World seaborne trade


Map 1. Tonnage loaded and discharged, 2021
(Billions of tons)
Note: Europe includes the Russian Federation and the French overseas departments.

Trends and geography of world seaborne trade

In 2021, international maritime trade bounced back by an estimated 3.2 per cent from 2020. Shipments reached 11.0 billion tons, a volume slightly below pre-pandemic levels.

Asia remained the world-leading maritime freight area with Asian ports, in both developed and developing regions, loading around 4.6 billion tons of goods, or about 42 per cent of total goods loaded in ports worldwide. About 7.1 billion tons, equivalent to 64 per cent of total goods discharged worldwide, were received by Asian ports in 2021.

In 1970, more than half of global seaborne trade was tanker cargo. In 2021, almost three-quarters of loaded goods were dry cargo, including bulk and cargo shipped in containers. Of the total maritime freight shipped internationally in 2021, 8.0 billion tons was dry cargo.1

Figure 1. Goods loaded worldwide
(Billions of tons)

Contribution of developing economies

Figure 2. Seaborne trade of developing economies
(Percentage of corresponding world tonnage)

In 2021, developing economies still accounted for the majority of global seaborne trade. Asian developing economies alone discharged 50 per cent and loaded 35 per cent of the world total. Participation in globalized manufacturing and containerized trade has generally been concentrated in Asia, notably in China and neighbouring East Asian economies. Other developing regions did not contribute equally, a reflection of their varying degrees of integration into global value chains and manufacturing networks.

Developments in seaborne trade balances

Developing economies reported a maritime trade deficit of 648 million tons in 2021 while developed economies had a maritime trade surplus. This is a reversal of roles from 2010 when the developing economies had a maritime trade surplus of similar magnitude.

The maritime trade deficit for developing economies can be attributed to discharging dry cargo including bulk and containerized goods more than loading. This in turn is concentrated in the developing economies of Asia. For other cargo types and in other geographical areas developing economies often have a maritime trade surplus.

This parallels the development in the composition of seaborne trade. There were 2.2 billion tons more goods traded by sea in 2021 than in 2011. Of that added volume, 92 per cent was dry cargo.

Figure 3. Seaborne trade balance
(Millions of tons)

Concepts and definitions

The figures on seaborne trade in this section measure the volumes of international shipments, in metric tons, of goods loaded and discharged in the world’s seaports. Cabotage and transshipments are not included.

Goods loaded for international shipment are assumed to be exports, while goods discharged from ships are assumed to be imports. The seaborne trade balance measures the difference between the volumes of loaded and discharged goods.

Dry cargo refers to cargo that is usually not carried in tankers, such as dry bulks (e.g., coal, ores, grains), pallets, bags, crates, and containers. “Other” tanker trade refers to tanker trade, excluding crude oil. It includes refined petroleum products, gas and chemicals.

The data presented in this section have been compiled from various sources, including country reports as well as port industry and other specialist websites -—
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Summary tables

Table 1. Total seaborne trade by group of economies
    Table 2. Seaborne trade by cargo type and group of economies
    Crude oil
      Other tanker trade
        Dry cargo
          Table 3. Development of goods loaded worldwide by type of cargo
          (Millions of tons)

            Notes

            1. For a discussion of recent developments, see -—
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            References

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