City welcomes Maritime Conference resolutions
The City welcomes resolutions reached during the International Conference on Coastal, Marine and Maritime Research (COMMRE 2026)
ETHEKWINI Municipality welcomed the outcome of the International Conference on Coastal, Marine and Maritime Research (COMMRE 2026) which was held at the Durban International Convention Centre (ICC) recently.
The convention brought together researchers, policymakers, industry and community partners.
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The University of South Africa (UNISA), the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) and other partners jointly hosted the conference under the theme “Advancing Science, Innovation, Policy and Equity within the UN Ocean Decade”.
Delegates called for integrated and inclusive approaches that strengthen coastal resilience and advance environmental justice, after it was noted that coastal areas face growing environmental threats, including climate change, pollution, biodiversity loss and extreme weather events.
Programme manager Nomalanga Sokhela, speaking on behalf of the City, said that COMMRE 2026 proved that the future of Durban’s blue economy relies entirely on bridging the gap between scientific research and practical, localised action.
“By integrating advanced tools such as digital ocean platforms and artificial intelligence into our coastal management strategies, we are not only protecting our 100km coastline, but also unlocking sustainable and equitable economic opportunities for our communities, small-scale fishers and young people,” she said.
The conference ran six thematic tracks that explored modern solutions. Among them were:
-Digital technologies and artificial intelligence: Improving environmental monitoring and predictive planning, and protecting port operations.
-Innovative financing: Using the blue carbon accounting and climate financing instruments to fund resilient infrastructure.
-Equity and inclusion: making sure women, youth, early-career ocean professionals, indigenous knowledge holders and small-scale fishing communities take an active part.
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Deputy Minister of Transport Mkhuleko Hlengwa stressed that partnerships across sectors are vital for the whole country.
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