Key numbers
Different types of vessels are present in the Mediterranean Sea: small leisure boats (< 24 m), yachts (24 – 160 m), cruise ships (> 100 m) and commercial ships.
The Mediterranean Sea is amongst the world’s busiest waterways. It offers a route for exchanges of manufactured products between Europe and Asia through the Suez Canal, Asia being EU’s chief trade partner, as well as for the supply of energy products to Europe from the Gulf countries, and the transfer of passengers between and within Mediterranean countries.
Total revenues of maritime transport amount to more than 70 billion Euros in the Mediterranean Sea (5% of the total revenues worldwide), which generate a Gross Value Added (GVA) of 27 billion Euros. Around 550,000 jobs are directly created by the maritime transport sector.
Shipping in the Mediterranean basin will increase in the coming years, both in number of routes and traffic intensity.
Cruise sector
The Mediterranean Sea is the second largest world cruising zone after the Caribbean, with 27 million cruise passengers per year. In 2009, these cruise passengers accounted for approximately 3% of passenger traffic in Europe’s Mediterranean ports but their relative significance varied considerably, accounting for 100% and 13% of passenger traffic in Cyprus and Slovenia, respectively, to around 1.0% and 0.4% in Greece and Malta, respectively. In 2009, 60%, 27% and 8% of cruise passengers departed from, or arrived in, Italy, Spain and Greece, respectively. The main ports of departure and destination for cruises in the Mediterranean Sea are: Barcelona (Spain), Napoli (Italy) and Genoa (Italy) [8] . Total expenditures of cruise passengers in Mediterranean termini is estimated at up to 1.7 billion Euros, representing an added value of around 750 million Euros. Cruise tourism is likely to continue to increase significantly in the future, driven by a growing European market demand.
Overall, 75% of Mediterranean ports are located in Italy, Spain, France, Greece, Croatia and Slovenia, with 9% of ports being located in Turkey and Cyprus and only 7% in North Africa.
Recreational boating
Recreational boating is economically important for France and Greece and is expected to grow quickly in several other countries such as Greece and Montenegro. Marinas or recreational ports are widespread tourism infrastructures along the Mediterranean coast. There were around 940 marinas in the Mediterranean Sea in 2010, of which 253 were located in Italy, 191 in Spain and 124 in France. The Mediterranean Sea is also a world destination for yachting. Evidence shows that 50% of the global fleet of large yachts spends 8 months out of 12 in Mediterranean waters the Côte d’Azur being the most coveted destination.
Overall, 75% of Mediterranean ports are located in Italy, Spain, France, Greece, Croatia and Slovenia, with 9% of ports being located in Turkey and Cyprus and only 7% in North Africa.
Importance of Yachting:
There are around 5600 yachts > 30 m in the world. The average size is 2 m and is increasing every year. 100 000 crew staff are employed on yachts. One third of the fleet is present on the French Riviera every summer. It benefits to local economy (e.g. 1 billion euros for the French Mediterranean Sea).
Presence of yachts on the French Riviera (AIS position)
Small Leisure boats
They constitute the majority of boats present in the Mediterranean Sea. Their size varies from few meters to 20 m. It is quite difficult to know their number, as only few are equipped with the AIS system.
Recreational boats of between 2.5-24m in length represent more than 90% of the total Mediterranean fleet of vessels. Recreational boat production in European Mediterranean countries shows an average annual growth rate of 10% from the 2008 crisis from which the European sectors has recovered 4. Most of the leisure boat fleet (87%) is composed of motor boats, compared to 11% for sail boats and 2% for other types (inflatable boats, canoes etc.)
With more than 400,000 berths, the Mediterranean’s port facilities host one of the world’s largest recreational boating and large yacht fleets.
Overall, 75% of Mediterranean ports are located in Italy, Spain, France, Greece, Croatia and Slovenia, with 9% of ports being located in Turkey and Cyprus and only 7% in North Africa.
Source: Medtrix
Bibliography:
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- Díaz-Almela E. & Duarte C.M. 2008. Management of Natura 2000 habitats. 1120 *Posidonia beds (Posidonion oceanicae). European Commission. https://uicnmed.org/bibliotecavirtualposidonia/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/MANAGEMENT-of-Natura-2000-habitats-Posidonia-beds.pdf
- Telesca, L. et al. Seagrass meadows (Posidonia oceanica) distribution and trajectories of change. Sci. Rep. 5, 12505; doi: 10.1038/srep12505 (2015).
Blue growth in the Mediterranean Sea: The challenge of good environmental status: http://www.medtrends.org/reports/MEDTRENDS_REGIONAL.pdf