INCHEON -- An international ocean forum opened in the western port city of Incheon on Wednesday to seek ways to further promote the maritime industry down the road.

The two-day Incheon International Ocean Forum (IIOF) 2021 kicked off at Songdo Convensia in Incheon, 40 kilometers west of Seoul, under the theme of "The World Calls, The Ocean Waves," bringing together maritime industry experts and businessmen from across the world.

The forum is hosted by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the Incheon metropolitan government, and organized by the Incheon Port Authority and South Korea's key newswire, Yonhap News Agency.

In a welcome speech, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Moon Seong-hyeok voiced his hope that the forum will serve as an opportunity to discuss ways for the future development of the ocean industry.

"Ways to cope with such challenges as climate change and resource depletion should be found in the seas just as the shipping industry has helped tide over an economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic," he said.

Cho Sung-boo, president and CEO of Yonhap News Agency, said efforts should be made to bolster the maritime industry's innovative capabilities as there is a high need for the introduction of Green New Deal projects in the sector to cope with structural changes in the global economy in the wake of the pandemic.

The opening ceremony was attended by some 200 people, with another 1,100 taking part online. Keynote speeches and all sessions will be live-streamed.

The forum features regular sessions -- the future strategy of global supply chain management, artificial intelligence (AI) and smart ports, port networks, ocean environment and ocean tourism -- and one special session on port design.

Canadian author and environmentalist Naomi Klein and Whang Seung-jin, a professor of Stanford Business School, delivered keynote speeches on ways to overcome the climate crisis and the management of maritime logistics networks.

Participants will exchange views on the importance and direction of supply chain management and discuss the need to apply AI technology in managing ports.

Thursday's ocean environment session will deal with responses to climate change and discuss strategies for the development of the so-called circular economy by harnessing maritime resources.

The ocean tourism session will concentrate on the effect of coronavirus vaccines on the global marine tourism ecosystem and future development strategies.

Organizers said the forum was under way strictly according to social distancing and quarantine guidelines in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19. (Yonhap)