its coral in 2016. This is not just a natural disaster; hundreds of millions of people across the world rely on coral reefs for food, their livelihoods and protection from storms. To what extent are people aware of these impacts on the oceans and their implications for human communities and natural ecosystems?


Given that the concept of sea blindness encapsulates a lack of awareness of the multiple important roles of the sea for society, it is necessary to use diverse approaches to overcome it. Increasingly, we are seeing efforts to highlight ‘blue’ opportunities, such as the emphasis in Europe on the Blue Economy as a key economic driver and a source of innovation and growth. Similarly, in the UK, a new campaign aimed to highlight the importance of the sea, the New Economic Foundation launched the Blue New Deal in November 2016. This aims to create a new vision of coastal communities that delivers good jobs and economic prosperity. However, in spite of


Coral Bleaching in the Great Barrier Reef © Andrew Baird


these initiatives, maritime sectors continue to face challenges linked to skills gaps, loss of skilled workers and expertise through retirement and low recruitment of school leavers to maritime careers, which ongoing efforts are seeking to address.


The Greenwich Maritime Centre (GMC) was set up within the University of Greenwich in March 2016 and builds on hundreds of years of maritime traditions with its location within the Old Royal Naval College in London. It has the specific mission to promote greater understanding and social awareness of the relationships between sea and society using approaches from science through to the arts and humanities bringing together industry, academia and a wide range of stakeholders. For those wishing to explore the importance of the sea further Masters programmes are offered in International Maritime Policy and Global Shipping Management. The GMC has linked up with the Coastal and Marine Research Group of the Royal Geographical Society and is developing partnerships with organisations such as the Marine Conservation Society and the United Nations Environment Programme ‐ World Conservation Monitoring Centre. The first GMC international conference ran in September 2016 and brought together over 30 speakers from a wide range of countries. The second GMC conference is planned for September 2018 and is currently looking for partnerships with maritime organisations interested in the theme of ’Society and the Sea’.


Sea blindness is an important issue for society. The value of the oceans for individual communities and wider UK society is not in doubt. However, increasing awareness of the multiple, interconnected ways that the oceans impact all of our lives requires the work of many stakeholders working across sectoral and disciplinary boundaries. Such co‐operation holds the promise of new economic and social opportunities that can form the foundation for improved livelihoods and wellbeing across the UK. The GMC and CMRG are one example of partners working together, and with others, to towards this goal.


Tim Acott, Greenwich Maritime Centre, University of Greenwich, Old Royal Naval College, London, SE10 9LS


Emma McKinley, School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AT


Adriana Ford, Greenwich Maritime Centre, University of Greenwich, Old Royal Naval College, London, SE10 9LS


Rebecca Jefferson, RSPB Centre for Conservation Science, RSPB, The Lodge, Sandy, SG19 2DL.


Stephen Fletcher, United Nations Environment Programme ‐ World Conservation Monitoring Centre, 219 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge, CB3 0DL; Marine Institute, Plymouth University, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 3AA.


Society of Maritime Industries Handbook & Members’ Directory 2017 41


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