UNCTAD – Annual Maritime Transport Report

The annual maritime transport report from UNCTAD, produced since 1968, provides a detailed look at critical issues in global maritime trade, including fleets, ports, and legal matters. In its latest edition, UNCTAD emphasizes the urgent need to move towards a maritime transport future with low or zero carbon emissions. It highlights the pressing demand for cleaner energy sources, technological advancements to address emissions, and the unclear regulations in the sector.

The United Nations entity points out that the maritime decarbonization process entails significant costs, estimating that between 8,000 and 28,000 million additional dollars per year are needed for ship modernization up to 2050, and an additional investment of between 28,000 and 90,000 million dollars annually to establish infrastructure for carbon-neutral fuels by the same year.

The report also features the Liner Shipping Connectivity Index (LSCI), which measures the maritime connectivity of countries. For the third quarter of 2023, China leads this index, followed by South Korea and Singapore. Spain ranks sixth globally and is the top European country, surpassing maritime nations such as the Netherlands, Belgium, and the United Kingdom.