evolving maritime threats" (JOIN/2023/8). 
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52023JC0008  

European Parliament and Council of the European Union (2021). Regulation 
(EU) 2021/1119 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 June 2021 
establishing the framework for achieving climate neutrality and amending 
Regulations (EC) No 401/2009 and (EU) 2018/1999 (‘European Climate Law’). 
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A32021R1119  

European Parliament and Council of the European Union (2018a). Directive 
(EU) 2018/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 
2018 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources. https://eur-
lex.europa.eu/legal-
content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv:OJ.L_.2018.328.01.0082.01.ENG&toc=OJ:L:2018:
328:TOC  

European Parliament and Council of the European Union (2018b). Regulation 
(EU) 2018/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 
2018 on the Governance of the Energy Union and Climate Action. https://eur-
lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2018/1999/oj  

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maritime spatial planning 

European Parliament and Council of the European Union (2014). Directive 
2014/89/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 2014 
establishing a framework for maritime spatial planning. https://eur-
lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A32014L0089   

European Parliament and Council of the European Union (2008). Directive 
2008/56/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 June 2008 
establishing a framework for community action in the field of marine 
environmental policy (Marine Strategy Framework Directive). https://eur-
lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32008L0056  

European Parliament and Council of the European Union (2007). Directive 
2007/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2007 
on the assessment and management of flood risks. https://eur-
lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32007L0060  

European Parliament and Council of the European Union (2002). 
Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 
2002 concerning the implementation of Integrated Coastal Zone Management in 
Europe. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-
content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32002H0413  

Greater North Sea Basin Initiative (2023). Ministerial conclusions. 
https://maritime-spatial-planning.ec.europa.eu/media/document/15065   

NSEC (2023). Ostend Declaration on the North Sea as Europe's Green Power 
Plant. https://www.government.nl/documents/diplomatic-
statements/2023/04/24/ostend-declaration-on-the-north-sea-as-europes-green-
power-plant  

NSEC (2022a). The Esbjerg Offshore Wind Declaration. 
https://windeurope.org/wp-content/uploads/files/policy/position-papers/the-
esbjerg-declaration-north-sea-as-green-power-plant-of-europe.pdf  

NSEC (2022b). Joint Statement on the North Seas Energy Cooperation. 
https://circabc.europa.eu/ui/group/9198696f-e42c-4a88-b4f1-
7a1788eb9b7c/library/082173b4-8d19-4c4b-aaa4-7612daf879c0/details 

The Baltic Sea Energy Security Summit (2022). The Declaration of Energy 
Ministers. https://www.regeringen.dk/media/11544/the-marienborg-declaration-
_300822.pdf  

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7.4.  MSP documents & National plans 

Belgian Federal Public Service Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment 
(2020). Royal decree establishing the marine spatial plan for the period 2020 to 
2026 in the maritime areas under the Belgian jurisdiction. 
https://www.health.belgium.be/en/marine-spatial-plan  

Bulgarian Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works (2023). Marine 
Spatial Plan of the Republic of Bulgaria. https://www.mrrb.bg/bg/okonchatelen-
variant-na-morski-prostranstven-plan-na-republika-bulgariya/  

Cypriot Shipping Deputy Ministry (2023). The National Maritime Spatial Plan. 
https://www.dms.gov.cy/dms/shipping.nsf/all/FCD4E14C14CC2F05C22588BF0
01F29AA?opendocument  

Danish Maritme Authority – DMA (2021). Denmark's maritime spatial plan. 
https://havplan.dk/en/page/info  

Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (2022). North Sea 
Programme. https://www.noordzeeloket.nl/publish/pages/201299/north-sea-
programme-2022-2027.pdf  

Estonian Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture (2022). The Estonian 
Maritime Spatial Plan. https://www.agri.ee/en/maritime-spatial-planning  

Finnish Ministry of the Environment (2020). Maritime Spatial Plan for Finland 
2030. https://meriskenaariot.info/merialuesuunnitelma/en/merialuesuunnitelma-
english/  

