Financing a Sustainable Blue Economy - Ocean Assets Institute’s Mission
Maritime transport ensures more than 90% of international trade. It has a direct environmental impact on marine biodiversity and coastal inhabitants. Developing Asia is the most important region in the world for the maritime industry.
Created by the Ocean Assets Institute NGO and funded by the Asian Development Bank, the BlueInvest Asia platform addresses the financing gap to the region's blue economy SMEs.
This includes thirty countries whose citizens depend on seafood trade, marine tourism, shipping and ports, with pressures of climate change, pollution and ecosystem collapse.
BlueInvest Asia is both an accelerator to fund and develop profitable innovations and a catalyst for healthy oceans. The platform provides blended financing, technical assistance, pipeline development and SME coaching.
Two UN agencies - UNDP and UNEP - are actively involved in the governance, technical support and impact measurement of the project. This model is adapted from the EU's BlueInvest platform, created in 2019.
Name: Ocean Assets Institute
Date of creation: 2016
Legal form: Swiss non-profit Association
Number of employees: 3
President: D. Michael Adams
Sector of intervention: Maritime - Sustainable Finance
Geographical area: Global
Notable achievements:
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Creator of Asian Development Bank’s Blue Economy Knowledge Product and BlueInvest Asia Platform (2020-21)
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Co-creator of EU BlueInvest Platform (2019)
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Author, Turning the Tide Report (Shipping & Ports finance) for UNEP-FIs Sustainable Blue Economy Finance Principles (2021)
This article was written following the Transition Forum Call for Expressions of Interest. BlueInvest Asia is part of the top 20 selected projects.
