Asia

World shipping trade is forecast to grow 8.5% this year, according to the latest forecast from IHS Global Insights World Trade Service.

China’s boycott of Australian and Brazilian ore could hit both Qingdao and Rizhao ports in the short term, since these handle a large proportion of the iron ore imports that enter China.

The Indian government has recently proposed partially funding the development of a port on Sagar Island in West Bengal, hoping to release the bottleneck that presently strangles the area.

APM terminals’ Asia Pacific operation has been in the thick of the recent industry upheavals, and while there are some positives signs of growth, the squeeze is still on.

A port survey has shown that the total investment earmarked for expansion and renovation projects along the 2,838km navigable length of the Yangtze river now comes to around $4bn.