BEIJING, Nov. 7 (APP):The global ocean economy generated $3.5 trillion in gross value added in 2025 and supported 103 million full-time-equivalent jobs, according to a report released by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The scale of the sector reflects the ocean's central role in global trade, food production and coastal livelihoods. At the 7th Symposium on Global Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance in Sanya, China, experts from …
Experts call for stronger international cooperation to build a sustainable ocean economy
BEIJING, Nov. 7 (APP):The global ocean economy generated $3.5 trillion in gross value added in 2025 and supported 103 million full-time-equivalent jobs, according to a report released by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
The scale of the sector reflects the ocean’s central role in global trade, food production and coastal livelihoods. At the 7th Symposium on Global Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance in Sanya, China, experts from several countries called for closer international cooperation in maritime security, fisheries and marine conservation.
“The ocean connects all of us,” said Jayanath Colombage, former chief of the Navy of Sri Lanka and former ambassador of Sri Lanka to Indonesia, in an interview during the forum.
The nature of maritime security has changed significantly, Colombage said. “Gone are the days when maritime security was only about navies and ships. Now it has cyberspace, undersea cables, satellites and outer space.”
The growing importance of these networks is reflected in the global digital economy. Submarine telecommunications cables carry more than 99% of international data traffic worldwide, according to the International Telecommunication Union. Damage to these cables can disrupt communications, financial services and other essential operations.
Maritime transport carries a similarly large share of global commerce. Global trade in ocean-related goods and services reached approximately $2.5 trillion in 2025, with services accounting for 58% of the total, according to data released by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in June 2026.
For nations positioned along key maritime arteries, safeguarding these commercial lifelines translates directly into regional cooperation. Citing Sri Lanka’s strategic position in the Indian Ocean, Colombage highlighted its maritime and infrastructure cooperation with China as a concrete example of how major trade partners can support local port development and connectivity.
Manufactured goods shipped from China to the Middle East, Europe and Africa pass close to Sri Lanka, as do oil and gas shipments from the Persian Gulf bound for China, Colombage said. He described port investment and maritime connectivity as important areas for continued cooperation between the two countries, adding that Chinese investment and technological capabilities could support Sri Lanka’s economic development, CEN reported.
Rethinking the Blue Harvest
While trade routes form the circulatory system of the ocean economy, fisheries and aquaculture represent its vital lifeblood for millions of coastal residents.
Addressing global food security similarly hinges on cross-border market and technology sharing within key regions. Preeda Youngsuksathaporn, director general of Thailand’s Fish Marketing Organization under the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, said China and Thailand had complementary roles in the fisheries industry.
“Thailand is a big player in terms of the fisheries industry, and China is a huge consumer market. Basically, we are producers, and China is a market for us,” he said in an interview during the forum.
He also called for a broader approach to bilateral and regional cooperation, with China sharing fisheries technology and expertise with Thailand and other ASEAN countries.
“China can also be a technology provider and a knowledge provider for Thailand and ASEAN,” he said, adding that such cooperation could help producers improve their capacity to meet market demand.
Preeda also warned that the traditional reliance on catching wild fish could place increasing pressure on marine resources.
“We cannot continue doing this, otherwise we have overfishing and we destroy the natural resources and the fish and the creatures in the sea,” he said.
He described the BBNJ Agreement, which entered into force in January 2026, as an opportunity to strengthen the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.
Guardians of the Coasts
The economic value of coastal areas also depends on the condition of their natural environment. Fishing, tourism and other activities provide livelihoods for coastal populations, while pollution and poorly planned construction can damage the ecosystems that support them.
Colombage urged coastal cities to prevent pollution and unauthorized construction, and to stop the dumping of garbage and discharge of chemical waste into coastal waters. He warned that rising ocean temperatures and plastic pollution could place additional pressure on coastal communities.
Preeda raised similar concerns about changes to beaches and coastlines. Their shape and condition are influenced by construction, coral reefs, monsoons and waves, he said, and alterations can affect marine life and the people who depend on coastal areas.
“The structure of the coastal shore will affect the livelihoods of the creatures in the sea and the people along the shore,” he said.
Antoine Grima, head of the Department of Environmental and Resources Law at the University of Malta’s Faculty of Laws, said the extent to which a coastal city preserves its natural environment was an important measure of its relationship with the ocean.
“Humanity is part of the planet’s biodiversity,” he said. Human activities and development should take this relationship into account, he added.
The need for cooperation was also a recurring theme in discussions on ocean governance. Grima said that international efforts to protect the ocean would not succeed without cooperation among states and a commitment to multilateralism.
For Ronán Long, director of the WMU-Sasakawa Global Ocean Institute at the World Maritime University in Sweden, establishing common international rules and standards is an important part of that effort. For coastal and maritime economies, the challenge is to translate cooperation into practical measures that protect shipping, support fisheries and preserve the marine environments on which communities depend.