French Ministry of Economy, Finances and Industrial Sovereignty and Digital 
Technologies (2024a). Map of proposals for Osffhore Wind in Bretagne – Pays 
de la Loire. https://www.debatpublic.fr/sites/default/files/2024-03/Carte-de-
propositions-de-l-Etat-zones-propices-eolien-en-mer-Bretagne–Pays-de-la-
Loire.pdf  

French Ministry of Economy, Finances and Industrial Sovereignty and Digital 
Technologies (2024b). Map of proposals for Osffhore Wind in Nouvelle 
Aquitaine. https://www.debatpublic.fr/sites/default/files/2023-12/Cartes-de-
propositions-de-l-Etat-zones-propices-eolien-en-mer-Nouvelle-Aquitaine.pdf    

French Ministry of Economy, Finances and Industrial Sovereignty and Digital 
Technologies (2024c). Map of proposals for Osffhore Wind in Normandie – 
Hauts de France https://www.debatpublic.fr/sites/default/files/2024-03/Cartes-
de-propositions-de-l-Etat-zones-propices-eolien-en-mer-Normandie-Hauts-de-
France-07032024.pdf   

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French Ministry of Economy, Finances and Industrial Sovereignty and Digital 
Technologies (2024d). Map of proposals for Osffhore Wind in Mediterranean. 
https://www.debatpublic.fr/sites/default/files/2023-12/Cartes-
de%20propositions-de-l-Etat-zones-propices-eolien-en-mer-Mediterranee.pdf  

French Secrétariat d’Etat chargé de la mer et de la biodiversité (2017). 
Stratégie Nationale Mer et Littoral. https://www.mer.gouv.fr/strategie-nationale-
pour-la-mer-et-le-littoral-une-v2-en-cours-delaboration  

German Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency - BSH (2023). Spatial 
Planning in the German Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Supporting Document 
to the Maritime Spatial Plan for the EEZ 2021. 
https://www.bsh.de/EN/TOPICS/Offshore/Maritime_spatial_planning/Maritime_
Spatial_Plans_2009/maritime-spatial-plans-
2009.html;jsessionid=4DB63D58C55ECD3AE4EBCB69FE8F1BDC.live21322?
nn=2617906%20  

Irish Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage – DHLGH (2021). 
National Marine Planning Framework https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/60e57-
national-marine-planning-framework/  

Latvian Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development, 
Spatial Planning Department - MoEPRD (2019). The Maritime Spatial Plan for 
the Marine Inland Waters, Territorial Sea and Exclusive Economic Zone Waters 
of the Republic of Latvia. 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mKigVjv6N03cjgPkwR5RSItcQezsn5zY/view  

Lithuanian Ministry of the Environment: Construction and Territorial Planning 
Policy Group (2021). Comprehensive Plan of the Territory of the Republic of 
Lithuania. https://www.bendrasisplanas.lt/2019/12/13/en/#%20  

Maltese Planning Authority – PA (2016). Strategic Plan for the Environment and 
Development. https://www.pa.org.mt/en/strategic-plan-
details/strategic%20plan%20for%20the%20environment%20and%20developm
ent  

Polish Council of Minsiters (2021). Regulation on the adoption of the spatial 
development plan for internal marine waters, the territorial sea and the 
exclusive economic zone. https://dziennikustaw.gov.pl/DU/2021/935  

Portuguese Ministry of the Sea (2019). National Maritime Spatial Planning 
Situation Plan (PSOEM). https://www.psoem.pt/  

Republic of Slovenia – Ministry of Economic Development and Technology 
(2017). Strategy for the Sustainable Growth of Slovenian Tourism for 2017-
2021. https://www.slovenia.info/uploads/publikacije/the_2017-

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maritime spatial planning 

2021_strategy_for_the_sustainable_growth_of_slovenian_tourism_eng_web.pd
f  

Republica Portugesa (2021). Ocean Strategy 2021-2030. 
https://www.dgpm.mm.gov.pt/_files/ugd/eb00d2_b2cf9034fcc84867be8d08d694
35c3bc.pdf  

Romanian Ministry of Public Works, Development and Administration – 
MPWDA (2023). Government Ordonnance on Maritime Spatial Planning. 
https://maritime-spatial-planning.ec.europa.eu/media/document/15024  

