Digital Transformation of Portugal’s Marine Industry: Practical Logic, Strategic Framework, Challenges, and Implications

Abstract

Against the backdrop of the global “blue acceleration” and the European Union’s twin green and digital transition, Portugal has made the digitalization of its marine industry a strategic lever for national competitiveness. Examining the internal logic and practical constraints of this transformation can provide a country-level reference for the digital development of China’s marine economy. Adopting literature analysis and case study methods, and drawing on Portugal’s Estratégia Nacional para o Mar 2021-2030 (National Strategy for the Sea 2021-2030, ENM 2021-2030), European Union policy documents, and authoritative statistical data, the study investigates the practical logic, strategic framework, and implementation path of Portugal’s marine industry digital transformation, together with the challenges it confronts. The findings show that Portugal has established a “data first” principle at the strategic level; formed a collaborative “government-industry-university-research-finance” network comprising government coordination through the Directorate-General for Maritime Policy (DGPM), financial guidance through the Fundo Azul (Blue Fund), and cluster-based translation of research through Fórum Oceano and the Portugal Blue Digital Hub (PBDH); and pursued implementation through digital infrastructure such as the Atlantic CAM submarine cable system, the SNIMar national data-sharing platform, and blue digital skills programs. Nevertheless, the transformation remains constrained by structural dependence on EU funding, illustrated by the €252 million earmarked for the blue economy under the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) and the contraction of the offshore wind target from 10 GW to 2 GW; by uneven digitalization across sectors dominated by micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises; by barriers to marine data circulation and unresolved data-rights mechanisms; and by the persistent outflow of highly skilled talent. China can draw on Portugal’s experience in top-level design and multi-purpose infrastructure while guarding against funding externalization, industrial polarization, and talent loss, so as to optimize its modern marine industrial system.