The Economist

THE ECONOMIST

THE ECONOMIST

COMMENT: The knowledge that the coronavirus is highly contagious and that it can be deadly iscertain and the impact on the global economy has been dramatic in its success in bringing it…

19th June 2020

GLOBAL ORDER IN DISTRESS

19th June 2020

THE ECONOMIST

THE ECONOMIST

COMMENT: Ports are facing a decline in trade and strategy choices in dealing with the coronavirus, writes Ben Hackett.

22nd May 2020

PORTS FACE KEY STRATEGY CHOICES

22nd May 2020

THE ECONOMIST

THE ECONOMIST

COMMENT: Four months after the advent of the coronavirus, leading to COVID-19 and the world isbeing plunged headfirst into a rapid and steep recession, writes Ben Hackett.

5th May 2020

CORONA DEPRESSION – SHORT OR LONG?

5th May 2020

THE ECONOMIST

THE ECONOMIST

COMMENT: In the shadow of the tariff wars the coronavirus has the potential to wreak further harm to global trade, writes Ben Hackett.

20th March 2020

The Impact of the Coronavirus on Global Trade

20th March 2020

THE ECONOMIST

THE ECONOMIST

COMMENT: Intra state and intra region competition to attract investments is rife around theworld with subsidies and state aid. But, is it fair?, asks Ben Hackett.

17th February 2020

Level playing fields in the port sector

17th February 2020

THE ECONOMIST

THE ECONOMIST

The weaponising of trade strategically to achieve political supremacy is being honed by the Trump Administration globally, irrespective if the country at the receiving end is friend or foe, writes Ben Hackett

11th November 2019

Not a smart policy

11th November 2019

THE ECONOMIST

THE ECONOMIST

COMMENT: The Game of Thrones aficionados will fully understand the doomsday phrase that “winter is coming,” writes Ben Hackett

23rd October 2019

Put on warm winter clothes

23rd October 2019

THE ECONOMIST

THE ECONOMIST

COMMENT: The global economy is in a flux, not knowing what indicators to believe and trying to gauge the coming of a recession, writes Ben Hackett.

28th August 2019

The good, the bad and the ugly

28th August 2019

THE ECONOMIST

THE ECONOMIST

COMMENT: Shipping companies and ports are currently in somewhat of a quandary; they face criticism that ships are too large or too small, that alliances are harmful to customers and service providers…

2nd May 2019

Sea of change or storm in a teacup?

2nd May 2019

THE ECONOMIST

THE ECONOMIST

COMMENT: As the stock market continues on its rollercoaster ride, the global trade situation is looking increasingly precarious, writes Ben Hackett.

7th January 2019

Souring trade prospects dent port optimism

7th January 2019

THE ECONOMIST

THE ECONOMIST

COMMENT: Ive come to the realisation that using economic fundamentals to project trade next year is a futile effort, writes Ben Hackett.

5th November 2018

No end in sight to flat trade growth

5th November 2018

THE ECONOMIST

THE ECONOMIST

COMMENT: Globally there are far too many ports competing for the same clients and not earning enough revenue to cover the infrastructure demands of ever-larger ships, writes Ben Hackett.

1st October 2018

Capacity excess, cargo deficit

1st October 2018

THE ECONOMIST

THE ECONOMIST

COMMENT: The world is clearly confused as to whether we definitely/maybe have a trade war on our hands, writes Ben Hackett.

30th August 2018

Trade war: an oxymoron?

30th August 2018

THE ECONOMIST

THE ECONOMIST

COMMENT: Demand growth in volume terms remains buoyant at 5.2% in 2017 but does anyone remember the 15%-25% growth rates before the Great Recession, asks Ben Hackett.

21st June 2018

Can all this optimism be justified?

21st June 2018

THE ECONOMIST

THE ECONOMIST

COMMENT: In recent months, global trade projections for 2018 were being upgraded almost as quickly as they were downgraded in previous years. Confidence had returned, and consumers and industry were keen to…

30th April 2018

No upside to downward spiral of tariffs

30th April 2018

THE ECONOMIST

THE ECONOMIST

COMMENT: The 48th meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos from January 23 to January 26 generated a huge amount of optimism about world growth prospects, with business leaders and heads…

5th March 2018

Overcoming the Davos hype

5th March 2018

THE ECONOMIST

THE ECONOMIST

COMMENT: World trade is on a roll with growth not seen since 2010 and for a change it is synchronised across all major economies, writes Ben Hackett.

30th January 2018

Economic growth wont save everyone

30th January 2018

THE ECONOMIST

THE ECONOMIST

COMMENT: Much of the major port and terminal investments over the past ten to fifteen years have been made by private and corporatised companies from the likes of DP World, PSA, ICTSI…

16th December 2017

Forging Chinese connections

16th December 2017

THE ECONOMIST

THE ECONOMIST

COMMENT: The shipping industry is an interesting one; it is one of the least concentrated industries around with far too many players in virtually all sectors, writes Ben Hackett.

6th November 2017

The lemmings are back

6th November 2017

THE ECONOMIST

THE ECONOMIST

COMMENT: Liner shipping seems to function on the basis of a merry-go-round logic when it comes to economic rationale, writes Ben Hackett.

9th October 2017

Carriers questionable logic

9th October 2017