COASTAL: Land-Sea Integration Platform for Blue Growth

The COASTAL project, funded by the EU Horizon 2020 programme (grant No 773782), ran from 2018 to 2022 and fostered collaboration among coastal and rural stakeholders including farmers, maritime and offshore energy sectors, and Blue Growth actors. Coordinated by VITO with Dr. Jean-Luc de Kok as lead, the project advanced business and policy solutions through stakeholder engagement, the Multi Actor Lab, and the COASTAL Knowledge Exchange Platform. Key partners included the Port of Antwerp, VLIZ, Flanders State of the Art, and Greenbridge. The initiative promoted regional innovation and sustainable development in Belgium’s complex coastal zone through coordinated governance and cross-sectoral dialogue.