Mar\u00aditime trans\u00adport re\u00admains the back\u00adbone of the glob\u00adal trad\u00ading sys\u00adtem. Ac\u00adcord\u00ading to the Unit\u00aded Na\u00adtions Con\u00adfer\u00adence on Trade and De\u00advel\u00adop\u00adment (UNC\u00adTAD), more than 80 per cent of glob\u00adal mer\u00adchan\u00addise trade by vol\u00adume is car\u00adried by sea, un\u00adder\u00adscor\u00ading the es\u00adsen\u00adtial role of ship\u00adping in con\u00adnect\u00ading economies, sup\u00adply\u00ading in\u00addus\u00adtries, and de\u00adliv\u00ader\u00ading every\u00adday goods to con\u00adsumers. <\/p>\n
De\u00adspite its cen\u00adtral im\u00adpor\u00adtance, the in\u00adter\u00adna\u00adtion\u00adal ship\u00adping in\u00addus\u00adtry is cur\u00adrent\u00adly nav\u00adi\u00adgat\u00ading a pe\u00adri\u00adod of con\u00adsid\u00ader\u00adable un\u00adcer\u00adtain\u00adty. Re\u00adcent re\u00adports in\u00addi\u00adcate that the growth of glob\u00adal mar\u00aditime trade has slowed, re\u00adflect\u00ading wider geopo\u00adlit\u00adi\u00adcal ten\u00adsions, dis\u00adrup\u00adtions to key ship\u00adping routes, and chang\u00ading eco\u00adnom\u00adic con\u00addi\u00adtions. UNC\u00adTAD\u2019s Re\u00adview of Mar\u00aditime Trans\u00adport notes that af\u00adter mod\u00adest ex\u00adpan\u00adsion in re\u00adcent years, glob\u00adal mar\u00aditime trade was pro\u00adject\u00aded to grow by on\u00adly around 0.5 per cent in 2025, one of the slow\u00adest rates record\u00aded in re\u00adcent decades. <\/p>\n
Sev\u00ader\u00adal fac\u00adtors are con\u00adtribut\u00ading to this slow\u00addown. On\u00adgo\u00ading geopo\u00adlit\u00adi\u00adcal con\u00adflicts and trade ten\u00adsions have al\u00adtered ship\u00adping routes and in\u00adcreased costs for shipown\u00aders and car\u00adgo in\u00adter\u00adests alike. <\/p>\n
Dis\u00adrup\u00adtions in the Red Sea and in\u00adsta\u00adbil\u00adi\u00adty in the Mid\u00addle East have forced ves\u00adsels to reroute around longer pas\u00adsages such as the Cape of Good Hope, in\u00adcreas\u00ading voy\u00adage dis\u00adtances and fu\u00adel con\u00adsump\u00adtion. At the same time, the con\u00adflict in Ukraine has af\u00adfect\u00aded Black Sea ship\u00adping and grain trade routes, fur\u00adther com\u00adpli\u00adcat\u00ading glob\u00adal sup\u00adply chains. <\/p>\n
These dis\u00adrup\u00adtions have had mea\u00adsur\u00adable im\u00adpacts on the glob\u00adal ship\u00adping net\u00adwork. UNC\u00adTAD re\u00adports that av\u00ader\u00adage mar\u00aditime voy\u00adage dis\u00adtances in\u00adcreased from 4,831 miles in 2018 to ap\u00adprox\u00adi\u00admate\u00adly 5,245 miles in 2024, re\u00adflect\u00ading the need to reroute ves\u00adsels around con\u00adflict zones and con\u00adgest\u00aded wa\u00adter\u00adways. <\/p>\n
Longer dis\u00adtances trans\u00adlate in\u00adto high\u00ader freight costs, in\u00adcreased emis\u00adsions and greater un\u00adcer\u00adtain\u00adty for ship\u00adpers and traders world\u00adwide. <\/p>\n
In ad\u00addi\u00adtion to geopo\u00adlit\u00adi\u00adcal pres\u00adsures, the ship\u00adping in\u00addus\u00adtry is un\u00adder\u00adgo\u00ading a ma\u00adjor struc\u00adtur\u00adal tran\u00adsi\u00adtion. Dig\u00adi\u00adtal\u00adi\u00adsa\u00adtion, de\u00adcar\u00adbon\u00adi\u00adsa\u00adtion and the push for greater sup\u00adply chain re\u00adsilience are re\u00adshap\u00ading how mar\u00aditime trans\u00adport op\u00ader\u00adates. <\/p>\n
