President Jacob Zuma will release the results of work done to explore the potential of the country’s ocean economy at the first Operation Phakisa open day in Durban on Wednesday.

“Operation Phakisa is designed to answer that fundamental question, how do we turn our good plans into action to improve the lives of our people and to make the National Development Plan come alive,” Zuma said.

Four priority sectors have been selected as new growth areas in the ocean economy, which include aquaculture and offshore oil and gas exploration.

The other priority areas are marine transport and manufacturing and marine protection services and ocean governance.

“We have constantly lamented that we have good plans but the implementation part is a challenge. We are now focusing intensively on implementation,” Zuma said.

Operation Phakisa is an adaptation of the Big Fast Results methodology that was successfully applied by the Malaysian Government in the delivery of its Economic and Government Transformation Programmes.

Presidency spokesperson Mac Maharaj said South Africa must explore the potential that comes from being bordered by the ocean on the east, south and west.

“This vast ocean space is relatively unexplored in terms of its economic potential. In 2010, the ocean contributed approximately R54-billion to South Africa's gross domestic product and accounted for approximately 316 000 jobs,” Maharaj said.

He said an analysis was conducted of nine sectors that comprise South Africa's ocean economy.

The ocean had a potential to contribute to the Gross Domestic Product up to R177-billion.

“It also has a potential contribution of between 800 000 and one-million direct jobs,” he said.

Operation Phakisa was first launched in Durban in July with a segment focusing on unlocking growth and jobs in the country's ocean economy.

Ocean economy teams from government, labour, business and academia are tasked with working on Operation Phakisa.