The Blue Economy Explained: Sectors & Future (2026)
Updated: Nov 2
Table of Contents
The phrase “blue economy” is used differently by different stakeholders. A fisheries economist may use it to describe the sustainable management of marine living resources. A port authority may focus on the economic activity generated by shipping and maritime trade. A climate policy analyst may use it to examine ocean-based carbon sequestration and renewable energy.
These perspectives are related, but they are not identical. The blue economy encompasses a range of ocean-based activities, economic relationships, and sustainability considerations. Understanding it requires examining both the industries that depend on the ocean and the ecological systems that support them.
Quick Answer: The blue economy refers to the sustainable use of ocean and coastal resources to support economic growth, improve livelihoods, and create jobs while preserving ocean ecosystem health. The World Bank defines it as “the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and job creation while preserving the health of ocean ecosystems.” It includes established maritime industries such as shipping, fisheries, aquaculture, tourism, and offshore energy, alongside emerging sectors such as offshore wind, marine biotechnology, and ocean data services. UNEP estimates the blue economy’s annual economic value at approximately US$2.5 trillion, although estimates vary depending on the sectors and methodology included. Its long-term growth depends on sustainable resource management, technological innovation, and effective ocean governance.
What Is the Blue Economy?
The blue economy concept gained prominence in international policy discussions during the early 2010s. It provides a framework for considering ocean-based economic activity in relation to ecological sustainability.
The term “blue” refers to the ocean and coastal environments, while “economy” refers to the economic activities and value associated with them.
The two definitions commonly used
The World Bank and sustainability-oriented definition
This definition focuses on the sustainable use of ocean resources. It includes economic activities that generate value while maintaining or improving the ecological systems that make those activities possible over the long term.
Under this framework, an activity involving the ocean is not automatically considered sustainable. Its environmental impacts and long-term consequences must also be assessed.
The broader ocean economy definition
The ocean economy includes all economic activities that depend on or are connected to the ocean. These may include shipping, fishing, offshore oil and gas, maritime manufacturing, coastal tourism, and marine services.
Unlike the sustainability-oriented blue economy framework, the broader ocean economy definition does not necessarily apply an explicit sustainability filter to every activity.
In this guide, the sustainability-oriented blue economy framework is the primary reference, while traditional and emerging ocean industries are examined as part of the wider economic landscape.
The ocean as an economic foundation
The ocean covers approximately 71% of the Earth's surface and contains around 97% of the planet's water. It plays an important role in global climate regulation through heat absorption, carbon cycling, and ocean circulation.
Marine ecosystems also support biodiversity, food systems, coastal livelihoods, and international trade.
The ocean is estimated to produce approximately half of the world's oxygen through marine photosynthesis. However, oxygen production should not be confused with the ocean's net contribution to atmospheric oxygen, which is affected by biological consumption and other processes.
International shipping is central to global trade. The International Maritime Organization estimates that shipping carries more than 80% of world trade by volume. The frequently cited figure of approximately 90% is also used in industry and trade discussions, but estimates can vary by measurement method and scope.
The ocean's economic importance extends beyond directly commercialized industries. Marine ecosystems provide services such as coastal protection, carbon storage, habitat support, and nutrient cycling. These services have economic value even when they do not generate direct market revenue.
The History and Development of the Blue Economy Concept
The term “blue economy” was introduced into international policy discourse through several sustainability and development initiatives. Gunter Pauli's 2010 book, The Blue Economy, helped popularize the concept of resource-efficient economic models that reduce waste and create value from natural systems.
The concept gained broader international attention at the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, also known as Rio+20. Ocean-based sustainable development became a major area of policy discussion.
The World Bank subsequently developed a sustainable blue economy framework that has influenced international policy and development initiatives.
The UN's 2030 Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water) is directly linked to the blue economy framework. SDG 14 calls for the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development. It sets specific targets including reducing marine pollution, protecting coastal and marine ecosystems, ending overfishing, and increasing the economic benefits of sustainable use of marine resources for small island states and least developed countries.
The Commonwealth Blue Charter (2018) committed 55 Commonwealth member states to work together on ocean sustainability. The EU's Blue Economy Strategy frames ocean policy for European member states. The African Union's 2050 Africa's Integrated Maritime Strategy (AIMS) incorporates blue economy principles for the continent's 38 coastal and island states.
In 2025, the UN Ocean Conference convened with the blue economy as a central theme, marking a significant moment in the transition from concept to policy implementation globally.
