The East Grampian coast has long history of history of marine industry with a number of key developments having benefited the area and the wider world, from the development of the clippers ships, to freezing processes that enable seafood to be preserved at sea. The area is now at the forefront of the wind industry with the worlds first commercial floating windfarm and plans for the first turbines that will be used directly to create hydrogen.  

The area also serves as the base for the British sector of the North Sea oil fields as well as an international hub for expertise in the field of Deepwater exploration and drilling.

The area also faces many challenges, small harbours provide a wide range of benefits for the community but often have a poor income stream and poor maintenance could lead to catastrophic failure that would not be viable for repair.