Blue economy growth: the role of the transport sector

Maritime transport is one of the most important element which may affect coastal and marine environment of the Mediterranean Sea. After a presentation of the literature review on the most recent papers on maritime transport and on Blue Economy growth, the paper sheds some light on these elements by looking at the socio-economic and environmental aspects. The main aim is to present the results of the econometric estimations of the relevance of maritime transport for the economy, society, and environment with a particular application to some specific geographical areas. The results will be interpreted by considering policy initiatives, such as the Barcelona Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean. The results of the paper contribute to the scientific and operative debate on the broader European initiatives to give emphasis to the maritime transport potential and its role in the Blue Economy growth in defense of the territory and of the environment.