Tag: UNCTAD

UNCTAD’s Review of Maritime Transport 2021 indicates positive trends in maritime trade that might sustain economic growth in Africa.

The COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on maritime trade volumes in 2020 was less severe than initially expected but its knock-on effects will be far-reaching and could transform maritime transport, according to UNCTAD’s Review of Maritime Transport 2021.

Asia’s predominance in global maritime trade strengthened in 2020, as it maintained a 41% share of total goods loaded, said UNCTAD’s latest Review of Maritime Transport.

In its latest review of maritime transport, UNCTAD warns that global consumer prices will rise significantly in the year ahead until shipping supply chain disruptions are unblocked and port constraints and terminal inefficiencies are tackled.

The Review of Maritime Transport is an UNCTAD flagship report that provides an analysis of structural and cyclical changes affecting seaborne trade, ports and shipping, as well as an extensive collection of statistics from maritime trade and transport.

21 months living with COVID-19 and the global shipping community, as well as the global supply chain, is still in crisis. On one hand, container shipping experiences unforeseen delays, while on the other hand, seafarers remain stranded, working with extended contracts due to the difficulties of crew changes. And what is worse; it seems that a return to normal is not on the cards just yet…

Developing countries, especially small island developing states (SIDS) and least developed countries (LDCs), need support to adjust to global efforts to cut climate-warming emissions from international shipping, says UNCTAD in a new report assessing the potential impacts of IMO short-term measures on GHG emissions.

UNCTAD called regulators to achieve greater transparency in container shipping, during a period of record rates and challenging performance by container shipping. 

At the end of 2020, there were 944 container ports served by liner shipping services. This is an increase of 13% compared to the 834 ports in the first quarter of 2006. The size of container ships calling in most ports has also increased during these 15 years, but the number of companies has decreased.

Global maritime trade will plunge by 4.1% in 2020 due to the unprecedented COVID-19 disruption, according to UNCTAD Review of Maritime Transport 2020, released on 12 November. However the pandemic has laid the foundations for a transformed industry and UNCTAD expects a return to growth in 2021.