Maritime and other transport

In 2024, 12.1 billion metric tons of goods were loaded for international maritime trade worldwide, an increase of 3.9% from 2023. This represents robust growth, exceeding the average since 2000 and clearly outperforming the more uneven trends observed since 2018.
 

Over the last quarter-century, the role of developing economies in international seaborne trade has increased. While the share of goods loaded onto ships in developing economies has remained relatively stable between 47% and 51%, developing economies have increasingly become destinations for internationally traded heavy goods and transported by sea. This trend reflects increased flows of raw materials and industrial inputs into developing economies. Whereas only 27% of global seaborne trade was discharged in developing economies at the beginning of the century, by 2024 this share had risen to 58%.

Overall, ships carrying internationally traded goods to developing economies departed with 964 million metric tons less cargo than they had carried on arrival. The opposite was true for developed economies. Although this imbalance was slightly less pronounced in 2024 than in 2020, it remained considerably larger than in 2015.

Large shipments of dry cargo, including both bulk and containerized goods, have driven seaborne imports into developing economies to outpace their exports. This trend is particularly pronounced in Asia.