The last 50, and especially 20 years, proved to be fruitful for Turkey’s maritime essence, as the country marked countless achievements in shipbuilding and partly maritime boundary agreements under international law, as I had outlined in a previous article.

Engaging with the "Blue Homeland" doctrine, which advocates Ankara's territorial claims in the Eastern Mediterranean, Aegean and the Black Sea, is crucial for Turkey to comprehend its naval potential, sustain previous achievements, and continue to benefit from the sea – one of the major natural resources of the country.

The first and foremost step to engage Turkish society with the seas is to create awareness and spread Blue Homeland and the norms of the United Nations Convention on the Sea (UNCLOS) among the public.

Incorporating the doctrine into the school curriculum, offering new courses and launching public relations campaigns could be a good place to start.

Likewise, it is equally important to implement major maritime projects promptly, such as essential seaports and shipping facilities in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea to maintain a deterrent foreign and security policy on the seas.

Giving an example of solid steps, it is urgent to complete the construction of the shipping line in the Taşucu town in Turkey's southern province Mersin, which was to be built in 1999 with the National Security Councils' (MGK) decision due to its strategically important location but could not be implemented for various reasons so far.

Similarly, it is advisable to construct a shipping facility and a maritime port in Northern Cyprus for protecting the country from opponent intervention after Southern Cyprus opened its ports to French and U.S. warships.

In short, it is crucial to understand the following maxim: Whoever has the sea has power – especially in the Eastern Mediterranean, where there is an abundance of crises and natural resources. Since the sea: