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Maritime Trade and Transport - HWWI

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portant customers for coal in 2004. The primary suppliers of grain in 2004 were the USA<br />

with 45.6%, South America with 22.5%, <strong>and</strong> Australia with 10.4%. Here, too, the largest<br />

amount was shipped to countries in the Far East (41.1%). 16<br />

The expansion of seaborne trade went h<strong>and</strong> in h<strong>and</strong> with a commensurate growth in the<br />

world merchant fleet. Both the number of ships <strong>and</strong> their loading capacity increased notably<br />

over time (see Fig. 11). The largest share of the fleet – in regard to both load capacity (gross<br />

tonnage, GT) <strong>and</strong> deadweight tonnage (dwt) – fell to bulk carriers. In addition to special<br />

ships (petroleum tankers, natural gas tankers, refrigerated cargo vessels, etc.), ships that can be<br />

used for two or three different purposes are becoming increasingly numerous (e.g. combined<br />

oil/ore freighters). This also applies to container ships, for which high growth rates have been<br />

noted as well.<br />

If the ships are grouped according to the nationality of their owners, the figures reflect<br />

the fact that in 2005 the Greek shipping companies had the largest share (14.6%) in capacity<br />

(both in GT <strong>and</strong> DWT) of the world merchant fleet. 17 They were followed by the shipping<br />

companies in Japan (13.1%), Germany (7.0%), the USA (6.0%), China (5.9%) <strong>and</strong> Norway<br />

(5.3%). In container ships, the German shipping companies had the largest share (31.4%) of<br />

the TEU capacity. They were followed at a distance by the Japanese, Danish <strong>and</strong> Taiwanese<br />

shipping companies. A large proportion of the ships do not go to sea under their home maritime<br />

flags, for reasons of cost. More than half of the world merchant fleet tonnage is regis -<br />

tered in countries with an open registry (e.g. Panama). This applies to more or less all types<br />

of vessels worldwide.<br />

16 See ISL (2006).<br />

17 As at January 1, 2005. See VDR (2005)<br />

<strong>and</strong> the sources cited there.<br />

Development of the world merchant fleet<br />

Number of ships Capacity in<br />

in thous<strong>and</strong>s 1,000 GT<br />

110<br />

700.000<br />

100<br />

600.000<br />

90<br />

500.000<br />

80<br />

400.000<br />

70<br />

300.000<br />

60<br />

200.000<br />

50<br />

100.000<br />

40<br />

1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2004<br />

0<br />

Fig. 11<br />

Source: Lloyd’s Register Fairplay, quoted in VSM (2005).<br />

26 Berenberg Bank · <strong>HWWI</strong>: Strategy 2030 · No. 4<br />

World merchant fleet capacity<br />

Number of ships

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