The twenty-first century is witnessing a profound transformation in the strategic significance of the world’s oceans. Maritime trade, energy security, submarine communications infrastructure, technological innovation, environmental sustainability and geopolitical competition have converged to make the oceans one of the defining spaces of international affairs. Understanding these developments requires more than traditional maritime studies; it demands an integrated perspective that combines geopolitics, economics, international law, security studies, technology and environmental policy.
It is in response to this evolving strategic environment that the Ocean Geopolitics Centre has been established.
The Centre was created to provide an independent platform for research, education and strategic dialogue dedicated to the study of Ocean Geopolitics and its implications for governments, academia, industry and society. Our objective is not only to analyse current developments but also to contribute to a deeper understanding of the forces that will shape the maritime century. The Ocean Geopolitics Centre operates as a specialised research and educational centre within the Associação dos Amigos da Marinha do Brasil em Portugal – AAMP (SOAMAR Brasil em Portugal), a legally constituted Portuguese non-profit association established in 2015 and duly registered with the competent Portuguese authorities. This institutional framework provides the Centre with recognised governance, legal continuity and the organisational capacity necessary to develop long-term research, educational programmes and international cooperation.
The establishment of the Centre has also received institutional recognition through the formal support expressed by the Strategic Communication Center of the Brazilian Navy in Official Letter No. 3/2026. In that communication, the initiative was recognised as a valuable contribution to the promotion of maritime awareness, scientific research and dialogue on the strategic importance of the oceans. This support is a source of encouragement and reflects the shared understanding that the study of maritime affairs is essential for the future of Atlantic cooperation while fully preserving the Centre’s academic independence.
From its inception, the Ocean Geopolitics Centre has embraced an international vocation. It seeks to build bridges between universities, research institutions, public authorities, maritime industries and civil society, fostering multidisciplinary cooperation and encouraging informed discussion on the challenges and opportunities arising from the changing global maritime environment.
Knowledge has always been one of the foundations of maritime progress. Throughout history, the nations that best understood the sea were those that most successfully transformed maritime opportunities into prosperity, security and international influence. Today, as new technologies, geopolitical rivalries and environmental challenges reshape the maritime domain, the need for rigorous, independent and forward-looking research has never been greater. The Ocean Geopolitics Centre was founded with the conviction that scholarly excellence, institutional cooperation and intellectual independence are essential to advancing the understanding of these transformations. We aspire to contribute not only to academic knowledge but also to the formulation of informed public policy and to the development of a broader maritime mindset capable of addressing the strategic realities of the twenty-first century.
This Institutional Profile marks the beginning of that journey. It presents our mission, our vision and our commitment to building an internationally respected centre dedicated to research, education and dialogue on the geopolitics of the oceans. We warmly invite universities, researchers, public institutions, companies and all those who share this vision to join us in advancing knowledge for the benefit of present and future generations.
Dr. Artur Victoria
Founder and President, Ocean Geopolitics Centre