General Figures
- Belgium has a coastline of 98 Km.
- The maritime sector represents 5,6% of employment.
- The maritime sector represents 9.5% of the Gross Domestic Product.
- Belgium is in the 7th position in European total share of Short Sea Shipping of goods (2005).
Maritime Activities
- The Port of Antwerp is the 2nd biggest in the EU in terms of the tonnage of goods handled and the 3rd biggest container port. It is also the 2nd largest port in Short Sea Shipping. Within the Belgian maritime cluster, the Port of Antwerp is the biggest contributor to the Belgian GDP.
- There are four more main sea and inland ports in Belgium - Gent, Oostende, Zeebrugge and Liège. The port of Liège is the 3rd most important inland port in Europe.
- The cost is an attractive destination for tourism and leisure, employing more around 8900 persons.
Employment in maritime activities
| Maritime activity | Jobs |
| Coastal Tourism and recreation | 8 900 |
| Fisheries a) | 1 743 |
| Marine Equipment | 894 |
| Maritime Works | 3 460 |
| Recreational boating | 1 129 |
| Seaports | 1 129 |
| Shipbuilding | 899 |
| Shipping | 3 600 |
| a) Data comprise employment in fishing, fish processing and aquaculture | |
Further Information
http://europa.eu
http://ec.europa.eu/maritimeaffairs
http://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/publications/studiews_reports_en.htm
http://www.europa.eu/comm/eurostat
http://www.eea.europa.eu/
http://www.eurosion.org
http://www.belgium.be
http://www.bnb.be
http://www.vliz.be
http://www.westtoer.be
Source: EU Maritime Policy: Facts and Figures - Belgium, 2008. [To consult the full document]