En\u00advi\u00adron\u00admen\u00adtal reg\u00adu\u00adla\u00adtions aimed at re\u00adduc\u00ading green\u00adhouse gas emis\u00adsions are dri\u00adving in\u00advest\u00adment in clean\u00ader fu\u00adels and more ef\u00adfi\u00adcient ves\u00adsels. At the same time, dig\u00adi\u00adtal tech\u00adnolo\u00adgies\u2014from au\u00adto\u00admat\u00aded port op\u00ader\u00ada\u00adtions to re\u00adal-time car\u00adgo track\u00ading\u2014are trans\u00adform\u00ading the ef\u00adfi\u00adcien\u00adcy of lo\u00adgis\u00adtics net\u00adworks. <\/p>\n
The scale of the in\u00addus\u00adtry high\u00adlights the mag\u00adni\u00adtude of these changes. UNC\u00adTAD es\u00adti\u00admates that by the be\u00adgin\u00adning of 2025 the glob\u00adal mer\u00adchant fleet con\u00adsist\u00aded of about 112,500 ves\u00adsels of at least 100 gross tonnes, op\u00ader\u00adat\u00ading across com\u00adplex in\u00adter\u00adna\u00adtion\u00adal net\u00adworks link\u00ading pro\u00adduc\u00adtion and con\u00adsump\u00adtion cen\u00adtres. Man\u00adag\u00ading this fleet while tran\u00adsi\u00adtion\u00ading to low\u00ader-car\u00adbon op\u00ader\u00ada\u00adtions rep\u00adre\u00adsents one of the sec\u00adtor\u2019s most sig\u00adnif\u00adi\u00adcant long-term chal\u00adlenges. <\/p>\n
These de\u00advel\u00adop\u00adments have sig\u00adnif\u00adi\u00adcant im\u00adpli\u00adca\u00adtions for small is\u00adland and de\u00advel\u00adop\u00ading economies such as those in the Caribbean, where mar\u00aditime trans\u00adport is es\u00adsen\u00adtial for both im\u00adports and ex\u00adports. <\/p>\n
As a re\u00adsult, many Caribbean states are par\u00adtic\u00adu\u00adlar\u00adly sen\u00adsi\u00adtive to changes in ship\u00adping costs and lo\u00adgis\u00adtics ef\u00adfi\u00adcien\u00adcy, mak\u00ading the sec\u00adtor crit\u00adi\u00adcal to re\u00adgion\u00adal trade and eco\u00adnom\u00adic sta\u00adbil\u00adi\u00adty. <\/p>\n
In the con\u00adtext of T&T, mar\u00aditime trans\u00adport plays a cru\u00adcial role in sup\u00adport\u00ading both do\u00admes\u00adtic com\u00admerce and re\u00adgion\u00adal trade. The coun\u00adtry\u2019s ports con\u00adnect the na\u00adtion\u00adal econ\u00ado\u00admy with ma\u00adjor mar\u00adkets in North Amer\u00adi\u00adca, Eu\u00adrope and Latin Amer\u00adi\u00adca. The ports of Port-of-Spain and Point Lisas serve as a key mar\u00aditime gate\u00adway, han\u00addling con\u00adtainer\u00adised car\u00adgo, break\u00adbulk ship\u00adments and re\u00adgion\u00adal trans\u00adship\u00adment ser\u00advices that link neigh\u00adbour\u00ading Caribbean is\u00adlands to in\u00adter\u00adna\u00adtion\u00adal ship\u00adping net\u00adworks. <\/p>\n
Re\u00adcent sta\u00adtis\u00adtics il\u00adlus\u00adtrate the scale of ac\u00adtiv\u00adi\u00adty with\u00adin the na\u00adtion\u00adal port sys\u00adtem. Con\u00adtain\u00ader through\u00adput in Trinidad and To\u00adba\u00adgo reached ap\u00adprox\u00adi\u00admate\u00adly 625,764 twen\u00adty-foot equiv\u00ada\u00adlent units (TEUs) in 2025 (563,607 TEUs:2024), rep\u00adre\u00adsent\u00ading an in\u00adcrease of more than 11 per cent com\u00adpared with 2024, ac\u00adcord\u00ading to con\u00adsol\u00adi\u00addat\u00aded port da\u00adta. This growth re\u00adflects on\u00adgo\u00ading de\u00admand for mar\u00aditime trans\u00adport as well as the coun\u00adtry\u2019s role as a re\u00adgion\u00adal lo\u00adgis\u00adtics hub. <\/p>\n
