The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) annual report on shipping warns that future growth looks uncertain.
Seaborne shipments passed 10bn tons for the first time ever in 2015, up 2.1% from 9.8bn tons the year before, the UNCTAD Review of Maritime Transport 2016 says, noting that this is the slowest pace of growth in the industry since 2009.
“With global trade growing at its slowest pace since the financial crisis, the immediate outlook for the shipping industry remains uncertain and subject to downside risks,” UNCTAD secretary-general Mukhisa Kituyi said.
“The push for ever larger ships is at the root of the industry’s problems,” he added. “There’s just not enough cargo right now to fill the newly acquired, bigger vessels.”
Greece remains the top shipowning country, according to UNCTAD – growing its global market share to 16.36%.