Slovenian Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning; Spatial Planning, 
Construction and Housing Directorate (2021). Slovenian Maritime Splatial 
Planning. https://dokumenti-
pis.mop.gov.si/javno/veljavni/PPP2192/1/English/MSP_Slovenia.pdf  

Spanish Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge – 
MITECO (2023). Royal Decree 150/2023, of February 28, which approves the 
maritime space management plans of the five Spanish marine demarcations. 
https://www.boe.es/eli/es/rd/2023/02/28/150  

Spanish Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge – 
MITECO (2022). Roadmap Offshore Wind and Marine Energy in Spain. 
https://www.miteco.gob.es/content/dam/miteco/es/ministerio/planes-
estrategias/desarrollo-eolica-marina-energias/enhreolicamarina-
pdf_accesible_tcm30-538999.pdf 

Swedish Minstry of Climate and Enterprise (2022). Marine Spatial Plan. 
https://www.havochvatten.se/en/eu-and-international/marine-spatial-
planning/marine-spatial-plans.html  

7.5.  Projects 

•  ADRIPLAN - ADRiatic Ionian maritime spatial PLANning: 

https://maritime-spatial-planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/adriatic-ionian-
maritime-spatial-planning  

•  Alianza NetZeroMar: https://netzeromar.org/who-we-are/?lang=en  

•  AMPMED - Areas Marinas Protegidas del Mediterráneo: https://maritime-

spatial-planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/ampamed-areas-marinas-
protegidas-del-mediterraneo  

•  ANEMONE - Advanced next generation Mobile Open Network: 

http://www.anemoneproject.eu/  

•  AQUA-LIT: https://cinea.ec.europa.eu/featured-projects/aqua-lit_en  

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•  AQUAFIMA - Integrating Aquaculture and Fisheries Management 

towards a sustainable regional development in the Baltic Sea Region: 
https://keep.eu/projects/1854/AQUAFIMA-Integrating-Aquacul-EN/  

•  AquaVIP - Aquaculture virtual career development platform for the South 

Baltic region: https://southbaltic.eu/-/aquavip  

•  BALANCE - Baltic Sea Management - Nature Conservation and 

Sustainable Development of the Ecosystem through Spatial Planning: 
https://maritime-spatial-planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/baltic-sea-
management-nature-conservation-and-sustainable-development-
ecosystem  

•  BaltCoast - Integrated Coastal Zone Management in the Baltic Sea 

Region: https://maritime-spatial-
planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/integrated-coastal-zone-management-
baltic-sea-region  

•  Baltic Blue Growth: https://interreg-baltic.eu/project/baltic-blue-growth/  

•  Baltic InteGrid - Integrated Baltic Offshore Wind Electricity Grid 
Development: https://interreg-baltic.eu/project/baltic-integrid/  

•  BOWE2H - Baltic Offshore Wind Energy to Hydrogen: 

https://www.offshore-stiftung.de/en/baltic-offshore-wind-energy-
hydrogen-bowe2h  

•  BHC - Baltic Sea Hydrogen Collector: 

https://balticseahydrogencollector.com/  

•  BalticScope - Towards coherence and cross-border solutions in Baltic 

Maritime Spatial Plans: https://maritime-spatial-
planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/towards-coherence-and-cross-border-
solutions-baltic-maritime-spatial-plans  

•  Baltic Sea2Land: https://interreg-baltic.eu/project/balticsea2land/  

•  BalticLines - Coherent Linear Infrastructures in Baltic Maritime Spatial 

Plans: https://maritime-spatial-planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/coherent-
linear-infrastructures-baltic-maritime-spatial-plans  

•  BalticRIM - Baltic Sea Region Integrated Maritime Cultural Heritage 

Management: https://maritime-spatial-
planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/balticrim-baltic-sea-region-integrated-
maritime-cultural-heritage-management  

•  BaltSeaPlan: https://vasab.org/project/baltseaplan/  

•  BALTSPACE - Towards Sustainable Governance of Baltic Marine Space: 

https://maritime-spatial-planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/towards-
sustainable-governance-baltic-marine-space  

