- Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries Holds 2nd Incheon International Ocean Forum, 30 June - 1 July -

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF; Minister MOON, Seong-Hyeok) announced it will hold Incheon International Ocean Forum 2021 in collaboration with Incheon Metropolitan City, Incheon Port Authority, and Yonhap News Agency from 30 June (Wed.) to 1 July (Thu.) at Songdo Convensia in Incheon.

Incheon International Ocean Forum is a venue for sharing the latest trends in the marine industry and related technologies as well as building networks to allow marine specialists and business owners to prepare future strategies. The international event was held for the first time in 2020. Under the theme of New Normal, Reboot Ocean Industries, last year’s forum successfully hosted more than 1,500 participants from 13 different nations via online and offline channels, and diverse discussions were held for the development of the marine sector.

At the upcoming forum, Minister of Oceans and Fisheries MOON Seong-Hyeok, Mayor Park Nam-chun of Incheon Metropolitan City, and a number of experts representing the fields of maritime logistics, environment, and tourism will participate in compliance with the standards to prevent COVID-19 infection. Specialists from around the world will take part in the event via online channels to directly engage in real-time discussions with other offline participants. Moreover, any interested individuals can join the forum through its online broadcast via the official website (www.iiof.kr) and YouTube channel*.

* Search ‘Incheon International Ocean Forum’ on YouTube

This year’s forum consists of six programs under the theme The World Calls, The Ocean Waves!, including the keynote speech, five regular sessions, and one special session. For each session, more than 50 speakers and panel members from around 10 countries, including the US, Canada, China, and Japan, will take part to actively discuss the potential solutions we can find from the oceans to fight COVID 19 and address other challenges of our times, including climate change and resource depletion.

For the keynote speech, which will immediately follow the opening ceremony, the globally renowned Canadian author of the bestsellers No Logo and The Shock Doctrine and well-known environmental activist Naomi Klein will join the forum online in real-time to share her ideas on how we can overcome the climate crisis. Then, globally regarded academic in the field of business management, Professor Seungjin Whang of the Stanford Business School, widely known for his ’Bullwhip Effect‘, will facilitate the discussion on strategies to ensure the sustainable growth of the marine industries.

* (Bullwhip Effect) The effect where small fluctuations in demand within the supply chain are distorted and amplified in the series of transfers to the producers, which results in excessive costs relating to inventory, production, and transportation

From the afternoon of the opening day, the forum will hold regular sessions to understand the global perspectives on ▲ Changes in Global Supply Chain Management (GSCM)* and Future Strategies, ▲ Advancement of Smart Ports and Maritime Technologies with AI Innovation, ▲ ESG** Management and Future Strategies of Major Ports, ▲ Climate Action of The Oceans, and ▲ Vaccine and Global Tourism Outlook. In addition, the special session will focus on a more humanitarian discussion of marine design to seek ideas to support the ecological, economic, and socio-cultural sustainablility of the oceans under the theme Design Strategies of the Incheon Port.

* Global Supply Chain Management: The end-to-end management around the world from production to sale

** Acronym for Environmental, Social, and Governance, which is the set of criteria to assess the non-financial performance of corporations

MOON Seong-Hyeok, Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, commented in his welcome address, “Just as we have responded to the economic challenges of COVID 19 with the rebuilding of our shipping sector, we will find solutions to overcome the future challenges of climate change and resource depletion from the ocean.” He also expressed his hope that the “Incheon International Ocean Forum would become the venue for discussing potential solutions from the ocean to deliver a brighter future by consolidating the wisdom and insights of various participants.”

More details on the Incheon International Ocean Forum 2021 can be found at its official website (www.iiof.kr).