Every person in the world benefits from shipping; hence, m aritime transport is the mainstay of global trade and economy. The shipping industry has helped improve the global living standards taking millions of individuals out of poverty. Due to this, it is vital to analyze the importance of maritime trade and maritime transportation system to the world economies, the challenges associated with port security, the impact of economic dependency on maritime transportation, and the importance of mega ports to international trade.
Maritime trade is important to world economies because it is the most cost-effective way to transport goods and raw materials. This helps in the lessening of poverty and hunger by availing sources of income and employment for most developing nations including the supply of seagoing workforces and ship recycling, ship owning and operating, shipbuilding and renovation, and port services. On the other hand, the maritime transportation system ensures better world economies as ships and other vessels carry cargoes world over. This ensures sustainable economic growth and the dissemination of prosperity all over the world. Besides, maritime transport is an environmentally friendly method of mass transport since it is energy efficient, and prevents pollution ensuring better world economies and lowered environmental care costs.
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Nonetheless, there are various challenges associated with port security including the use of commercial cargo containers to transport terrorists, chemical, nuclear, and biological armaments. Also, large commercial cargo ships can be seized and used to collide and destroy large ships carrying volatile fuel, leading to massive in-port explosions. Furthermore, there can be the seizure of ferries or cruise ships and creep up the deaths of travelers if a certain demand is not met. Likewise, attacks can be made on navy ships leading to the death of military personnel, impairing, or destroy a country’s valuable assets, while the nuclear-powered ships can cause radiological discharge. Finally, assailants can use the land near a port to occasion attacks on bridges or refineries positioned on the waterfront.
According to Goodwin (2016), economic dependency on maritime transportation has led to seventy-three percent increase in world GDP and one-hundred and twelve percent rise in seaborne trade within the past two decades. Mega ports have been important in steering international trade because the International Maritime Organization (IMO) approximates that ninety percent of world trade is conducted by sea (Goodwin, 2016). This includes dry, non-bulk industrial goods, which are shipped via ocean containers comprising machine parts, electronics, tires, appliances, footwear, scrap metal, auto parts, toys, food, beverages, textiles, and furniture.
Therefore, the maritime transportation system helps the world economy by providing sources of income and employment. Also, maritime transport is an environmentally friendly means of transport lowering the costs for environmental care. However, port security experiences the transportation of terrorists and illegal armaments, attacks leading to massive in-port explosions, kidnapping people on cruise ships and demanding ransoms, and destroying a country’s assets. All in all, economic dependency on maritime transportation has led to an increase in world GDP and rise in seaborne trade especially through the mega ports.
Reference
Goodwin, A. (2016). The Economic Value of Shipping and Maritime Activity in Europe. Retrieved from https://www.oecd.org/sti/ind/Session%201_c%20-%20Andrew%20Goodwin%20-%20Presentation%20for%20Website.pdf