Sectors of the Blue Economy
The blue economy includes a wide range of industries, from established maritime activities to emerging marine technologies.
Maritime Shipping and Port Operations
The most economically significant ocean industry globally. Commercial shipping carries approximately 90% of world trade by volume on vessels ranging from ultra-large container ships to tankers to bulk carriers. The industry generates annual revenues exceeding $500 billion.
Port operations, shipbuilding and repair, and maritime services (insurance, legal, finance, brokerage) are closely related economic activities. Singapore, Rotterdam, and Dubai have built major economic clusters around their maritime hub positions.
Maritime shipping's relationship with blue economy sustainability is complex. It is the lowest carbon-intensity mode of transport per tonne-kilometre of freight, but its absolute emissions (approximately 3% of global CO2) are significant and growing. The IMO's 2023 revised GHG strategy sets targets for a 20% reduction in international shipping emissions by 2030 compared to 2008, and net-zero emissions "by or around" 2050. Green shipping technologies (methanol propulsion, ammonia fuel, wind-assisted propulsion, shore power) are the primary tools for achieving these targets.
Fisheries and Aquaculture
Capture fisheries produce approximately 90 million tonnes of seafood annually, supporting livelihoods for approximately 600 million people directly or indirectly in the fishing value chain. However, the FAO estimates that approximately 37% of marine fish stocks are fished at biologically unsustainable levels, up from 10% in 1974.
Aquaculture (the farming of fish, shellfish, and seaweed in controlled water environments) is the fastest-growing food production sector globally. It already provides more than 50% of fish for human consumption, and sustainable aquaculture is a central pillar of the blue economy's ability to meet growing protein demand without further depleting wild stocks.
Seaweed cultivation is an emerging aquaculture sector with multiple applications: food and animal feed, bioplastics, pharmaceutical compounds, and carbon sequestration. The global seaweed market is growing rapidly.
Coastal and Marine Tourism
Coastal and marine tourism (beach tourism, cruise tourism, diving, wildlife watching) generates approximately $375 billion annually and employs approximately 200 million people globally. Small island developing states (SIDS) are particularly dependent on marine tourism, which may represent 50% or more of GDP for some island economies.
Sustainable marine tourism is a blue economy priority: coral reef-based tourism, for example, depends entirely on maintaining the health of reef ecosystems. Reef tourism generates approximately $36 billion annually globally; reef degradation directly destroys this economic value.
The cruise industry is a significant and growing segment. The top cruise lines operate ships carrying over 5,000 passengers each. The environmental footprint of cruise shipping (waste, water treatment, air emissions in port) has made it a focus of blue economy governance discussions.
Offshore Energy
Offshore oil and gas: Offshore fields account for approximately 30% of global oil production and a growing share of natural gas production. The energy transition is reducing new investment in offshore fossil fuel development in most Western markets, but existing assets continue production and new development is proceeding in some regions.
Offshore wind: The fastest-growing blue economy energy sector. Global installed offshore wind capacity exceeded 70 GW in 2024 and is projected to reach 200 GW by 2030. The North Sea, Taiwan Strait, and US Atlantic coast are the primary development regions. Offshore wind combines significant economic activity (manufacturing, installation, operation and maintenance) with low-carbon electricity generation, placing it squarely in the blue economy framework.
Tidal and wave energy: Early-stage renewable energy sources with significant theoretical potential but limited commercial deployment to date. The European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Scotland is the world's primary testing ground for marine energy technologies.
Marine Biotechnology
The ocean contains an estimated 250,000 to 700,000 microbial species, many of which have not been identified or studied. Marine-derived compounds have applications in pharmaceuticals (including anti-cancer and anti-bacterial agents), industrial enzymes, cosmetics, and bioplastics.
The marine biotechnology market is relatively small today but growing rapidly. The Nagoya Protocol on access and benefit sharing from genetic resources is a key governance framework for marine biodiversity, including the recently adopted Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) agreement, which addresses sharing of benefits from high-seas biological resources.
Seabed Mining
The deep seabed contains significant concentrations of polymetallic nodules (containing manganese, nickel, cobalt, and copper), cobalt-rich crusts, and seafloor massive sulphides. These resources are relevant to the energy transition: cobalt and nickel are critical inputs for lithium-ion batteries.
