Oceans - which scientists say are less understood than the moon or Mars - cover more than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface, yet less than 20 percent of their seafloor has been mapped or observed, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). And what lies below the waves is worth trillions of dollars. The so-called “blue economy” of marine resources is expected to contribute $3 trillion to the world’s GDP by 2030 - equivalent to the size of the UK economy - up from $1.5 trillion in 2010, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Tabary, Z. (2018, December 5). The final frontier: Who owns the oceans and their hidden treasures?. Malaya Business Insight, pp. B4, B5.