UNCTAD Review of Maritime Transport 2022 published
The Review of Maritime Transport 2022 is out!
Navigating Stormy Waters notes that “COVID-19, the war in Ukraine, climate change and geopolitics have wreaked havoc on maritime transport and logistics, clogging some ports and closing others, reconfiguring routes, extending delays and pushing up shipping costs.” Acknowledging that “delays have improved and dry cargo rates are coming down…” it concludes that “… maritime transport – and thus world trade – remains vulnerable.” and calls on industry to shore up resilience to future crises and climate change.
UNCTAD’s 15 point call to action is directed at a wide range of stakeholders and identifies challenges for which there are no quick and easy fixes and which no actor will be able to deliver alone:
- Governments and operators to expand and upgrade port infrastructure and land transport connections, and accelerate trade facilitation reforms, especially digitalization
- Port operators and shipping companies to invest in increasing storage facilities and reducing equipment shortages
- Shipping companies to invest in sustainable shipping and deploy the necessary ship-carrying capacity
- The international community to mitigate COVID-19’s impact by providing better access to vaccines and medicines in developing countries
- Countries to keep trade flowing by minimizing lockdowns and by avoiding export and import restrictions – especially of food, fertilizers and energy
- Countries to promote economic growth, avoid austerity measures, while taming inflation and reducing financial vulnerability
- More investment in energy-efficient shipping technologies and an accelerated shift to alternative, low-carbon fuels to cut the carbon footprint of maritime transport
- A predictable global regulatory framework for investing in decarbonization and increased support for developing countries in the energy transition
- Stronger support to help developing countries adapt ports to the impacts of climate change, especially in small island developing states
- Stronger support to help developing countries adopt smart maritime logistics and digital technologies, and implement measures to improve port, road and rail connections
- Developing countries to improve port performance and productivity, including by upgrading port capacity and strengthening regional transport connections
- Port authorities to reduce labour shortages by attracting more women workers and increasing female participation in the sector
- Competition and port authorities to work together to monitor freight rates and charges and respond to industry consolidation with measures to protect competition
- Stronger international cooperation on cross-border, anticompetitive practices in maritime transport, based on the UN Set of Competition Rules and Principles
- Governments to monitor trends in maritime industry structures and services to ensure level playing fields, especially for smaller shippers in developing countries
Click here for more information: Launch of the Review of Maritime Transport 2022 | UNCTAD
Join on 6 Dec to discuss maritime trends
You can join online on 6 December 2022 for a presentation by the UNCTAD Secretary-General, Rebeca Grynspan, to explore the main findings and recommendations, to register: Webinar Registration – Zoom