In September 2025, the Ukrainian Maritime Cluster marks its first five-year anniversary. It is symbolic that this milestone coincides with the City Day of Mykolaiv – the maritime cradle of Ukraine. From ancient times to the present, and looking ahead to the future, Mykolaiv continues to embody the ideas of blue economy development and to seek ways to implement ambitious maritime projects, innovative startups and engineering solutions.

That is why the idea of creating an association to support the development of Ukraine’s maritime industry was conceived and implemented in Mykolaiv in 2018–2019, during a series of public events. In September 2020, the public association “Ukrainian Maritime Cluster” (UMC) was officially registered. From the outset, its mission has been to promote cooperation rather than competition among enterprises, bringing together business, academia and government to develop the maritime economy.

From 2020 to 2025, the Ukrainian Maritime Cluster participated in industry-specific maritime events in Belgium, Bulgaria, Georgia, Lithuania, Moldova, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Romania and Turkey. International missions remain a key tool for supporting global integration and enhancing the competitiveness of the Cluster’s members on the world stage.

At the national level, the Cluster takes a proactive position in advocating for the interests of the maritime sector and participates in relevant industry events. In particular, the Cluster contributes to drafting proposals for Ukraine’s Shipbuilding Strategy and related government programmes, and it takes part in round tables, conferences and cross-sector events.

Since 2020, the Ukrainian Maritime Cluster has been a co-organiser of European Maritime Day, an event that brings together stakeholders, researchers and policymakers to advance the blue economy.

In partnership with other organisations, the Ukrainian Maritime Cluster has participated in grant projects, including “4BIZ – Boosting the Blue Economy in the Black Sea”, “Ambassadors of Mykolaiv” and “Integration of Ukraine into the European Maritime Community”. These initiatives have enabled Cluster members to showcase their businesses internationally and receive expert support.

Over the past five years, the Ukrainian Maritime Cluster has evolved from an initiative into an influential platform that brings together business, science and public institutions. It consistently advances the interests of Ukraine’s maritime economy, integrates it into the European maritime community, and lays the groundwork for post-war recovery and sustainable growth.

The team of the Ukrainian Maritime Cluster would like to thank our partners and members for their active participation in sector-specific events, valuable feedback and inspiring ideas. Thanks to our joint efforts, we can become a driving force for Ukraine’s maritime economy.