Cork to host European Maritime Day
Cork city has been selected to host the EU’s flagship annual maritime event next year.
The 2025 European Maritime Day will take place on Leeside on 20 May next year. The event, which is held in a different EU country every year, was due to come to Cork in 2020 but was cancelled due to Covid-19 pandemic.
The announcement was made this week by Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan, who described the news as “fitting” given Cork’s rich maritime history.
Established in 2008, European Maritime Day (EMD) acts as the EU meeting point on maritime affairs and sustainable blue growth.
It is also a public event reaching out to young people and citizens across Europe through local events under the ‘EMD in my Country’ label.
At the core of European Maritime Day is a two-day conference featuring high-level plenary sessions, including inspirational speakers, leadership exchanges, and stakeholder workshops.
The conference is expected to be attended by more than 1,000 delegates.
Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr Dan Boyle said: “For centuries, the city's coat of arms has celebrated Cork as being a ‘safe harbour for ships’.
“Hosting European Maritime Day in 2025 provides international recognition and acknowledgment of Cork’s place in Europe as a maritime hub and builds on investment and collaboration with local, national, and European partners,” he added.
The event will be attended by a large number of exhibitors from around Europe, who will showcase the blue economy’s innovation and investment potential.
Minister Eamon Ryan said: “Ahead of Ireland’s presidency of the EU in 2026, it is great news that Ireland will host European Maritime Day, which will take place in the great city of Cork.
“Ireland is an island nation with a coastline of more than 7,400km. The sea is entwined with our trade, our history, and our culture,” the minister added.
The event will be co-organised by the Government of Ireland with the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications as lead department, Cork City Council and DG MARE – the DG for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries from the EU Commission.