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•  BASTOR: https://www.globalccsinstitute.com/resources/publications-

reports-research/ccs-in-the-baltic-sea-region-bastor-2-work-package-2-
knowledge-about-environmental-impact/  

•  BASRECCS: http://basrec.net/ccs-initiative/network/  

•  Beleolico Wind Project: https://renexia.it/en/beleolico-progetti/  

•  BLAST - Bringing Land and Sea Together: https://maritime-spatial-
planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/bringing-land-and-sea-together  

•  Blue Platform: https://interreg-baltic.eu/project/blue-platform/  

•  BONUS BASMATI - Baltic Sea Maritime Spatial Planning for Sustainable 

Ecosystem Services: https://maritime-spatial-
planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/basmati-baltic-sea-maritime-spatial-
planning-sustainable-ecosystem-services  

•  BritNed: https://www.britned.com/   

•  COASTAL-COVER - Developing a National Coastal Protection Strategy 

for the Maltese Islands (MT-COASTAL): https://reform-
support.ec.europa.eu/what-we-do/green-transition/coastal-protection-
strategy-malta_en  

•  C-SCOPE - Combining Sea and Coastal Planning in Europe: 

https://maritime-spatial-planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/combining-sea-
and-coastal-planning-europe  

•  Climate-MATCH ‘Mainstreaming of Climate Adaptation for Horizontal 
Coordination in Malta’ - TSI COMMONCOAST ‘A common coast to 
cherish - Capping Climate Impact’: https://maritime-spatial-
planning.ec.europa.eu/news/developing-national-coastal-protection-
strategy-maltese-islands 

•  Callisto - CArbon LIquefaction transportation and STOrage: 

https://www.snam.it/en/media/news-and-press-releases/comunicati-
stampa/2023/snam-south2-corridor-callisto-co2-pci-eu.html  

•  Capacity4MSP: https://vasab.org/project/capacity4msp/  

•  CBC-Black Sea: https://www.blacksea-cbc.net/  

•  CCS Baltic Consortium project: https://ccs-baltic.eu/  

•  CCUS - Carbon capture, utilisation and storage: 
https://www.strategyccus.eu/about-project/  

•  Celtic Seas Partnership - stakeholder driven integrated management of 

the Celtic Seas Marine Region: https://maritime-spatial-

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maritime spatial planning 

planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/celtic-seas-partnership-stakeholder-
driven-integrated-management-celtic-seas-marine  

•  CoCoNET - Towards COast to COast NETworks of marine protected 

areas: https://maritime-spatial-planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/towards-
coast-coast-networks-marine-protected-areas-shore-high-and-deep-sea-
coupled  

•  COEXIST - Interaction in European coastal waters: A roadmap to 

sustainable integration of aquaculture and fisheries: https://maritime-
spatial-planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/interaction-european-coastal-
waters-roadmap-sustainable-integration-aquaculture-and  

•  COMET - Integrated infrastructure for CO2 transport and storage in the 

west Mediterranean: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/241400  

•  Cork Terminal: https://www.eib.org/en/projects/all/20150383  

•  CorPower C4: https://corpowerocean.com/corpower-oceans-wave-

energy-converter-deployed/  

•  CREAM - Coordinating Research in Support to Application of Ecosystem 
Approach to Fisheries and Management Advice in the Mediterranean 
and Black Seas: https://maritime-spatial-
planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/coordinating-research-support-
application-ecosystem-approach-fisheries-and-management  

•  DemoSATH: https://saitec-offshore.com/en/projects/demosath/  

•  DOORS - Developing Optimal and Open Research Support for the Black 

Sea: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101000518/fr  

•  DORY - Capitalization actions for aDriatic marine envirOnment 

pRotection and ecosYstem based management: https://maritime-spatial-
planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/dory-capitalization-actions-adriatic-
marine-environment-protection-and-ecosystem  

