A must-attend national event
On November 4 and 5, 2025, the anniversary edition of the Assises de l’économie de la mer was held in La Rochelle, bringing together more than 1,500 stakeholders from France’s maritime sector: policymakers, industry leaders, businesses, NGOs, researchers, ports, startups, and more…
Organized by Le Marin and Ouest-France, with the support of the French Maritime Cluster, this conference serves as a forum for debate, innovation, and the collective development of maritime policies and the blue economy in France.
This 20th edition was marked by strong participation and a rich program covering key topics such as economic sovereignty, the green transition, innovation, coastal development, training and employment, and maritime planning, among others.
The Institut Bleu’s active involvement
On this occasion, the Institut Bleu was present in La Rochelle, alongside the Grand Port Maritime de La Réunion and La Réunion Développement. For two days, we operated a booth located near our partner, the Cluster Maritime La Réunion, to represent the French overseas territories and highlight Réunion’s role in national maritime initiatives.
This participation allowed us to:
- promote initiatives from Réunion,
- strengthen ties between stakeholders in the overseas territories and mainland France,
- promote strategic issues related to the Indian Ocean in national debates,
- to establish Réunion’s presence on the national maritime economic scene.
Fruitful discussions with decision-makers
One of the highlights was the discussion with Catherine Chabaud, Minister for the Sea: a meeting that brought the perspectives of Réunion and the French overseas territories to the forefront of national discussions and addressed the specific challenges facing these regions.
From left to right: Sami OUADRANI (Director of the Maritime Apprenticeship School), Yuna PUECH (Blue Economy Project Manager at the Institut Bleu), Rostane MEDHI (Rector of the Réunion Academy), Maya CESARI (President of the Institut Bleu, Regional Councilor for Blue Growth & Innovation for the Réunion Region), Catherine CHABAUD (Minister for the Sea), and Nathalie MERCIER-PERRIN (Executive President of the French Maritime Cluster).
In addition, the event brought together high-level decision-makers, including Emmanuel Macron, underscoring the growing political and strategic importance attached to the sea in the national agenda.
Why this investment is strategic
Our participation in Assises 2025 is part of a two-pronged goal:
- Connecting the overseas territories to the national maritime economy —by highlighting the unique characteristics and strengths of regions such as Réunion, which are often geographically remote but central to the blue economy.
- Anticipating and participating in upcoming transformations —in the face of challenges related to sovereignty, the energy transition, decarbonization of the maritime sector, technological innovation, and the renewal of maritime industries.
We remain committed to advancing our maritime ambitions, with a focus on the Indian Ocean, and to actively contributing to the sustainable and responsible development of our regions.
A big thank you to the conference organizers and our partners!
To learn more about the highlights of the event, visit the official website of the Assises: Assises de l’Économie de la Mer.
Photo 1: Rostane MEHDI, Maya CESARI, and Jean TURQUET (Technical Director of CITEB)
Photo 2: Yuna PUECH and Maya CESARI with students who came to visit the Institut Bleu