By: Economy Middle East

New UNCTAD data recently showed that services now account for most of the world’s $2.5 trillion ocean-related trade, overtaking goods and opening new opportunities for developing countries to create value from the ocean while protecting it.

Trade in ocean-related services reached $1.44 trillion in 2025, representing 58 percent of total ocean trade, up from 47 percent in 2020. The shift is being driven mainly by marine and coastal tourism, maritime freight transport and port services, according to figures released on World Oceans Day.

Marine and coastal tourism remain largest ocean service export in 2025
UNCTAD also revealed that marine and coastal tourism remained the largest ocean service export in 2025, reaching $785 billion, more than half of the total ocean services trade. Maritime freight transport followed, at $487 billion.

This marks a sharp turnaround from 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic cut international marine and coastal tourism by 70 percent. It also shows how exposed the ocean economy remains to shocks, including geopolitical tensions, conflicts and disruptions along key maritime routes.

Ocean-related services trade grew by 3 percent in 2025, down from 12 percent in 2024, pointing to a slower but still expanding sector.

Ocean-related goods trade surpasses $1 trillion in 2025

The report added that the rise of services does not make ocean goods less important. Ocean-related goods trade surpassed $1 trillion in 2025, growing by 8 percent. It was led by ships and port equipment at $414 billion, high-tech manufactures at $402 billion, fisheries and aquaculture at $209 billion and sea minerals at $2 billion.

“The ocean is Earth’s least explored frontier, yet it may hold answers to this century’s defining challenges,” said Ashok Adicéam, Executive Director of Mission Neptune, France. “Our challenge is no longer only to generate knowledge, but to ensure that knowledge, technology and exploration become truly shared global public goods.”

Healthy marine ecosystems are central to the future of the ocean economy.

As of June 2026, around 10 percent of marine areas and 17 percent of territorial waters were protected worldwide, still below the global biodiversity target to conserve and effectively manage 30 percent of ocean areas by 2030.