Highlights: Maritime transport has not experienced such significant difficulties since the Covid-19 crisis, which disrupted all supply chains on the planet. Disruptions in key global shipping route – Suez Canal, Panama Canal & Black Sea – signal unprecedented challenges for global trade affecting millions of people in every region. Unctad, the United Nations conference on trade and development, is concerned. Because these disruptions contribute to increasing the prices of food, cars and even oil. Ecuador, Kenya and even Sudan are particularly exposed.

Maritime transport has not experienced such significant difficulties since the Covid-19 crisis, which disrupted all supply chains on the planet. Geopolitical tensions and…

Drought, conflicts: maritime routes are in difficulty

Maritime transport has not experienced such significant difficulties since the Covid-19 crisis, which disrupted all supply chains on the planet.

Geopolitical tensions and climate change are reshaping the routes taken by ships and driving up prices for millions of people, the UN warns.

Boats are piling up around the Panama Canal, which is expected to reduce traffic due to a lack of rain linked to climate change.

By: RFI Follow

Drought in the Panama Canal, or even Houthi attacks in the Red Sea...

Maritime trade

is in difficulty in three regions at the same time, crucial for the transport of goods.

First of all in the Black Sea, since the start of the war in Ukraine two years ago and the blocking of grain

transport

by Russia.

Then,

in the Panama Canal

, the drought lowered the water level and halved the passage of ships compared to January 2022.

Disruptions in key global shipping route – Suez Canal, Panama Canal & Black Sea – signal unprecedented challenges for global trade affecting millions of people in every region.

Explore @UNCTAD report “Navigating Troubled Waters”: https://t.co/5HuAXMfJ9d pic.twitter.com/rKGvx0yIMk

— UNCTAD, the UN trade & development body (@UNCTAD) February 22, 2024

Exceptional challenges to overcome, according to UNCTAD

Finally, near the Suez Canal in the Red Sea, Houthi rebels from Yemen have been carrying out attacks since November 2023 against merchant ships which, according to them, are linked to Israel.

Result: a lot of cargo ships have to pass through the Cape of Good Hope, a longer route.

The rates for shipping containers from China have doubled on average since the beginning of December.

Unctad, the United Nations conference on trade and development, is concerned and speaks of exceptional challenges to overcome.

Because these disruptions contribute to increasing the prices of food, cars and even oil.

Ecuador, Kenya and even Sudan are particularly exposed.

Finally, Egypt has received almost

half as much money

from the Suez Canal since January.

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Drought, conflicts: maritime routes are in difficulty

Drought, conflicts: maritime routes are in difficulty

Exceptional challenges to overcome, according to UNCTAD

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