5 Notable Features of Maritime Transportation
As the world population increases virtually every year mostly in African countries and developing countries in other continents of the world, likewise, the demand for different products around the world continues to increase on a large scale. In view of this, the development of industries on an extensive scale across the globe becomes inevitable, mostly in developed countries who would like to expand their global trade and economy. To make this possible, maritime or marine transportation becomes necessary.
It is interesting to note that international container shipping industries around the world enhance trading among nations to improve the standard of living globally hence, thousands of containers are loaded daily in different seaports around the world. No nation in the world is an island or is self-sufficient; every nation depends on one another for one or more products which call for global trade and to make this possible, there is the need for efficient mode of transport at a low cost that can carry large number of goods across geographical locations. Hence, marine transport remains the most suitable mode.
Maritime transport has huge benefits and here are some of them:
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1. More than 80% of global trade is made possible through maritime transport. This mode of transport supports global trade activities thus enhancing even distribution of different products or goods around the world.
2. Marine transport is a very efficient transport mode for moving huge number of container goods more than any other mode. For instance, a large container ship can carry more than 23,000 containers ie
TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units).
3. Since industrialized and developed countries depend majorly on container shipping industry or marine transport to boost global trade and economy, this means that through the support of marine transportation more jobs are created. This serves as means of livelihood for billions of people around the world. In simple language, marine transport can be used in any given nation to liberate millions of people from abject poverty.
4. Since sea transport has the potential to boost the economy of a nation, generate employment, and open up new business opportunities, then, it will not be an overstatement to say that marine transportation is an indispensable tool for global sustainable development for 2030 agenda.
5. Despite the efficient use of marine transport or container ships in the world today, the mode of transport still remains the least in environmental pollution when you compare it to other transportation modes. For instance, a single container ship may have in-built capacity to carry larger cargo than more than 100 articulated vehicles or lorries can carry. In simple language, it is more environmental friendly than other transport modes. However, monorail and electric car or electric vehicles are excluded in this comparison.
In essence the major roles of marine transport is to contribute to trade activities and to sustain development. Therefore, maritime transportation plays these key roles and everyone in the world today enjoys these benefits.