•  DTE-Climate - Competence Center for Climate Change Digital Twin for 

Earth: https://dteclimate.upb.ro/  

•  East-West Window: https://maritime-spatial-

planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/east-west-window  

•  ECOAST - New methodologies for an ecosystem approach to spatial and 
temporal management of fisheries and aquaculture in coastal areas: 
https://maritime-spatial-planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/ecoast-new-
methodologies-ecosystem-approach-spatial-and-temporal-management-
fisheries  

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maritime spatial planning 

•  ECOPRODIGI: https://maritime-spatial-

planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/ecoast-new-methodologies-ecosystem-
approach-spatial-and-temporal-management-fisheries  

•  EFGL: https://info-efgl.fr/  

•  EIPN: https://english.rvo.nl/topics/offshore-wind-energy/new-offshore-

wind-farms  

•  EU-ATLAS- A trans-Atlantic assessment and deep-water ecosystem 
based spatial management plan for Europe: https://maritime-spatial-
planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/eu-atlas-trans-atlantic-assessment-and-
deep-water-ecosystem-based-spatial-management  

•  eMSP NBSR - Emerging ecosystem-based Maritime Spatial Planning 

topics in North and Baltic Seas Region: https://maritime-spatial-
planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/emerging-ecosystem-based-maritime-
spatial-planning-topics-north-and-baltic-seas  

•  Energean: https://www.energean.com/operations/greece/prinos-co2/  

•  EnviSuM - Environmental Impact of Low Emission Shipping: 
Measurements and Modelling Strategies: https://interreg-
baltic.eu/project/envisum/  

•  EolMed: https://eolmed.qair.energy/en/  

•  EXOPRODIGI: https://ecoprodigi.eu/exoprodigi  

•  Future Proof Shipping: https://futureproofshipping.com/  

•  GO LNG – LNG Value Chain for Clean Shipping, Green Ports and Blue 
Growth in Baltic Sea Region: https://interreg-baltic.eu/project/go-lng/  

•  Grass - Growing algae sustainably in the Baltic Sea: https://maritime-

spatial-planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/growing-algae-sustainably-baltic-
sea  

•  GREEN SMALL CRAFT - Green Cruising for High-Speed Small Craft in 

the Baltic Sea: https://interreg-baltic.eu/project/green-small-craft/  

•  H2Heat - Hydrogen to Heat: https://h2-heat.eu/  

•  HYDEA - HYdrogen DEmonstrator for Aviation: 

https://trimis.ec.europa.eu/project/hydrogen-demonstrator-aviation  

•  HORIZON-MISS-2021-OCEAN-04-01 - Lighthouse in the Baltic and the 
North Sea basins - Low impact marine aquaculture and multi-purpose 
use of marine space: https://www.horizon-europe.gouv.fr/sustainable-
carbon-neutral-and-circular-blue-economy-28843  

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maritime spatial planning 

•  HyTrEc2 – Hydrogen transport Economy for the North Sea Region: 

https://northsearegion.eu/hytrec2/  

• 

ICZM/CBC-Black Sea - Improvement of Coastal Zone Management in 
the Black Sea Region: https://maritime-spatial-
planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/improvement-coastal-zone-management-
black-sea-region  

• 

InnoAquaTech: https://submariner-network.eu/innoaquatech/  

•  KTEJO: https://www.dgeg.gov.pt/en/vertical-areas/geology/petroleum-

co2-geological-storage/carbon-dioxide-geological-storage/  

•  Jules Verne - Hydrogen dispenser: 

http://bluegrowthvigo.eu/proyecto/julio-verne-dispensador-de-hidrgeno  

•  JUST4MPA: https://just4mpa.unibuc.ro/  

•  Land Sea Act: https://land-sea.eu/  

•  Life Blue Natura: https://life-bluenatura.eu/en/home/  

•  LOCALITY - Nature-positive aLgae-based fOod, agriCulture, 

AquacuLture and textIle producTs made in North and Baltic Sea 
ecosYstems: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101112884  

•  MAREA - From MARine Ecosystem Accounting to integrated governance 
for sustainable planning of marine and coastal areas: https://maritime-
spatial-planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/marine-ecosystem-accounting-
integrated-governance-sustainable-planning-marine-and  

•  MAREMED - MAritime REgions cooperation for the MEDiterranean: 

https://maritime-spatial-planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/maritime-regions-
cooperation-mediterranean  

