The Blue Economy: a wave of impact for your conference

The world’s fifth-largest economy calls Flanders home

Every conference organiser who keeps pace with the times no longer aims for a milestone only within their own field. To call your conference truly successful, it should also create societal impact. In other words: people beyond your community should feel the benefits. A classic example? The Solvay scientific conference in Brussels laid the groundwork for quantum mechanics. Without that gathering of physicists, there would be no electronics, computers, smartphones or medical imaging today.

From ports and ships to health and… mussels.

Solvay was a century ago, of course. Yet today there are still domains whose reach is hard to overstate. Take the “Blue Economy”. As the name suggests, it includes economic activity around oceans, seas and coasts. But its significance runs far beyond shipping and ports.

The energy of the future is a crucial branch of the Blue Economy. Scientists and entrepreneurs are exploring the potential of offshore wind energy, floating solar panels and power sources such as waves and tides. Even medicine has a maritime edge. In the Flemish coastal city of Ostend — a world centre of the Blue Economy — researchers study the health effects of a seaside walk. Their findings could open the door to new medical applications.

And what about underwater robotics? It serves both the military protection of the coastline and the study of marine fauna and flora. Or pilot food projects, such as cultivating mussels at the base of wind turbines. Those areas are no-go zones for shipping, allowing marine life to flourish.

The 1927 Solvay Conference welcomed household names such as Albert Einstein and Marie Curie.

The ideal conference location? One that’s a study object in its own right

Underwater archaeology is another fascinating outlier of the Blue Economy. It was the focus of a major international conference in Ostend: IKUWA8. The choice of location was no coincidence. The city once formed the easternmost part of the island of Testerep, now partly submerged in the North Sea. In other words: Ostend itself is a living case study in a field where sea-level rise due to climate change is high on the agenda.

As you can see, the Blue Economy brings together a hundred-and-one disciplines. Those connections help your conference’s impact spread quickly and widely. And here’s the good news: in Flanders and its conference cities, you’re playing a home match in this domain. World-renowned knowledge centres are headquartered here, which gives you two strong guarantees for a successful congress: access to leading experts in your field and the attention of an ocean-literate audience. In other words: of people who grasp the immense importance of our oceans, seas and the Blue Economy.

Ostend once stood on an island: Testerep.

Small cities, great experiences

Flemish cities are smaller than, say, London or Paris. That doesn’t make your delegates’ experiences any less impressive. Quite the opposite: the essentials — hotels, great restaurants, remarkable venues and must-see sights — are all within walking distance. Your conference’s ecological footprint shrinks accordingly. That’s no coincidence: sustainability is a core value in Flanders.

In this article, each Flemish conference city puts its best cards on the table. You’ll see straight away: whether you’re drawn to the Blue Economy or to unforgettable delegate experiences, you’re choosing a standout location.

The Solvay Conference welcomed household names such as Albert Einstein and Marie Curie. Would you like your conference to make history too — in your field and for society at large? Then you’re warmly welcome in Flanders.

The world’s fifth-largest economy is blue

The scale of the Blue Economy can hardly be overstated. Around the globe, 600 million people make their living from it. Some 80 percent of all freight moves across the seas. If the oceans were a country, their economy would rank as the fifth-largest in the world.

Want to know more about hosting your Blue Economy conference in Flanders?
Simply click on the city of your choice below.
Each local convention bureau will be delighted to assist you.

Ostend: where the Blue Economy feels at home

Welcome in the North Sea’s living lab. Here VLIZ’s Marine Robotics Centre, offshore wind pioneers, and the still-influential “Ostend Declaration” intersect science, policy, and industry. Read how conferences here leave the auditorium for ships, test sites, and co-creation with local players to spark real change.

Visit Oostende

Antwerp: the city that turns ideas into industry

Here the Blue Economy takes concrete form. In labs where CO₂ becomes raw material, in port zones where hydrogen systems are tested, and in districts where waste turns into new products. Discover how this city connects BlueApp, BlueChem and the NextGen sites into one living chain of sustainable innovation.

Bruges: medieval charm meets maritime innovation

Bruges and Zeebrugge form one seamless ecosystem, from hydrogen plants and offshore wind hubs to historic venues within walking distance. Discover how this unique duo bridges heritage and the Green Economy of tomorrow.

Tom D'Haenens

Ghent: compact city with a global impact

Here the worlds of water and science merge into one ecosystem. From aquaculture labs and data observatories to the dynamic North Sea Port driving maritime transition, this compact city connects research, industry and heritage into a living hub of the Blue Economy.

Visit Kortrijk

Kortrijk: from "Golden River" to blue future

In Kortrijk, water is not just part of the landscape but an active tool for innovation. From aquathermal heating in the Leie to circular water purification and smart inland shipping, the city serves as a real-life laboratory where research, business and education shape the Blue Economy from the inside out.

Mechelen: Blue Economy at the heart of city innovation

Mechelen sits far from the sea, but its river Dijle is reclaiming its old role: becoming the city’s backbone for ecology, recreation, and innovation. The “Masterplan Binnendijle” shows how water, participation, and infrastructure reshape both urban life and the economy.