Sienkevych: Mykolaiv should develop as the centre of Ukraine’s blue economy

Oleksandr Senkevych spoke online at the Blue Summit in Mykolaiv 2026. Photo: NikVesti

Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych stated that Mykolaiv should develop as a key centre of Ukraine’s blue economy within the European space. According to him, the city’s post-war reconstruction should not mean a return to the state it was in in 2021.

Oleksandr Sienkevych made these remarks during his speech at the Blue Summit in Mykolaiv 2026, reports a correspondent for NikVesti.

The mayor noted that the maritime sector has historically been important for Mykolaiv, but now it needs to be infused with new, modern content. He said that the city must develop the blue economy taking into account digitalisation, ecology, human potential, international markets and new financial instruments.

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«When we talk about recovery, we are not talking about a return to the state of 2021. We are fully aware of what the city should become after our victory, after peace, in the new economic reality, within the new European framework. That is precisely why the concept of the blue economy is strategic for us,» said Oleksandr Sienkevych.

According to him, Mykolaiv is interested in the development of modern maritime technologies, shipbuilding, ship repair, engineering and logistics. He made a special mention of small and medium-sized businesses that could be involved in this ecosystem.

«We must understand that today we need to be involved in Defence Tech (defence technologies) and MilTech (military technologies). And I think that a lot of interesting things will be revealed after the war, because Mykolaiv is not lagging behind,» he said.

The mayor emphasised that for the development of the maritime economy, the city needs cooperation between business, education, international partners and the authorities. In his words, the summit should be a platform for concrete decisions, not just declarations.

«I would like the results of this year’s summit to be not just declarations, but concrete, down-to-earth things: projects for maritime infrastructure, new opportunities and contracts for business, modern training programmes for our young people. And, of course, as a result — new jobs and investment,» said Oleksandr Sienkevych.

He also stated that Mykolaiv is open to cooperation with European cities, maritime clusters, universities and investors. According to the mayor, preparations for Ukraine’s accession to the EU must begin now, despite the war.

«May the Blue Summit in Mykolaiv 2026 be another confident step towards Mykolaiv developing as a strong, modern city and a key centre of Ukraine’s blue economy within the European space,» said Oleksandr Sienkevych.

It is worth noting that Mykolaiv has been promoting the idea of developing the city according to the principles of the blue and green economies for several years now. This model was presented during the «Mykolaiv — City on the Wave» forum in Kyiv.

This involves the development of sectors linked to the sea and water resources: shipbuilding, ship repair, maritime logistics, aquaculture, coastal tourism, engineering and green energy. The city council believes that such a model should help Mykolaiv integrate into the European economic space and attract investment.

Among the city’s advantages are its port and shipbuilding infrastructure, specialised enterprises and educational institutions, as well as the longest coastline in Ukraine. At the same time, the war, blocked ports and high security risks for business remain among the main challenges.

The city is also already implementing individual projects in this area, notably the Blue Innovation Challenge acceleration programme and the online platform for the blue and green economy.