Nev\u00ader\u00adthe\u00adless, T&T faces many of the same chal\u00adlenges con\u00adfronting the glob\u00adal ship\u00adping in\u00addus\u00adtry. Port ef\u00adfi\u00adcien\u00adcy, trade fa\u00adcil\u00adi\u00adta\u00adtion, dig\u00adi\u00adtal\u00adi\u00adsa\u00adtion, and en\u00advi\u00adron\u00admen\u00adtal com\u00adpli\u00adance have be\u00adcome in\u00adcreas\u00ading\u00adly im\u00adpor\u00adtant is\u00adsues for pol\u00adi\u00adcy\u00admak\u00aders and in\u00addus\u00adtry stake\u00adhold\u00aders. Ef\u00adfi\u00adcient cus\u00adtoms pro\u00adce\u00addures and mod\u00adern port in\u00adfra\u00adstruc\u00adture are crit\u00adi\u00adcal for main\u00adtain\u00ading com\u00adpet\u00adi\u00adtive\u00adness and en\u00adsur\u00ading that goods move quick\u00adly and re\u00adli\u00adably through sup\u00adply chains. <\/p>\n
For busi\u00adness\u00ades, these de\u00advel\u00adop\u00adments have di\u00adrect im\u00adpli\u00adca\u00adtions. Im\u00adporters and ex\u00adporters de\u00adpend on pre\u00addictable ship\u00adping sched\u00adules and sta\u00adble freight rates. <\/p>\n
Man\u00adu\u00adfac\u00adtur\u00aders re\u00adly on ef\u00adfi\u00adcient lo\u00adgis\u00adtics net\u00adworks to re\u00adceive raw ma\u00adte\u00adri\u00adals and dis\u00adtrib\u00adute fin\u00adished prod\u00aducts. Fi\u00adnan\u00adcial in\u00adsti\u00adtu\u00adtions, in\u00adsur\u00aders and ser\u00advice providers al\u00adso play es\u00adsen\u00adtial roles in sup\u00adport\u00ading the mar\u00aditime sec\u00adtor\u2019s op\u00ader\u00ada\u00adtions. <\/p>\n
Against this back\u00addrop, col\u00adlab\u00ado\u00adra\u00adtion among in\u00addus\u00adtry stake\u00adhold\u00aders, gov\u00adern\u00adment agen\u00adcies, and re\u00adgion\u00adal part\u00adners is in\u00adcreas\u00ading\u00adly im\u00adpor\u00adtant. Di\u00ada\u00adlogue on emerg\u00ading trends, tech\u00adno\u00adlog\u00adi\u00adcal de\u00advel\u00adop\u00adments, and reg\u00adu\u00adla\u00adto\u00adry changes can help stake\u00adhold\u00aders bet\u00adter un\u00adder\u00adstand the evolv\u00ading land\u00adscape of glob\u00adal mar\u00aditime trade and iden\u00adti\u00adfy prac\u00adti\u00adcal strate\u00adgies for im\u00adprov\u00ading ef\u00adfi\u00adcien\u00adcy and re\u00adsilience with\u00adin the Caribbean ship\u00adping sec\u00adtor. <\/p>\n
One ini\u00adtia\u00adtive aimed at en\u00adcour\u00adag\u00ading such di\u00ada\u00adlogue is an up\u00adcom\u00ading con\u00adfer\u00adence or\u00adgan\u00adised by the Ship\u00adping As\u00adso\u00adci\u00ada\u00adtion of T&T (SATT). Sched\u00aduled for March 26\u201327 at the Hy\u00adatt Re\u00adgency Trinidad, the event will bring to\u00adgeth\u00ader ship\u00adping pro\u00adfes\u00adsion\u00adals, pol\u00adi\u00adcy\u00admak\u00aders and in\u00addus\u00adtry spe\u00adcial\u00adists to ex\u00adam\u00adine key is\u00adsues af\u00adfect\u00ading mar\u00aditime trade and lo\u00adgis\u00adtics. <\/p>\n
