With 71 per cent of the earth surface covered by oceans and one-third of oil consumed world-over located offshore, the importance of maritime trade and security would be discussed during a conference beginning here tomorrow.
"Oceans cover 71 per cent of earth surface and today one-third of oil consumed world-over are located offshore. Maritime trade and security have been growing and when they grow there are equal opportunities and challenges....," David Michel, director Henry L Stimson Centre Environmental- Security, one of the organisers of the two-day event, told reporters.
The conference -- Sea Change: Evolving Maritime Geopolitics in the Indo-Pacific region would also be held in Kochi on June 12.
It is jointly organised by U S Consulate Chennai, The Henry L Stimson Centre and Observer Research Foundation.
Michel said 70 per cent of trade takes place by sea in the Indo-Pacific region and more than half of the proteins were contributed from sea for countries like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Maldives.
Former Navy Officer and Observer Research Foundation, Senior Fellow, Dr P K Ghosh said India's dependence on energy would be 92.6 per cent by 2020 while for China it would be 76.2 per cent. "Most of the energy comes from sea and issues like these will be discussed during the seminar," he said.
He said on the one hand maritime trade is growing while on the other, challenges like marine terrorism, attack by pirates are also going up.
He said the terror attack at Taj Hotel in Mumbai in 2008 was also a form of "marine terrorism", as supply (of materials for the attack) were done through the sea route while the incident happened on land.
The issue related to pirates in the Gulf of Aden region (Somalia) would also be discussed during the seminar, he said.