•  MARISCA - Maritime Spatial Planning for the protection and 

conservation of the biodiversity in the Aegean Sea: https://maritime-
spatial-planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/marisca-maritime-spatial-
planning-protection-and-conservation-biodiversity-aegean-sea  

•  MARSEA - Development of an integrated framework for marine spatial 

planning in Romania: https://maritime-spatial-
planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/marsea-development-integrated-
framework-marine-spatial-planning-romania  

•  MarSP Project - Macaronesian Maritime Spatial Planning: 

https://maritime-spatial-planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/marsp-project-
macaronesian-maritime-spatial-planning  

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maritime spatial planning 

•  MARSPLAN-BS - Cross-Border MARitime Spatial PLANning in the Black 

Sea: https://maritime-spatial-planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/cross-
border-maritime-spatial-planning-black-sea  

•  MARSPLAN-BS-II - Cross-border Maritime Spatial Planning for Black 

Sea, Bulgaria and Romania: https://maritime-spatial-
planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/cross-border-maritime-spatial-planning-
black-sea-bulgaria-and-romania  

•  Med-Iamer - Integrated Actions to Mitigate Environmental Risks in the 

Mediterranean Sea: https://maritime-spatial-
planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/med-iamer-integrated-actions-mitigate-
environmental-risks-mediterranean-sea  

•  MedAID - Mediterranean Aquaculture Integrated Development: 

https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/727315  

•  MEDAQUA - Examining the Opportunities for Multiuse Activities in the 

Mediterranean Sea: Aquaculture and Renewable Energies: 
https://www.copernicus-user-uptake.eu/user-uptake/details/examining-
the-opportunities-for-multiuse-activities-in-the-mediterranean-sea-
aquaculture-and-renewable-energies-medaqua-333  

•  MEDTRENDS - Future Trends in the Mediterranean Sea: 

https://maritime-spatial-planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/medtrends-future-
trends-mediterranean-sea  

•  MESMA - Evaluation of Spatially Managed Areas: do it yourself: 

https://maritime-spatial-planning.ec.europa.eu/practices/evaluation-
spatially-managed-areas-do-it-yourself  

•  MISIS - MSFD Guiding Improvements in the Black Sea Integrated 

Monitoring System: https://maritime-spatial-
planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/msfd-guiding-improvements-black-sea-
integrated-monitoring-system  

•  MPA-ADAPT - Preparing the Mediterranean region for the impacts of 

climate change: 
https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/projects/spain/mpa-adapt-
preparing-the-mediterranean-region-for-the-impacts-of-climate-change  

•  MSP MED – Paving the Road to MSP in the Mediterranean: 

https://maritime-spatial-planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/msp-med-paving-
road-msp-mediterranean  

•  MSP4Bio: http://ccms.bg/en/our-projects/378-msp4bio  

•  MSP Green: https://mspgreen.eu/   

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maritime spatial planning 

•  MSP-OR - Advancing Maritime Spatial Planning in Outermost Regions: 
https://maritime-spatial-planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/advancing-
maritime-spatial-planning-outermost-regions-msp-or#overlay-context=  

•  NGT - Noordgastransport: https://noordgastransport.nl/hydrogen/  

•  NOGAT - Northern Offshore Gas Transport: 

https://noordgastransport.nl/north-sea-pipelines-nogat-and-ngt-first-to-
receive-certificate-of-fitness-for-transporting-green-hydrogen-at-sea/  

•  NordLink: https://www.tennet.eu/projects/nordlink  

•  North Sea Aquaculture: https://www.bluecluster.be/projects/north-sea-

aquaculture  

•  North Sea Link: https://www.northsealink.com/  

•  North Sea Wind Power Hub: https://northseawindpowerhub.eu/  

•  NorthSEE - A North Sea Perspective on Shipping, Energy and 

Environment Aspects in MSP: https://maritime-spatial-
planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/north-sea-perspective-shipping-energy-
and-environment-aspects-msp  

