The Global Ocean Economy: A Source of Millions of Jobs

Over 100 million full-time equivalent jobs are sustained by the global ocean economy, with marine and coastal tourism and Asia-Pacific leading the charge, data provided by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) shows.

However, the future of ocean work depends on preparation for automation and skills transition, according to the intergovernmental organization.

The Ocean Economy: A Vital Yet Overlooked Sector

The ocean economy is a vital but often overlooked part of the global economy. From fishing and tourism to offshore energy and maritime transport, it supports millions of jobs across diverse industries and regions. New international estimates from the OECD Ocean Economy Monitor help fill this gap.

Between 1995 and 2020, the ocean economy consistently supported more than 100 million full-time equivalent jobs (FTEs) worldwide. Employment peaked at 151 million in 2006 and averaged 138 million over the period. In 2020, global ocean economy employment dropped to a low of 101 million due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, preliminary estimates suggest a recovery is underway towards levels similar to pre-2019.

Which Ocean Economic Activities Employ the Most People?

As per OECD, the largest source of employment in the ocean economy is marine and coastal tourism. On average, marine and coastal tourism accounted for around 60% of the global ocean economy full-time equivalent jobs between 1995 and 2020.

Interestingly, marine and coastal tourism also happens to be the largest ocean economic activity group in terms of its contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) in most years between 1995 and 2020.

Offshore Wind and Marine Renewables: A Growing Sector

One of the newest and fastest-growing sectors in the ocean economy is offshore wind and marine renewables. Since 2000, this industry has shown exponential growth, playing an increasingly meaningful role in the energy mix of some countries.

However, while its output is growing rapidly, global employment levels remain low compared to other ocean economic activity groups, reflecting the industry’s nascent stage in many regions.

Regional Trends in Ocean Employment

Global ocean economy employment is concentrated in the large population centers of Asia, with China and India alone generating just under 56 million FTEs combined. While Asia-Pacific dominates in absolute terms, growth in FTEs in Asia-Pacific remained roughly flat, with an annual average growth rate estimated at minus 0.9%.

On the other hand, Africa has seen the fastest annual average FTE growth rate between 1995 and 2020. In contrast, ocean economy employment declined in Europe and North America.

The Future of Ocean Economy Employment: Automation, Skills, and Resilience

Employers and employees are likely to face significant opportunities and challenges in the coming decades as the ocean economy undergoes rapid technological transformation. Advances such as autonomous vehicles and AI-powered port logistics are driving productivity increases in maritime industries.

Emerging industries such as offshore wind and marine biotechnology are creating new demand for specialized skills that may outpace the capacity of existing training pipelines. These growing pressures highlight the need for proactive planning, inclusive upskilling strategies, and support for vulnerable workers during transitions to build resilient and future-ready ocean economy workforces.