Blue Economy and Maritime Resilience: Balancing Security and Sustainability (A Structural Equation Modelling Approach)

Abstract

This study investigates the interrelationship between blue economy practices and maritime resilience, emphasizing the balance between sustainability and security in the context of an archipelagic nation. Using Structural Equation Modeling–Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) with SmartPLS 4, data were obtained from 150 respondents representing maritime policymakers, naval officers, coastal community leaders, and blue economy practitioners across Indonesia. The results demonstrate that sustainability-oriented economic initiatives significantly influence maritime resilience (β = 0.47, p < 0.001) by enhancing ecological stability and community adaptive capacity. Maritime security also exerts a positive and moderating effect (β = 0.31, p = 0.005), amplifying the contribution of sustainable practices to overall resilience. The structural model explains 65% of the variance in maritime resilience (R² = 0.65), indicating strong explanatory power. Theoretically, this research extends the literature on maritime resilience by integrating economic, environmental, and security dimensions into a unified empirical model. Practically, the findings highlight the need for policymakers to design integrated maritime strategies that align blue economy policies with security frameworks, ensuring both sustainability and strategic stability in Indonesia’s maritime domain.