Seabed mining is the most contested sector of the blue economy. Proponents argue it can supply critical minerals with less environmental impact than land-based mining in some respects. Critics, including marine scientists, major environmental NGOs, and a growing number of governments, argue that the deep-sea ecosystem damage from mining would be irreversible and that the ecological risks are incompletely understood.
The International Seabed Authority (ISA), a UN body, governs seabed mining in international waters. Several countries have issued exploration licenses; no commercial seabed mining operations are currently underway in international waters, though some domestic waters exploration continues.
Marine Data and Digital Services
An emerging blue economy sector encompassing: maritime surveillance and vessel tracking (AIS data services), ocean observation and monitoring, maritime weather forecasting, satellite imagery for fisheries management and environmental compliance, and digital port and logistics platforms.
The value of maritime data is growing as shipping regulators, port operators, insurers, and cargo interests demand better real-time visibility of vessel movements, cargo status, and environmental conditions.
Blue Economy Sectors: Economic and Sustainability Overview
The table below summarizes the major sectors of the blue economy. It distinguishes established industries from emerging activities and avoids treating estimates with different measurement methods as directly comparable.
Sector | Annual Economic Value / Indicator | Employment | Sustainability Status |
Maritime shipping | Over US$500B in annual freight-rate income | Nearly 2M seafarers | Decarbonization transition underway; progress depends on fuel technology, regulation, and fleet renewal |
Fisheries | Combined fisheries and aquaculture first-sale value: US$472B (2022; not fisheries-only) | Fisheries and aquaculture support over 600M livelihoods globally | 37.7% of assessed marine stocks were outside biologically sustainable levels (2021) |
Aquaculture | US$371B farm-gate value for aquatic animal aquaculture (2024) | Do not state a global current employment figure without a comparable source | Expanding sector; sustainability depends on feed, habitat impacts, disease management, and production practices |
Coastal tourism | Global value not confirmed on a comparable basis | Global employment estimate not verified | Highly dependent on coastal ecosystem health and tourism management |
Offshore oil and gas | US$58.2B U.S. OCS economic output (FY2025; regional indicator only) | Approx. 245,000 U.S. OCS oil-and-gas-supported jobs (FY2025) | Mature sector facing energy-transition and environmental pressures; investment trends vary by region |
Offshore wind | 92.5 GW global installed capacity at end-2025; 9.3 GW added in 2025 | Global offshore-wind-only employment not confirmed | Low-carbon energy source; growth depends on permitting, supply chains, grid infrastructure, and project economics |
Marine biotech | Estimated €2.5B–€3.9B market value (2021; scope varies) | Global employment not confirmed | Emerging sector; governance of marine genetic resources and environmental safeguards are important |
Seabed mining | No reliable global commercial revenue figure established | Global employment not confirmed | Pre-commercial and heavily contested; environmental risks and international governance remain central issues |
Source: International Chamber of Shipping (ICS); FAO, SOFIA 2024 and SOFIA 2026; World Bank; Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM); Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC); United Nations World Ocean Assessment. Figures refer to different years, geographic scopes, and economic metrics. They should not be interpreted as directly comparable sector valuations.
Why the Blue Economy Matters
Food Security
The ocean contributes to global food security through capture fisheries, aquaculture, and marine food systems.
Aquatic foods provide protein and essential nutrients to populations worldwide. Their importance varies by country, region, and dietary pattern.
Sustainable fisheries management and responsible aquaculture development are important for maintaining food production while reducing pressure on marine ecosystems.
As global population and food demand change, the productivity of aquatic food systems will remain a significant development issue.
Climate Regulation
Oceans absorb approximately 25% of anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions and more than 90% of the excess heat associated with global warming, according to major climate assessments.
The ocean plays a critical role in the global carbon cycle and climate system.
However, ocean warming, acidification, deoxygenation, and pollution can affect marine ecosystems and their ability to support biodiversity and economic activity.
Protecting ocean ecosystems is therefore closely connected to climate action. Ocean degradation can affect fisheries, coastal protection, biodiversity, and the resilience of marine ecosystems.
Economic Opportunity
Ocean-based industries contribute to economic activity through shipping, fisheries, tourism, energy, marine services, and related supply chains.
Emerging sectors such as offshore wind, marine biotechnology, aquaculture innovation, and ocean data services may create additional economic activity.
However, estimates of future blue economy growth should be interpreted carefully. They depend on the industries included, the assumptions used, policy conditions, technology adoption, and the definition of economic value.
The OECD's ocean economy work provides a framework for assessing economic activity associated with ocean industries and examining potential future development.