The pro\u00adgramme will fea\u00adture in\u00adter\u00adna\u00adtion\u00adal mar\u00aditime an\u00ada\u00adlysts, re\u00adgion\u00adal port ex\u00adec\u00adu\u00adtives, and rep\u00adre\u00adsen\u00adta\u00adtives from gov\u00adern\u00adment and the pri\u00advate sec\u00adtor dis\u00adcussing glob\u00adal ship\u00adping trends, port and lo\u00adgis\u00adtics ef\u00adfi\u00adcien\u00adcy, trade fa\u00adcil\u00adi\u00adta\u00adtion, risk man\u00adage\u00adment, mar\u00aditime safe\u00adty and en\u00advi\u00adron\u00admen\u00adtal sus\u00adtain\u00adabil\u00adi\u00adty. While con\u00adfer\u00adences can\u00adnot re\u00adsolve all in\u00addus\u00adtry chal\u00adlenges, they pro\u00advide an im\u00adpor\u00adtant fo\u00adrum for shar\u00ading in\u00adfor\u00adma\u00adtion and per\u00adspec\u00adtives on the geopo\u00adlit\u00adi\u00adcal, tech\u00adno\u00adlog\u00adi\u00adcal and en\u00advi\u00adron\u00admen\u00adtal forces shap\u00ading the fu\u00adture of ship\u00adping glob\u00adal\u00adly and in the Caribbean. <\/p>\n
SATT, es\u00adtab\u00adlished in 1938, rep\u00adre\u00adsents more than 80 com\u00adpa\u00adnies in\u00advolved in ship\u00adping, port op\u00ader\u00ada\u00adtions, lo\u00adgis\u00adtics and ma\u00adrine ser\u00advices.<\/p>\n
Over its 87-year his\u00adto\u00adry, the As\u00adso\u00adci\u00ada\u00adtion has sup\u00adport\u00aded mem\u00adbers, gov\u00adern\u00adment and oth\u00ader sup\u00adply chain stake\u00adhold\u00aders through three main pil\u00adlars: ad\u00advo\u00adca\u00adcy, tech\u00adni\u00adcal ad\u00advice and re\u00adsearch, and train\u00ading and de\u00advel\u00adop\u00adment.<\/p>\n
Recog\u00adnis\u00ading the crit\u00adi\u00adcal role ship\u00adping plays in sup\u00adport\u00ading all sec\u00adtors of the econ\u00ado\u00admy, SATT works to pro\u00admote the de\u00advel\u00adop\u00adment of an ef\u00adfi\u00adcient and sus\u00adtain\u00adable ship\u00adping in\u00addus\u00adtry in T&T. <\/p>\n
Sup\u00adport\u00aded by the TTC\u00adSI as our na\u00adtion\u00adal um\u00adbrel\u00adla or\u00adgan\u00adi\u00adsa\u00adtion, we re\u00admain com\u00admit\u00adted to for\u00adti\u00adfy\u00ading our ties across the ser\u00advices sec\u00adtor. The up\u00adcom\u00ading con\u00adfer\u00adence is more than a net\u00adwork\u00ading event; it is a foun\u00adda\u00adtion\u00adal pil\u00adlar for the ship\u00adping in\u00addus\u00adtry, pro\u00advid\u00ading the sta\u00adbil\u00adi\u00adty and sup\u00adport our mem\u00adbers need to thrive in an ever-chang\u00ading eco\u00adnom\u00adic land\u00adscape. <\/p>\n
<\/a><\/strong> <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" … a key mar\u00c2\u00aditime gate\u00c2\u00adway, han\u00c2\u00addling con\u00c2\u00adtainer\u00c2\u00adised car\u00c2\u00adgo<\/span>, break\u00c2\u00adbulk ship\u00c2\u00adments and re\u00c2\u00adgion\u00c2\u00adal trans\u00c2\u00adship\u00c2\u00adment … ex\u00c2\u00adporters de\u00c2\u00adpend on pre\u00c2\u00addictable ship\u00c2\u00adping<\/span> sched\u00c2\u00adules and sta\u00c2\u00adble freight<\/span> rates. Man\u00c2\u00adu\u00c2\u00adfac\u00c2\u00adtur\u00c2\u00aders re\u00c2\u00adly …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-127880","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","wpcat-1-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/127880","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=127880"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/127880\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=127880"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=127880"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=127880"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}