The influence of COVID-19 has been unprecedented, unfurling internationally like some large black cloud and delivering the sharpest financial downturn of current instances.

If any optimistic for the maritime business has emerged to this point it has been to level up the important position of seafarers and different marine personnel in holding commerce transferring. By no means has the adage proved more true that ‘oceans not solely separate nations, additionally they join them’ and there was an outpouring of assist for individuals who spend their working lives at sea (see pp.13-15).

Delivery economist Dr Martin Stopford factors out on this challenge’s lead article (pp.9/11) that crises affecting transport have tended to happen pretty usually, roughly as soon as each decade, the earlier one having been the monetary crash of 2008/9. These act as inflection factors in transport business cycles and might have a salutary impact in the long run by serving to rebalance tonnage provide and demand.

Right this moment’s disaster appears set to trigger a short-term dearth of shipbuilding orders however Stopford reckons this might assist the business higher put together for the fast progress it should make in coming a long time in direction of low, and ultimately zero, carbon emissions – which he describes as the most important technical
problem going through ship design for the reason that transition from sail to steam.

This challenge additionally incorporates reviews on the foremost transport hubs of Singapore and the Center East, together with their efforts to fight unfold of the virus. This yr’s Singapore Maritime Week, scheduled for April, was an early casualty of the pandemic whereas Dubai has additionally seen its landmark internet hosting of Expo 2020 as a result of begin in October postponed till 2021.

Different main transport gatherings like Posidonia in Greece, SMM in Germany, and CMA within the US have all needed to shift dates as nicely, finishing the image of really world disruption.