A report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) warned that global maritime transport will face growing uncertainty, volatility, and rising costs, at a time when seaborne trade growth is slowing.
The report forecasted maritime trade growth to slow in 2025, with shipment volumes increasing by just 0.5 percent, due to geopolitical tensions, shifting trade policies, climate factors, and regulatory changes that are reshaping shipping routes and raising costs.
It highlighted that events such as vessel rerouting through the Red Sea in 2024 and geopolitical tensions in mid-2025 threatening cargo shipments through the Strait of Hormuz contributed to higher shipping costs.
