Ocean governance is complex. More than 26 UN organizations govern some part of the ocean, and the number of mechanisms for regional seas is even higher. One of the initiatives that cuts through this complexity is the annual Our Ocean Conference (OOC). This week, I had the pleasure of attending the 10th edition of the event in Busan, Korea, and presenting our recent maritime security study at a side event.

The OOC is a format introduced by the United States in 2014 under the Obama administration. At the event, key ocean challenges are discussed at senior expert and ministerial levels, and states, industry, and NGOs are invited to make commitments.

Key themes of this year’s gathering were the expansion of marine protected areas, sustainable fishing, and the decarbonization of shipping. The gathering is also a significant networking opportunity with dozens of side events, receptions, and dinners.

For the anniversary, Korea funded an assessment of the format’s past achievements and introduced a digital focus with a stronger business component. The conference now has a formal secretariat that tracks commitments and will support the 2026 host, Kenya, and the city of Mombasa.

Our side event was hosted by the Embassy of Denmark in Korea, the Korea Institute for Maritime Strategy (KIMS), United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research, and the University of Copenhagen, with support from the Velux Foundation. We explored pathways for building stronger links between maritime security and the blue economy.

The OOC exemplifies why we need these links, as ocean discussions rarely consider security beyond illicit fishing. A discussion of the role coastguards and navies play in marine conservation, for instance, is often missing.