nearshore

Nearshore is a term used in several disciplines to describe locations, processes, or activities that occur close to the shore. In physical oceanography and coastal geography, the nearshore zone comprises the coastal waters from the shoreline to the edge of the continental shelf where wave action, tidal currents, and sediment transport interact with the seabed and landforms. This zone is characterized by shallow depths, frequent wave breaking, and dynamic sediment exchange, and it hosts many ecosystems such as estuaries, beaches, and coastal wetlands. The nearshore boundary changes with tides and weather, and its extent varies by coastal geography.

In business and economics, nearshoring describes the practice of relocating services or manufacturing to a nearby country, typically in the same or a closely related time zone, to achieve cost savings while preserving easier coordination and shorter supply chains compared with offshore outsourcing. Nearshoring is often contrasted with offshoring to distant countries and with onshoring, or reshoring, to the home country. Benefits commonly cited include reduced travel and communication overhead, more predictable delivery schedules, and cultural or regulatory alignment; risks include rising labor costs, political or policy changes, and supply chain disruptions.

In energy and fishing industries, the term nearshore is used to describe activities conducted in shallow coastal waters, as opposed to offshore operations in deeper seas. Nearshore wind farms, for example, are installed in waters closer to shore, while nearshore fisheries target species found in coastal habitats; both face unique environmental and logistical considerations.