Resource Security in a Fragmented World: Supply Chain Nationalism and the Geopolitics of Deep-Sea Mining

Growing recognition that global supply chains are becoming more fragmented, exacerbated by geopolitical tensions and economic nationalism, is raising the profile of resource security. Deep-sea mining (DSM) has become a new battlefield for securing strategic materials for green technology, defense technology, digital technology. This article explores the nexus between supply chain nationalism and the geopolitical dimensions of DSM, in which states and corporates are fighting for space to access seabed resource. Using examples from the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans, the study underscored the regulatory gaps, environmental threats and strategic considerations of DSM to global resource governance. Without strong international cooperation, the race for deep-sea minerals could worsen geopolitical rivalries and environmental destruction, the findings indicate.