Blue finance
Blue finance refers to financial mechanisms that support ocean-related sustainability objectives.
Examples include blue bonds and other financing structures directed toward activities such as:
Sustainable fisheries management.
Marine conservation.
Coastal resilience.
Pollution reduction.
Marine ecosystem restoration.
The Seychelles issued a sovereign blue bond in 2018 to support sustainable marine and fisheries projects.
Blue finance structures vary in their objectives, eligible activities, reporting requirements, and environmental outcomes. The label alone does not establish that a project has achieved a particular sustainability result.
Geopolitical and Strategic Importance
Maritime trade routes are strategic components of the global economy.
The Strait of Malacca, Suez Canal, Strait of Hormuz, and Bab-el-Mandeb are important routes for international shipping. Disruptions to these routes can affect transportation costs, supply chains, energy flows, and trade.
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) establishes an international framework for maritime boundaries, rights of passage, and ocean governance.
Exclusive Economic Zones
An Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) generally extends up to 200 nautical miles from a coastal state's baseline, subject to applicable legal provisions and maritime boundaries.
Within its EEZ, a coastal state has sovereign rights over specified economic resources, including fisheries, seabed resources, and certain energy activities.
EEZs are economically significant because they provide a legal framework for resource management and maritime development. Disputes over maritime boundaries can affect fisheries, offshore energy projects, and access to marine resources.
Challenges Facing the Blue Economy
Ocean Health Degradation
The blue economy depends on healthy ocean ecosystems, but those ecosystems are under multiple simultaneous stresses:
Climate change: Ocean warming, acidification, and deoxygenation are bleaching coral reefs (50% of the world's coral reefs have been degraded or destroyed since 1950), shifting fish stock distributions, and reducing biodiversity.
Plastic pollution: An estimated 8 million tonnes of plastic enter the ocean annually. Microplastics are now found throughout the water column, in marine organisms, and in the human food chain.
Overfishing: 37% of fish stocks are fished at biologically unsustainable levels. Many historically productive fisheries (North Atlantic cod, numerous tuna stocks) have collapsed or remain well below historic abundance.
Coastal development: The destruction of coastal wetlands (mangroves, seagrasses, saltmarshes) removes habitats that are both biodiversity hotspots and highly effective carbon sinks.
Governance Gaps
Ocean governance is fragmented. UNCLOS provides the overarching framework, but specific sectors are governed by different bodies: the IMO for shipping, the ISA for deep-sea mining, the FAO for fisheries, individual states for their EEZs. The BBNJ agreement (finalised in 2023) begins to address governance of high-seas biodiversity, but ratification and implementation will take years.
Developing countries, particularly small island states, often lack the capacity to enforce regulations within their own EEZs: illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing costs the global economy an estimated $23 billion annually.
Investment Gaps
Despite the enormous economic potential, ocean-focused investment receives less than 1% of official development assistance. Private finance flows into the most commercially developed sectors (offshore wind, aquaculture) but is largely absent from conservation, sustainable fisheries management, and ecosystem restoration where the financial returns are less direct and the time horizons are longer.
The Blue Economy and Maritime Asset Participation
Maritime shipping is a foundational component of the blue economy. Commercial vessels transport containers, bulk commodities, and liquid cargo across international trade routes, supporting global supply chains and economic activity.
The maritime sector is also undergoing a transition toward lower-emission operations. Technologies and practices such as alternative fuels, wind-assisted propulsion, shore power, and operational efficiency measures are contributing to efforts to reduce shipping’s environmental footprint.
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FAQs on Blue Economy
What does "blue economy" mean?
The blue economy refers to ocean and coastal economic activities that generate value, livelihoods, and employment while maintaining marine ecosystem health. It encompasses established industries such as shipping, fisheries, and tourism alongside emerging sectors including offshore renewable energy, marine biotechnology, and ocean data services.
How large is the blue economy?
The UN Environment Programme estimates the blue economy’s annual economic value at approximately US$2.5 trillion. This is an estimate of economic activity, not a comprehensive valuation of ocean natural assets. Estimates vary by methodology and scope; projections should be treated cautiously.
What are the main sectors of the blue economy?
Major sectors include maritime shipping, fisheries and aquaculture, coastal and marine tourism, offshore oil and gas, offshore renewable energy, marine biotechnology, seabed mineral extraction, and ocean data services. Their sustainability depends on environmental impacts, governance, and resource-management practices.
Why is the blue economy important?
The blue economy supports food security, employment, international trade, climate regulation, and coastal livelihoods. Oceans absorb substantial heat and carbon dioxide, while marine ecosystems sustain economic activity. Sustainable management helps protect these benefits while reducing environmental degradation.
What is the difference between the blue economy and the ocean economy?
The ocean economy encompasses economic activities linked to oceans and coasts. The blue economy emphasizes sustainability, ecosystem protection, and long-term resource use. However, definitions vary across institutions; unsustainable activities may be considered ocean-economy activities but not sustainable blue-economy practices.
How is maritime shipping related to the blue economy?
Maritime shipping enables global trade, transporting more than 80% of world merchandise trade by volume. Its sustainability challenges include greenhouse-gas emissions, air pollution, and marine impacts. The IMO targets net-zero emissions from international shipping by or around 2050.
What are blue bonds?
Blue bonds are financing instruments designed to support ocean-related objectives, including sustainable fisheries, marine conservation, coastal resilience, and pollution reduction. Seychelles issued the world’s first sovereign blue bond in 2018, mobilizing capital for sustainable marine and fisheries projects.
What is the BBNJ agreement?
The Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement, adopted in 2023, establishes a framework for conserving and sustainably using marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction. It entered into force on January 17, 2026, covering marine protected areas, environmental assessments, and genetic-resource benefits.
What is SDG 14?
UN Sustainable Development Goal 14, “Life Below Water,” seeks to conserve and sustainably use oceans, seas, and marine resources. Its targets address marine pollution, ecosystem protection, overfishing, ocean acidification, and sustainable economic benefits for developing island and coastal states.
What is IUU fishing?
Illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing undermines fisheries management, depletes stocks, and harms legitimate operators. The IMO cites an estimated US$23 billion in annual industry losses, though estimates vary. IUU fishing may also involve unsafe vessels and labor abuses.
How does ocean health affect the blue economy?
Ocean health underpins blue-economy sectors. Productive ecosystems support fisheries; healthy reefs attract tourism; and coastal ecosystems influence infrastructure and marine operations. Pollution, warming, and biodiversity loss can reduce productivity, raise operating costs, and weaken long-term economic value.
What are the main threats to the blue economy?
Major threats include ocean warming and acidification, plastic and chemical pollution, overfishing, habitat destruction, biodiversity loss, fragmented governance, and inadequate conservation funding. These pressures weaken marine ecosystems and threaten the industries and communities that depend on ocean resources.
Glossary
Aquaculture: The farming of fish, shellfish, algae, and other aquatic organisms in controlled environments; the fastest-growing food production sector globally.
BBNJ agreement: Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction agreement (2023); the international framework governing marine biological diversity in high seas areas.
Blue bond: A sustainable finance instrument directed specifically at ocean-focused projects: fisheries management, marine protected areas, coastal resilience.
Blue carbon: Carbon stored in coastal marine ecosystems (mangroves, seagrasses, salt marshes); these ecosystems are highly effective carbon sinks that are being lost to coastal development.
Blue economy: The sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and preservation of ocean ecosystem health.
Coastal zone: The area where land and ocean meet; includes mangroves, coral reefs, seagrass meadows, beaches, wetlands, and estuaries.
EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone): The area extending 200 nautical miles from a coastal state's baseline within which the state has sovereign rights over economic resources.
FAO: The UN Food and Agriculture Organization; responsible for international fisheries governance and food security.
High seas: Ocean areas beyond national jurisdiction (beyond the 200nm EEZ); covers approximately 64% of the ocean surface.
IMO: The International Maritime Organization; the UN agency responsible for international shipping safety, security, and environmental standards.
ISA: The International Seabed Authority; the UN body governing deep-sea mining in international waters.
IUU fishing: Illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing; a major threat to ocean sustainability estimated to cost $23 billion annually.
Marine protected area (MPA): A defined area of ocean in which human activity is restricted to protect marine ecosystems, habitats, and species.
Ocean acidification: The reduction in ocean pH caused by absorption of atmospheric CO2; damages carbonate-based structures including coral reefs and shellfish.
Offshore wind: Wind energy generated by turbines installed in the ocean; the fastest-growing blue economy energy sector.
SDG 14: UN Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water); calls for conservation and sustainable use of oceans and marine resources.
Seabed mining: Extraction of mineral resources from the ocean floor; the most contested sector of the blue economy due to ecological concerns.
