BUSAN ― The international society should raise awareness about the security of energy traffic in the East Asian seas, which have grown in importance with the increase in energy trade via vessels, maritime and oceans experts said Wednesday.

With proper security, the booming maritime energy traffic could boost the economy and solidify South Korea’s status in the region, participants at the World Ocean Forum 2014 in Busan said.

“The East Asia region is home to the world’s second- and third-largest economies as well as (other) dynamic markets. This is raising the profile of maritime security in national security agendas,” said Alessio Patalano, a lecturer at the Department of War Studies at King’s College London.

“The security will require establishing a framework to ensure that the increased number of workforces will manage interactions and prevent elevations of tensions that might endanger maritime traffic,” he said.

“The security in energy traffic is extremely important for South Korea, which depends on exports for more than 96 percent of its demand. With a stoppage of just several days, the country’s energy supply could come to a halt ― how would you be able to run the power generators?” Lee Kang-ki, professor at Korea Maritime and Ocean University, told The Korea Herald.

The great majority of the 2.5 million barrels of crude oil consumed daily and more than 30 million tons of annual natural gas imported here are delivered through shipping. And with the U.S. starting shale gas sales and South Korean companies showing great interest in this import, industry experts forecast the volume of trade and traffic will increase at a rapid pace.

This could also be a great opportunity for the South Korean economy, which is home to international shipbuilding powerhouses.

“If secured, more shipping companies will place orders with Korean shipbuilders to meet the increase in demand. Money will flow in and jobs will be created,” professor Lee said.

The speakers highlighted the ocean not only as waters with animals and resources but also as a great business opportunity in fields like transport.

“It only takes one container vessel to deliver the same load as it takes more than 18,000 train carriages to transport. The productivity of marine transportation is three to four times higher than others. It has become our key competiveness,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister Lee Ju-young said.

The World Ocean Forum, which ends on Friday, is the largest ocean and maritime issue-related forum in East Asia.

More than 1,000 people enrolled this year to take part in the event, which has the theme “Global Uprising Ocean Economy: Challenges and Opportunity.”

By Bae Ji-sook (baejisook@heraldcorp.com)