'ocean-bound' originates from the combination of 'ocean' and 'bound', where 'ocean' refers to the vast body of saltwater and 'bound' means 'heading towards'.

'ocean-bound' evolved from the Old English word 'bounden', meaning 'to go', combined with 'ocean', which has remained largely unchanged.

Initially, it meant 'heading towards the sea', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.