Ocean services


Sea-going ships transport people and goods all over the world. In 1992, just under 18.5 million tonnes of freight entered the UK via the port of Southampton alone.

People have always been attracted to the sea. Some of the first poems ever written celebrate its mysteries and there can be few art galleries that do not have at least one seascape on the wall.

The seaside is a top holiday choice. One-third of the world's holiday makers flock to the beaches of the Mediterranean; in 1993, more than 4.5 million tourists headed for the Hawaiian island of Oahu.

The sea also provides a number of "invisible" services. Every year it absorbs 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide. Mangroves and coral reefs protect tropical coastlines from storms while temperate shores are safeguarded by mudflats, salt - marshes, and sand dunes.


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Copyright 1996, The World Wide Fund for Nature