•  Ocean Grazer: https://oceangrazer.com/  

•  Ørsted Kalundborg Hub: https://balticwind.eu/orsted-awarded-contract-

will-capture-and-store-430000-tonnes-of-biogenic-co2/  

•  Pan Baltic Scope: http://www.panbalticscope.eu/  

•  PANACEA - Streamlining management efforts in Protected Areas for an 
enhanced Protection in the Mediterranean Sea: https://maritime-spatial-
planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/panacea-streamlining-management-
efforts-protected-areas-enhanced-protection  

•  PartiSEApate - Multi-Level Governance in MSP throughout the Baltic 

Sea Region: https://maritime-spatial-
planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/multi-level-governance-msp-throughout-
baltic-sea-region  

•  PEGASO - People for Ecosystem-based Governance in Assessing 

Sustainable development of Ocean and coast: https://maritime-spatial-
planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/people-ecosystem-based-governance-
assessing-sustainable-development-ocean-and-coast  

•  PerformFISH: https://performfish.eu/  

•  PERSEUS – Policy-oriented marine Environment Research in the 

Southern European Seas: http://www.perseus-net.eu/site/content.php  

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maritime spatial planning 

•  PISCES - Partnerships Involving Stakeholders in the Celtic Sea 

Ecosystem: https://maritime-spatial-
planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/partnerships-involving-stakeholders-
celtic-sea-ecosystem  

•  Plan4Blue - Maritime Spatial Planning for Sustainable Blue Economies: 

https://maritime-spatial-planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/plan4blue-
maritime-spatial-planning-sustainable-blue-economies  

•  Plan Bothnia: https://maritime-spatial-

planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/plan-bothnia  

•  PlanCoast - Tools and capacities for an effective integrated planning in 
coastal zones and maritime areas in the Baltic, Adriatic and Black Sea 
regions: https://maritime-spatial-planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/tools-
and-capacities-effective-integrated-planning-coastal-zones-and-maritime-
areas  

•  Port of Huelva Hydrogen Center: https://www.iberdrola.com/press-

room/news/detail/we-are-promoting-spains-largest-green-hydrogen-
centre-in-huelva  

•  Port of Vigo Blue Energy Working Group of the Blue Growth: 

http://bluegrowthvigo.eu/en/projects  

•  PORTODIMARE - geoPortal of Tools & Data for sustainable 

Management of coAstal and maRine Environment: https://maritime-
spatial-planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/portodimare-geoportal-tools-data-
sustainable-management-coastal-and-marine  

•  POSBEMED2 - Governance and management of Posidonia beach-dune 

systems across the Mediterranean: 
https://www.eepf.gr/en/project/actions/completed-
projects?view=article&id=2067&catid=48  

•  POSEIDON MED: https://www.adspmao.it/en/development-stategies/eu-

projects/completed-projects/poseidon-med  

•  PPA: https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/contrats-projets-partenarial-

damenagement-et-grandes-operations-durbanisme  

•  Princess Elisabeth Zone energy island: 

https://www.elia.be/en/infrastructure-and-projects/infrastructure-
projects/princess-elisabeth-island  

•  PROTOMEDEA - Towards the establishment of Marine Protected Area 

Networks in the Eastern Mediterranean: https://maritime-spatial-
planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/protomedea-towards-establishment-
marine-protected-area-networks-eastern-mediterranean  

•  Provence Grand Large: https://provencegrandlarge.fr/le-projet/  

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maritime spatial planning 

•  PURE Energy Centre: https://pureenergycentre.com/  

•  Raz Blanchard tidal energy production project: 

https://interregtiger.com/expanding-the-marine-energy-
market/development-sites-and-procurement/le-raz-blanchard/  

•  Ravenna CCS Hub: https://ccushub.ogci.com/focus_hubs/ravenna/  

•  REGINA-MSP: https://www.regina-msp.eu/  

•  ResPonse: https://www.response-project.com/  

•  RouteCCS - Routing Deployment of Carbon Capture, Use and Storage in 
the Baltic Sea Region: https://si.se/en/projects-granted-funding/routeccs-
routing-deployment-of-carbon-capture-use-and-storage-in-the-baltic-sea-
region/  

