Global shipping: latest stats
In November, the RWI/ISL Container Throughput Index, which measures global shipping activity, saw a slight uptick to 124.5 points, mainly due to a rise in container handling in Asian ports outside China. This growth was however offset by declines in Chinese and European ports.
The index for Chinese ports decreased from 135.9 to 135.3 points, and the North Range Index, which focuses on economic trends in the Northern Eurozone and Germany, dropped from 103.7 to 101.0 points.
This overall trend suggests a stabilisation of global container throughput as the year ends, but with a notable downturn in Europe, which may slow down foreign trade in the last quarter. There is also concern that potential disruptions in the Suez Canal route could further impact global trade. (pb)