Portugal and the Sea: Recent Evidence of Blue Economy

Starting from an introductory framework of the historical links of Portugal with the sea as well as of its influence on the international relations of the country, this article aims to illustrate the significance of the Sea or Maritime economic activity sector in the Portuguese economy and its recent evolution. Data from the Central Balance Sheet (CBS) of Banco de Portugal (BdP) on the general characteristics, dimension, location, age, economic and financial indicators for the enterprises pertaining to the sector are presented and then compared to those of the whole non-financial corporations (NFCs) in Portugal. References to the strategic importance of the sector for the Portuguese economy in the near future and its role in European and worldwide contexts conclude.