Jakarta, July 15 -- Deputy Minister for National Development Planning, Febrian Alphyanto Ruddyard, has emphasized that the ocean is the lifeblood of Indonesia's economy and underlined the need to optimally manage its potential.

"As the world's largest archipelagic country, we must understand that the ocean is not merely for display or statistics; it is the lifeblood of Indonesia's economy," he said during the grand launch of the United Indonesia Global Compact Network (IGCN) Ocean Centers here on Tuesday.

He informed that 45 percent of global trade, valued at US$15 trillion, passes through sea routes, including through Indonesian waters.

Indonesia has a maritime area of 6.4 million square kilometers, the world's second-longest coastlin...