The Economist – Page 2
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MAKE HAY WHILE THE SUN SHINES… …The Shipping Bubble is Bound to Burst
COMMENT: An unprecedented increase in shipping profi tability has generated a newbuilding bubble that ports may not be prepared for, writes Ben Hackett.
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GLOBALISATION AND SUPPLY CHAIN REMAIN AT RISK
COMMENT: Ports struggle with congestions, carriers with lack of capacity and countries with more COVID-19. The pressure is not letting up, writes Ben Hackett.
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NEW PORT PERFORMANCE INDEX - GOOD TRY BUT WRONG
COMMENT: The World Bank and IHS/Markit Container Port Performance Index is well off the mark and does not reflect reality, writes Ben Hackett.
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GLOBALISATION STUMBLES UNDER COVID-19 PRESSURE
The COVID-19 pandemic is putting pressure on globalisation beyond the Trump Administration impacts, writes Ben Hackett. The question is: What has gone wrong?
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EUPHORIA IN SHIPPING FINANCES MAY IMPACT PORTS
COMMENT: As the pandemic rolls back with vaccinations rolling out, the maritime industry becomes overly optimistic from ports, terminals, carriers and shipbuilding, writes Ben Hackett.
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PORTS ARE STRUGGLING
COMMENT: The economics, such as they are, of the COVID-19 crisis is playing havoc at the ports as is the virus infection as well, writes Ben Hackett.
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The relevance of economics on international trade and ports?
COMMENT: Harping on a familiar subject, we really do need to ask ourselves what relevance economics has on international trade? writes Ben Hackett.
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WHEN WILL THE ROLLERCOASTER RIDE END?
COMMENT: The sharpest decline in economic activity in Q2 worldwide was followed by spectacular growth in Q3, but Q4 looks like a bust, writes Ben Hackett.
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THE ECONOMIST’S FOG
COMMENT: The life of an economist is currently about as satisfying as a that of a scientist trying to understand COVID-19, writes Ben Hackett.
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NEW NORMAL IS AS CLEAR AS MUD
COMMENT: Container carriers appear to have found the “yellow brick road” to recovery this year with strict capacity management, while the rest of the industry is in the doldrums, writes Ben Hackett.
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BUDGET PLANNING DURING A PANDEMIC
COMMENT: Planning for a 12-18 month period has been difficult during the past few years as globalisation has come under pressure and the Trumpian trade wars with friends and foe alike are creating enormous uncertainties, writes Ben Hackett.
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REALITY OR JUST A FALSE SENSE OF HOPE?
COMMENT: The maritime industry has been a bastion of hope over many decades even when supply and demand disparity grew, and excessive capacity was built both in the vessel and port terminal sectors, writes Ben Hackett.
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GLOBAL ORDER IN DISTRESS
COMMENT: The knowledge that the coronavirus is highly contagious and that it can be deadly is certain and the impact on the global economy has been dramatic in its success in bringing it to a virtual standstill. What is less clear is what to do next after the shutdown, writes ...
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PORTS FACE KEY STRATEGY CHOICES
COMMENT: Ports are facing a decline in trade and strategy choices in dealing with the coronavirus, writes Ben Hackett.
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CORONA DEPRESSION – SHORT OR LONG?
COMMENT: Four months after the advent of the coronavirus, leading to COVID-19 and the world is being plunged headfirst into a rapid and steep recession, writes Ben Hackett.
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The Impact of the Coronavirus on Global Trade
COMMENT: In the shadow of the tariff wars the coronavirus has the potential to wreak further harm to global trade, writes Ben Hackett.
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Level playing fields in the port sector
COMMENT: Intra state and intra region competition to attract investments is rife around the world with subsidies and state aid. But, is it fair?, asks Ben Hackett.
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The economic union is in disarray
COMMENT: The European Economic Community made strident efforts to move the bloc to the next level, political union, embodied in the principles of the Economic Union (EU), writes Ben Hackett.
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Not a smart policy
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
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Put on warm winter clothes
COMMENT: The Game of Thrones aficionados will fully understand the doomsday phrase that “winter is coming,” writes Ben Hackett