Image : UNCTAD Review of Maritime Transport 2025
Every year UNCTAD’s Review of Maritime Transport provides a compass reading for an industry that moves over 80% of global trade..
The 2025 edition makes one thing clear: the sector is not just grappling with disruptions, it is undergoing a fundamental transformation..
“Not since the closure of the Suez Canal in 1967 have we witnessed such sustained disruption to the arteries of global commerce,” says Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General of UNCTAD in her foreword..
The data show both resilience and fragility, while the policy takeaways highlight what must be done to steer global shipping into safer, more sustainable waters..
Policy takeaway: Persistent rerouting exposes vulnerable economies, especially least developed countries and small island states, to higher costs and delays..
Strategic investments in transport corridors and port–hinterland connectivity are vital to reduce fragility..
Policy takeaway: The energy transition is reshaping shipping.. Ports and shipowners must prepare for longer hauls, a growing share of low-carbon cargo, and the regulatory squeeze from the IMO’s mid-term greenhouse gas measures expected in late 2025..
Policy takeaway: Ports should benchmark performance using global indicators like the UNCTAD Port Performance Scorecard.. Congestion relief requires integration of customs, carriers, and terminals, alongside automation.. Building an inclusive workforce is essential, expanding women’s participation in technical and operational port roles supports both fairness and digital readiness..
Policy takeaway: Maritime regulation is shifting from ship hardware to human capital.. Protecting seafarers’ welfare, enforcing responsible recycling, and addressing emerging technologies like autonomy will define the next phase of governance..
The numbers in UNCTAD’s report reveal a system that is moving more cargo, over longer distances, at higher cost.. The policy takeaways show us how to respond:
The real question is not whether maritime transport will adapt, it has to.. The question is whether that adaptation will be managed strategically, equitably, and sustainably..
UNCTAD’s Review of Maritime Transport 2025 offers the evidence base.. It is now up to policymakers, shipowners, port authorities, and logistics leaders to convert insights into action..
Rebeca Grynspan reiterates UNCTAD’s support to handle these disruptions “UNCTAD stands ready to support this shift. Through research that illuminates, technical cooperation that builds capacity and consensus-building that brings all voices to the table at the global, regional and national levels, we work to ensure that these transitions leave no one behind.“
