With the Greater Bay Area as the regional ecosystem, maritime tourism, blue bonds and marine innovation are three areas of opportunity
3-MIN READ3-MIN ListenKen ChuKen Chu (LLD) is the chairman and CEO of Mission Hills Group with businesses in hospitality, leisure, entertainment, sports, wellness and education in China. Published: 9:30am, 28 Apr 2026Last month, Hong Kong completed its first green methanol bunkering operation, a significant step in its efforts to support the decarbonisation of global shipping. As the maritime industry accelerates its transition towards cleaner fuels, this milestone signals Hong Kong’s intent to remain relevant.
For Hong Kong, the opportunity is timely. As the city recalibrates its economic model in a more complex global environment, the blue economy offers both a strategic anchor and a new growth frontier.
The numbers are compelling. The United Nations places the blue economy’s annual value at between US$3 trillion and US$6 trillion while the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development projects that by 2030, ocean-based industries could outgrow the global economy. These span traditional sectors such as shipping and fisheries, as well as emerging areas like offshore renewable energy, marine biotechnology and ocean data services.
