Trade through maritime routes

In recent decades, maritime transport has experienced a significant expansion, thanks to the growth of trade and globalization.

Often described as the “lifeblood of global trade”, maritime transport remains the predominant mode of international transport of traded goods and constitutes the backbone of global supply chains. It represents more than 90% of the volume of world trade.

Total maritime operations are estimated to have quadrupled over the past four decades: from 8 billion tonne-miles in 1968 to 32 billion ton-miles in 2008. A tonne-mile is the number of tons multiplied by the distance. It is estimated that 300 billion tonne-miles will be reached by 2050.

‍