Introduction: Energy from the Sea

One of the main challenges of our time is to be able to guarantee energy supply at a reasonable price. Policy makers, international institutions and the private sector increasingly look to the oceans as a significant source of energy. Consequently, activities at sea multiply and sometimes become riskier. For example, the oil and gas industry is reaching out towards deeper waters and more remote exploration targets. Moreover, energy security and efficiency imperatives, coupled with climate change mitigation mechanisms, push the development of marine renewable energy technologies. These changes may have a significant impact on the marine environment and also on the continuity of other traditional maritime uses, such as navigation and fishing.