The maritime economy continues to be one of the largest industries in the world. As data from the OECD organisation shows, it accounts for 100 million jobs.
Tourism and the Asia-Pacific region account for the largest share. However, according to the OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development), the future of the industry depends on preparing for automation and the skills shift.
From fishing and tourism to offshore energy and maritime transportation, the maritime economy provides millions of jobs across different industries and regions. Until recently, however, there was no consistent global picture of how many people are actually employed in the industry.
The new international estimates of the OECD Ocean Economy Monitor, presented in the report “The Ocean Economy to 2050”, help to close the existing gap. For the first time, they provide coherent statistics on employment in the maritime economy across different time periods, sectors and countries.
One-hundred million full-time jobs
Between 1995 and 2020, the maritime industry consistently created over 100 million full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs worldwide. Employment peaked at 151 million in 2006 and averaged 138 million throughout the period. In 2020, global employment in the ocean economy fell to a low of 101 million due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Preliminary estimates indicate that a recovery to a similar level as before 2019 has started since then. The earliest estimate from 1995 was 122 million FTE, which is relatively low compared to the 21st century average, which has always remained above 134 million.
Marine and coastal tourism
The largest source of employment in the marine economy is marine and coastal tourism. This sector includes everything from beach resorts to cruise companies and cultural activities. These industries tend to be labour-intensive and less suited to automation, making them global job creators. – Hansa.NewsGlobal
