Qingdao Gute Ship Supplies Co., Ltd.

October 31, UNCTAD (UNCTAD) released the latest the global seaborne report pointed out that in 2018, American customs tensions rose, for the global trade policy concerns, as well as the British no agreement to take off the political change as a result of increased uncertainty sparked a global shipping market volatility, year-round shipping trade growth of just 2.7%, down from 4.1% in 2017 and the historical average of 3%.

"The decline in the growth of global seaborne trade is the result of a combination of trends, including the weakening of the multilateral trading system and the rise of protectionism," said unctad secretary-general igtui. This result serves as a warning to the international community that national policies may affect global maritime trade and development expectations."

In addition, unctad said geopolitical tensions and an expected increase in fuel costs due to the coming into force of new IMO rules in 2020 requiring all shipping vessels to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions by 85% were among the main factors contributing to the decline in seaway trade last year.

The slowdown in seaborne trade has also affected port flows and other related industries. Unctad said container port traffic growth was only 4.7 percent in 2018, down from 6.7 percent in 2017. Container trade rose just 2.6 per cent, down from 6 per cent in 2017, while the oversupplied market further squeezed shipping prices as the number of container ships rose year-on-year.

Clean energy and sustainable development are both challenges and opportunities

Unctad noted that, compared with a decade ago, the global maritime industry was increasingly affected by the regionalization of supply chains, technological innovation, the transformation of China's economy, as well as natural disasters and climate problems.

Despite the difficult environment of the past year, global seaborne trade reached the milestone of 11bn tonnes, while shipments of liquefied natural gas increased by 7.25 per cent as countries moved towards cleaner energy.

Unctad points out that the global shipbuilding and containerization industries are consolidating in response to new trends, and countries need to make rational plans and adopt forward-looking and flexible responses to seize the opportunities brought by clean energy and sustainable development.

In the next five years, risks still hang over the differences between countries

Unctad said that while positive factors such as China's One Belt And One Road initiative and various trade agreements that are in force or in preparation are expected to boost global growth, the overall outlook is still not optimistic.

The group predicts that international seaway trade volume is expected to grow by an average of 3.4% annually between 2019 and 2024, thanks to increased containerized dry bulk cargo (such as iron ore and bulk grain) and oil and gas products, but the industry as a whole is still Mired in uncertainty and downside risks remain.

Unctad noted that the gap between the most developed and the least developed countries in maritime shipping routes was widening. , the report says, the world's lowest shipping convenience degree is a lot of small island developing states, trade, they often face a lack of investment of shipping is less, and less investment is further transportation inconvenience, a vicious cycle of high cost and less competitive, if not take timely measures to adjust, these risks will be especially vulnerable economies seriously.