Most of our planet is covered by water, mainly the ocean. For far too long, humanity has taken the ocean for granted, risking in the process global well-being. This year’s UN Ocean Conference brought the world’s attention to the importance of the ocean as the world seeks to address deep-rooted problems which will require common shared solutions anchored in the SDGs. Those solutions relate matters such as protecting biodiversity, feeding the world and deep-sea mining to produce the metals needed for energy transition. Hopefully, a new chapter of global ocean action is starting, opening many research and sustainable development opportunities.