Blue economy offers unlimited opportunities for ‘Puthuyuga Keralam’: Chief Minister VD Satheesan

Workers at Grove Beach in Kovalam collect plastic nurds that continue to pollute the Kerala coast following the sinking of the container ship MSC ELSA-3 last year in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday. June 8 is celebrated as World Oceans Day to raise awareness of the vital role of the oceans and protect the marine ecosystem. | Photo credit: NIRMAL HARINDRAN

Sustainable development of marine resources, responsible maritime governance and conservation should become focal points of development policy, said Chief Minister VD Satheesan.

Kerala’s 600-km coastline and sea offer unlimited opportunities to the state’s economy, Mr Satheesan said on Sunday ahead of the World Oceans Day celebrations on Monday (June 8). Mr. Satheesan said World Ocean Day 2026 is an important day for the United Democratic Front (UDF) government in Kerala as one of its “dream projects” (Mission Samudra to turn Kerala into a global maritime hub) is closely linked to the ocean.

In the first phase of this programme, the government is focusing on the development of coastal shipping linking small and large ports along the Kerala coast. The aim is to shift at least 50% of freight movement from national roads to sea routes. In the second phase, the government intends to develop cruises, and in the third, to connect all these activities with inland rivers and lakes.

“As Kerala transforms into a ‘port city’, it will create thousands of new jobs. It must be remembered that the port sector accounts for 28% of Dubai’s gross domestic product. In this sense, our seas and coastlines offer limitless opportunities,” Mr. Satheesan said in his World Oceans Day message.

Gateway to India

As Kerala can easily be described as the gateway to India, the Chief Minister said that the region is suitable for maritime development from historical and economic point of view. Mr. Satheesan emphasized the need to utilize Kerala’s port maritime sector as a major catalyst for its future development. To this end, sustainable fisheries, aquaculture, ocean renewable energy technology, logistics, shipbuilding, coastal tourism, maritime clusters, clean fuels, cruise tourism, maritime heritage tourism and maritime universities and research need to be promoted, he said.

The state’s 17 major ports, Vizhinjam International Seaport and Kochi Port, Cochin Shipyard, numerous fishing ports, national waterways, world-renowned backwaters and tourism networks constitute its major maritime assets, he said. Vizhinjam Port has the potential to become a role model for Asia in sustainable port development, the Chief Minister said.

At the same time, the state needs to overcome problems caused by ocean pollution, problems related to climate change and coastal erosion, Satheesan added.

The United Nations declared World Oceans Day on June 8 to “inform the public about the impact of human activities on the ocean, develop a global citizen movement for the oceans, and mobilize and unite the world’s population in the project of sustainable management of the world’s oceans.”

Published – 07 Jun 2026 21:28 IST