LIVORNO – The maritime economy confirms itself as an important engine of development for the provinces of Livorno and Grosseto, with a dynamic business fabric that is growing more than the rest of the local economy, generating wealth and employment. This is what emerged from the 2025 report on the maritime economy by the Maremma – Tirreno Chamber of Commerce, presented this morning in Livorno as part of the initiative organized in collaboration by the CCIAA and the Municipality at the Hangar Creativi. On stage were the mayor, Luca Salvetti, and the president of the Chamber of Commerce, Riccardo Breda, together with the curator of the 2025 report, Raffaella Antonini, an economist from the CCIAA’s Study Center.
The presentation of the report on the blue economy, prepared annually by the Chamber’s Study and Services Center, was an opportunity to delve into the experience of the ‘Biennale del Mare e dell’Acqua – Blu Livorno’, from the first edition last May to future prospects.
During the meeting, the president of the Maremma and Tirreno Chamber of Commerce, Riccardo Breda, underlined the strategic importance of the sector: “the data from our Study Center’s report confirm that the blue economy continues to grow in the provinces of Grosseto and Livorno, creating employment and pushing the territories towards the double transition and innovation.” “As emerged during the Biennale,” Breda added, “the sea in all its meanings can truly become the fulcrum, for the entire Tuscan coast, of a growth that looks to industry, commerce, services, and tourism, with a view to environmental protection and sustainable development. It is necessary to seize all opportunities so that the blue supply chains of our productive fabric are enhanced and to invest in coastal infrastructure.”
The mayor of Livorno, Luca Salvetti, illustrated the experience and future prospects of the first edition of the Sea Biennale. “The vision of the future for the city of Livorno is necessarily anchored to the theme of the sea and water, with which it has had a powerful bond for centuries,” said Salvetti. “This was demonstrated by the first edition of the Biennale del Mare e dell’Acqua, which was able to enhance the city’s beauties immersed in its natural element: the sea. The final balance figures represent a real success from every point of view. 25,000 attendees at the approximately 200 scheduled events, including sea excursions, on the Medici canals and along the Leopoldine aqueducts. 10,000 visitors to the Village at the Terrazza Mascagni, the Benetti Shipyards, the Naval Academy and the seafront markets. With this premise, Livorno as a city of water can play a leading role in Tuscany, Italy, and Europe; the latter, in fact, observed the first edition of the Biennale del Mare e dell’Acqua with great curiosity, appreciated it, and granted its patronage.”
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The presentation of the report on the blue economy, curated by Raffaella Antonini, an economist from the CCIAA’s Study Center, illustrated the numbers and trends of a vital sector. In the provinces of Livorno and Grosseto, the blue economy comprises 6,930 businesses (4,444 in Livorno and 2,486 in Grosseto) and employs 33,519 people (22,952 in Livorno and 10,567 in Grosseto). In 2023, these activities generated an added value of almost 2.5 billion euros. A growing trend: all sector indicators are positive and show growth higher than that recorded by the rest of the economy.
Blue enterprises in the Maremma and Tyrrhenian area increased by 2.4%, compared to a 2.5% decrease in the total number of local enterprises. Blue value added grew by 15.3% and employment by 8.6%, compared to +5.4% and -1.9% respectively for the total economy.
Tourism-related supply chains, such as Accommodation and Food Service and Sports and Recreational Activities, represent the majority of enterprises (55.1% and 17.6% respectively). Regarding the number of enterprises, the growth trend of the fishing supply chain is negative at the local, regional, and national levels. In terms of value added, the most important supply chains are Logistics (cargo and passenger handling), with 837.2 million euros, and Accommodation and Food Service, with 1,081.7 million euros. In Livorno, Logistics alone generates almost 44% of the wealth produced by the Blue Economy and employs one in four workers in the sector.
The report highlights the multiplicative strength of the blue economy: for every euro of value added produced by the maritime economy in Tuscany, another 2.1 euros are activated in the rest of the economy. For the Maremma-Tyrrhenian area, the total value added (produced and activated) amounts to 7.5 billion euros.
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The report from the Research Center is available on the CCIAA website at the address:
