(SitNews)  Washington, D. C. - The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) released the first official Marine Economy Satellite Account statistics on June 8, 2021, which demonstrated that the ocean economy accounted for 1.9 percent, or $397 billion, of the U.S. gross domestic product in 2019. The Bureau of Economic Analysisalso found that the growth of the ocean economy outpaced that of the economy as a whole in 2019. Under the current growth rate, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development projected that the global ocean economy would double its 2010 contribution to world gross value added by 2030, from $1.5 to $3 trillion.

Friday, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) introduced the Ocean Regional Opportunity and Innovation Act of 2022, which would direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish “Ocean Innovation Clusters” to strengthen the coastal communities and blue economy of the nation. Senator Murkowski is a strong supporter of Ocean Clusters, including the Alaska Ocean Cluster which serves as a hub for private, public, and academic stakeholders to collaborate on opportunities to promote and enhance the maritime industry.  

Specifically, the Ocean ROI Act of 2021 would require the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the administrator of the U.S. Economic Development Agency, and in consultation with the administrator of NOAA, to designate at least one ocean cluster in each of the five domestic NOAA Fisheries regions and the Great Lakes region. This would ensure that at least one cluster is designated in Alaska. The bill would also create grants for cluster operation and administration and one-time capital investments for physical infrastructure.

Senator Murkowski said, “The U.S. is home to a number of burgeoning ocean clusters, including the Alaska Ocean Cluster, which have emerged as critical facilitators of blue economy development. It’s time for the U.S. to catch up with our Arctic friends in Iceland and Norway who have long brought together public, private, and academic stakeholders to create sustainable value in the maritime industry through existing and novel opportunities. Clusters offer members physical workspaces - often including some sort of project incubation space—as well as networking, funding and investment opportunities. By boosting our existing clusters and creating new ones where they don’t exist, we are paving the way for some of Alaska’s most innovative minds to further advance Alaska’s blue economy - a significant and direct investment in our state."

 “From protecting orcas from vessel noise, to transitioning to a carbon free future for our ports and maritime industry, Washington’s ocean cluster, called Maritime Blue, is working hard to solve complex challenges facing our economy. This bill would build on their success by creating a new grant program to fund ocean innovation clusters and grow Washington’s 30 billion dollar maritime economy,” said Senator Cantwell.

 “We are grateful Senator Murkowski recognizes ocean clusters as a framework to advance innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic development. Her leadership is invaluable as we seek to tackle local, national, and global maritime issues,” said Garrett Evridge, Managing Director of the Alaska Ocean Cluster. “The timing couldn't be better to formalize a national cluster network. This legislation will help us respond to challenges while advancing a modern and resilient ocean sector.”

“The Alaska Ocean Cluster has been an incredible resource as we've aligned our technology with customer needs in the state. There is a huge opportunity for ocean clusters to help accelerate startups focused on maritime solutions,” said Kortney Opshaug, CEO and founder of Blue Ocean Gear.   

“Our ability to provide value and solutions to communities and companies in the Arctic has been strengthened by the advice, coaching, and connections offered by the Alaska Ocean Cluster,” said Leslie Canavera, CEO and co-founder of PolArctic, “Expansion of ocean innovation clusters nationally will facilitate coordination among companies, tribes, municipalities and other stakeholders to realize the potential of the blue economy.”

Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Susan Collins (R-ME) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) are original cosponsors of the legislation.



On the Web:

For full text of the bill (Ocean ROI Act of 2022), click here .

Edited By: Mary Kauffman, SitNews



Source of News:

Office of U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski
www.murkowski.senate.gov

Representations of fact and opinions in comments posted are solely those of the individual posters and do not represent the opinions of Sitnews.

SitNews ©2022
Stories In The News
Ketchikan, Alaska

Articles & photographs that appear in SitNews are considered protected by copyright and may not be reprinted without written permission from and payment of any required fees to the proper freelance writers and subscription services. E-mail your news & photos to editor@sitnews.us Photographers choosing to submit photographs for publication to SitNews are in doing so granting their permission for publication and for archiving. SitNews does not sell photographs. All requests for purchasing a photograph will be emailed to the photographer.