Presidents Message
The ocean is a major contributor to the world economy. It provides low-cost transportation – 90% of global trade is carried by sea. Over the millennia it has fed us, provided energy and raw materials, moderated our temperature, and let us enjoy it in a multitude of ways. Yet there is much to explore – 70.8% of the world’s surface is ocean, which given its average depth, means that 99% of habitable earth is underwater and we have examined less than 10% of that.
San Diego is a historical maritime city that grew up around a magnificent natural harbor. There is a vibrant, visible maritime industry – from fishing to ship building. But there is also the heretofore largely “invisible” marine technology industry. This industry is invisible in almost every major city around the world because local sales typically represent 1-3% of total revenue, therefore, executives don’t typically belong to the local Chamber of Commerce or Rotary Club. They are on planes and at conferences around the world making contacts and doing business.
The Maritime Alliance’s tag line is Promoting BlueTech & Blue Jobs®. Our goals are to continue organizing and encouraging the maritime community in San Diego while reaching out internationally to promote collaboration. This is truly a global industry – no company or country will develop all the technologies and/or control all the resources. Multinational collaboration at academic, business, and government levels will be essential to create a win-win environment.
Sincerely,
Michael B. Jones
