A Statistical Approach to the Maritime Economy in France

INSEE defines the « maritime economy » as all maritime activities that use marine resources or that could not exist without the sea. This definition is the result of a consensus with the Data and Statistical Studies Service (SDES), the ministerial statistical service of the Ministry for Ecological Transition, and is based on that of the French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea (Ifremer).

The scope of the maritime economy is therefore much broader than that of a sector such as aeronautics, space or automotive, since it does not involve a production chain leading to the creation of an « output » or « finished product » (aircraft, rocket, car, etc.) from an input. The maritime economy is defined according to a « micro » approach, which consists of selecting establishments based on their activity, their products and their geographical location (proximity to major commercial ports). This approach also includes employment in coastal areas linked to seasonal activities (tourism) and employment in the French Navy, provided by the Ministry’s statistical service.

The establishments selected are then classified into the ten maritime areas (or groups of areas) identified by Ifremer. They are also classified according to their likelihood of belonging to the maritime economy. INSEE estimates that the maritime economy accounted for between 362,000 and 464,000 salaried jobs (in full-time equivalent employment) in 2022.

The method proposed in this document is a national estimate that can be supplemented by local expertise. It has the advantage of allowing for a territorialised approach (e.g. employment statistics on coastal areas or regions). The data includes both salaried and non-salaried workers. With this method, the results obtained can be updated annually. Finally, this approach offers great flexibility, as it is possible to change the scope and/or adjust the selection criteria for establishments and recalculate series over several years.

However, it is not possible to obtain data on training or aspects related to sustainable development, even though these are key issues for this economy. It is also quite difficult to cover public action outside of clearly identified structures such as Ifremer.