Portugal´s future may be at sea again. But this time it´s different.

Portugal´s future may be at sea again. But this time it´s different.
For decades, when talking about the economy of the sea in Portugal, the conversation almost always focused on the same topics. Fisheries, ports, maritime transport, nautical tourism or aquaculture. All important areas, no doubt, but which represent only a part of what the ocean could mean for the Portuguese economy in the coming decades.
As I followed the conclusions and projects presented at the Oeiras Blue Tech Ocean Forum 2026, I got the feeling that we are facing a much deeper change. Perhaps one of the most important for the economic future of the country and, curiously, one of the least discussed outside specialized circles.
The sea is no longer just a resource.
It is becoming a strategic infrastructure.
In a world increasingly dependent on data, energy, technology and security, the ocean takes on a relevance that goes far beyond the traditional economy. Submarine cables carry the overwhelming majority of global communications. Ocean observation systems produce critical information for meteorology, defense, climate, and resource management. Autonomous vehicles are beginning to transform deep-sea monitoring. The collection and processing of ocean data is becoming increasingly important for governments, companies and scientific institutions.
Portugal is in a privileged position to participate in this transformation.
Not only because of its geographical location.
But also because it is finally starting to build a true innovation ecosystem connected to the Atlantic. The Blue Hubs that are being developed in Leixões, Aveiro, Peniche, Oeiras and Olhão represent much more than research centres. They represent a national network of knowledge, technology and experimentation applied to the ocean.
And here is perhaps the biggest news.
For many years we produced scientific knowledge that did not always reach the economy. Now a different logic is beginning to emerge. Research is now linked to the creation of companies, the development of technology, the attraction of investment and the construction of new markets. The goal is no longer just to study the ocean. It becomes to create economic value from this knowledge.
It is particularly interesting to note that many of the projects presented involve areas that will be at the center of the global economy in the coming years. Underwater robotics, autonomous systems, marine biotechnology, environmental monitoring, ocean data, artificial intelligence applied to the sea and real-time observation technologies.
When we add these initiatives to the growing importance of submarine cables, investments in data centers, the energy transition and the strategic role of the Atlantic, we begin to realize that the blue economy is no longer just an economy of the sea.
It is a knowledge economy.
A technology economy.
A data economy.
A security economy.
An economy of sovereignty.
That is why I consider the investment that is being made through the Blue Hubs and specialized financing instruments to be particularly relevant. The involvement of the Portuguese Development Bank, research centres, universities and companies shows that there is beginning to be a more integrated vision for this sector.
Of course, there are challenges.
Transforming research into business continues to be one of the biggest difficulties of the Portuguese economy. Attracting private capital for technology projects requires scale and ambition. And international competition will be intense.
But for the first time in many years, I feel that Portugal is looking at the sea not only as a historical heritage, but as a platform to build the future.
For centuries, the ocean has been our connection to the world.
Today he can play this role again.
But not this time through the trade routes of the Discoveries.
Through data.
From technology.
From energy.
From innovation.
And perhaps this is precisely why the blue economy deserves much more attention than it usually receives.
Because what is being built is not just a strategy for the sea.
It is a strategy to position Portugal in one of the most promising areas of the global economy of the 21st century.