SIDS (Small Island Developing States): Small island nations particularly vulnerable to ocean-related risks (sea level rise, fisheries, climate) and dependent on marine resources for economic survival.
Sustainable fisheries: Fishing practices that maintain fish stocks at levels that allow populations to replenish; contrasted with overfishing that depletes stocks below sustainable levels.
UNCLOS: The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982); the primary international framework governing maritime boundaries, rights, and obligations.
References
1. UN DESA — Making Waves for a Blue Economy (2022)https://desapublications.un.org/un-desa-voice/expert-voices/may-2022/making-waves-blue-economy
2. Earth.Org — Mapping the Blue Economy: Sectors, Policies and Challenges (2026)https://earth.org/mapping-the-blue-economy-sectors-policies-and-challenges-amid-climate-change/
3. World Economic Forum — How the Ocean Economy Can Catalyze Sustainable Growth (2025)https://www.weforum.org/stories/nature-and-biodiversity/how-the-ocean-economy-can-catalyze-sustainable-growth
4. UNEP — Sustainable Blue Economy Overviewhttps://www.unep.org/en/what-we-do/ocean-seas-and-coasts/regional-seas-programme/sustainable-blue-economy
5. FAO — The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2024https://www.fao.org/publications/fao-flagship-publications/the-state-of-world-fisheries-and-aquaculture/en
6. OECD — The Ocean Economy to 2050 (2025)https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/the-ocean-economy-to-2050_a9096fb1-en.html
7. IMO — 2023 IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Shipshttps://www.imo.org/en/ourwork/environment/pages/2023-imo-strategy-on-reduction-of-ghg-emissions-from-ships.aspx
8. UN — Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), 1982https://www.un.org/depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/unclos_e.pdf
New references to add
9. FAO — SOFIA 2026: Global Fisheries and Aquaculture Production Reaches New Highshttps://www.fao.org/newsroom/detail/sofia-2026--global-fisheries-and-aquaculture-production-reaches-new-highs/
10. UNEP — Transitioning to a Sustainable Blue Economy: A Practical Framework (2026)https://wedocs.unep.org/items/0db5de76-38eb-4e2c-8f08-eae27bc9e047
11. OECD — The Ocean Economy to 2050, sector-level economic trendshttps://www.oecd.org/en/publications/the-ocean-economy-to-2050_a9096fb1-en/full-report/the-evolution-of-the-ocean-economy-empirical-trends-1995-to-2020_678f9a15.html
12. GWEC — Global Offshore Wind Reporthttps://www.gwec.net/reports/globaloffshorewindreport
13. UN — BBNJ Agreementhttps://www.un.org/bbnjagreement/en
14. UN — UN World Ocean Assessmenthttps://woa.un.org/
15. Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network — Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2025https://gcrmn.net/2025-report/full-report/
16. UNCTAD — Ocean Services Lead Trade, Opening New Opportunities for Developing Economies (2026)https://unctad.org/news/ocean-services-lead-trade-opening-new-opportunities-developing-economies
17. World Bank — Seychelles Blue Bond Case Studyhttps://thedocs.worldbank.org/en/doc/242151559930961454-0340022019/original/CasestudyBlueBondSeychellesfinal672019.pdf
18. NOAA — How Much Oxygen Comes from the Ocean?https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/ocean-oxygen.html
19. IMO — IUU Fishinghttps://www.imo.org/en/mediacentre/hottopics/pages/fishing.aspx
20. International Seabed Authority — FAQ for Mediahttps://isa.org.jm/faq-for-media/
21. World Ocean Assessment — Marine Biotechnology and Genetic Resourceshttps://woa.un.org/third-world-ocean-assessment/socioecological-systems/sustainable-and-inclusive-ocean-economy/chapter-5-use-of-genetic-resources
22. WEF — Ocean Investment and Sustainable Blue Economyhttps://www.weforum.org/stories/nature-and-biodiversity/how-the-ocean-economy-can-catalyze-sustainable-growth
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Ravi Shankar
Co-Founder & CCO, Shipfinex
Ravi Shankar FICS is Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Shipfinex, and General Secretary of the ICS Middle East Branch. A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers with extensive experience in ship sale and purchase, chartering, and maritime consultancy, he has previously held senior roles at Maersk Broker and Eastgate Shipping DMCC. His day-to-day commercial work spans dry bulk and tanker market analysis, SnP transactions, and shipbroking advisory.