•  Salicórnia: https://www.offshore-energy.biz/portugal-welcomes-its-first-

fully-electric-ferry/  

•  Saroirse Wave Energy: https://saoirsewaveenergy.com/  

•  Sea Meets Land: https://maritime-spatial-

planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/sea-meets-land  

•  Seanergy 2020 - Delivering Offshore Electricity to the EU: spatial 
planning for offshore renewable energies and electricity grid 
insfrastructures in an integrated EU Maritime Policy: https://maritime-
spatial-planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/delivering-offshore-electricity-eu-
spatial-planning-offshore-renewable-energies-and  

•  Sealhyfe: https://fr.lhyfe.com/presse/lhyfe-dresse-le-bilan-du-projet-
sealhyfe-1er-pilote-de-production-dhydrogene-offshore-au-monde-
objectifs-atteints-et-passage-a-un-niveau-dexcellence-operatoire-inegale/  

•  SEANSE - Strategic Environmental Assessment North Seas Energy: 
https://maritime-spatial-planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/strategic-
environmental-assessment-north-seas-energy-seanse  

•  SEAMEASURES: https://interreg-baltic.eu/project/seameasures/  

•  SEM-REV: https://sem-rev.ec-nantes.fr/  

•  SHAPE - Shaping an Holistic Approach to Protect the Adriatic 
Environment between coast and sea: https://maritime-spatial-
planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/shaping-holistic-approach-protect-
adriatic-environment-between-coast-and-sea  

•  SIMCelt - Supporting Implementation of Maritime Spatial Planning in the 

Celtic Seas: https://maritime-spatial-

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maritime spatial planning 

planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/supporting-implementation-maritime-
spatial-planning-celtic-seas  

•  SIMNORAT - Supporting the Implementation of Maritime Spatial 
Planning in the North Atlantic Region: https://maritime-spatial-
planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/supporting-implementation-maritime-
spatial-planning-north-atlantic-region  

•  SIMWESTMED - Supporting Maritime Spatial Planning in the Western 

Mediterranean region: https://maritime-spatial-
planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/supporting-maritime-spatial-planning-
western-mediterranean-region  

•  SRCSSMBSF - Strengthening the Regional Capacity to Support the 

Sustainable Management of the Black Sea Fisheries: https://maritime-
spatial-planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/strengthening-regional-capacity-
support-sustainable-management-black-sea-fisheries  

•  SUPREME - Supporting Maritime Spatial Planning in the Eastern 

Mediterranean: https://maritime-spatial-
planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/supreme-supporting-maritime-spatial-
planning-eastern-mediterranean  

•  SymNet: https://maritime-spatial-planning.ec.europa.eu/practices/black-

sea-industrial-symbiosis-platform  

•  SwitchMed: https://switchmed.eu/  

•  TEAM4SEAS: https://planificare-maritima.unibuc.ro/  

•  THAL-CHOR 1 - Cross border cooperation for Maritime Spatial Planning 

Development: https://maritime-spatial-
planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/cross-border-cooperation-maritime-
spatial-planning-development  

•  THAL-CHOR 2 - Cross-border Cooperation for Maritime Spatial Planning 
2: https://maritime-spatial-planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/cross-border-
cooperation-maritime-spatial-planning-2  

•  TPEA - Transboundary Planning in the European Atlantic: 

https://maritime-spatial-planning.ec.europa.eu/projects/transboundary-
planning-european-atlantic  

•  ULTFARMS: https://ultfarms.eu/  

•  UNITED - Explore United Project Technology Transfer Training Hub: 

https://www.h2020united.eu/  

•  W2W – Water to Water project: 

https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/873854/en  

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maritime spatial planning 

•  X1 Wind: https://plocan.eu/en/x1-wind-instala-su-plataforma-flotante-en-

el-banco-de-ensayos-de-plocan-2  

•  ZEM Ports NS - Zero Emission Ports North Sea: 

https://northsearegion.eu/zem-ports-ns/ 

104 

 
 
 
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Written by Patrycja Enet (MSP Assistance Mechanism North Sea Focal Point) 
July, 2024