Demands for the maritime industry as of September 2025 include countries stabilizing their trade policies, while also reducing shipping cost increases and promoting sustainable and resilient shipping transport infrastructure.
A review by UNCTAD (United Nations Trade and Development) from the 24th of September 2025 underlines these factors and reinforces the fact that the maritime industry faces a turbulent time unless some of these recommendations are put in place.
The sector grew markedly last year (2024), 80% of merchandise trade still being carried by ships around the globe but only increased by 0.5% for this year. Employment in the shipping industry is generally stable, in some cases seeing a slight recovery after a pandemic worldwide low. The sector does face however a significant skills shortage, and high employee turnover, which is propelling demand for specific types of maritime jobs.
Rerouting has affected the distance travelled per journey with geopolitical tensions around the globe causing a 6% increase in ton-miles taken. Trade routes are in a state of flux with the industry exhibiting a changing geographical form, mostly affected by political tensions, changing tariff levies, altering trade patterns and reconfigured shipping lanes. A big player is the US where shipping companies may alter their routes and destinations due to increased tariffs and higher port fees at the place of arrival, influencing shipping costs in general.Â
The passage of oil and coal is being affected by the decarbonization policies displayed by some countries around the globe, while consumption of gas is on the increase.
Some minerals are more urgently in demand for those technologies requiring them. Companies and countries are competing for supplies. The origins of these minerals are creating a new set of demands for maritime logistical operations, with new routes and inherent costs becoming unavoidable.
These new ports and shipping companies in the burgeoning sectors of the world are facing stiffer tasks since the digital age is demanding investment in cleaner, smarter and more efficient solutions. Examples of this are a maritime single window which is a process where ships can submit all required information for port calls electronically via a single, centralized entry point. Since January 1s 2024, it has become mandatory for all International Maritime Organizations member states to implement maritime single windows, hastening a more streamlined means of communication between ships, ports and government agencies. Port community systems, which is a digital facility that connects all stakeholders in a port, like customs, logistics companies and port authorities is designed to make secure and efficient the exchange of information. Overall, this has the capacity to reduce paperwork and again, streamline processes, improving the competitiveness of ports, hopefully lowering costs in the long-term.
Greenhouse gases are still increasing in the maritime industry with only 8% of the fleet equipped to use alternative fuels. The International Maritime Organization is expected to adopt a Net Zero Framework in October 2025, ideally setting a global fuel standard and introducing a GHG pricing mechanism from 2028, intended to create a fund supporting developing countries.
Sufficient implementation of such ideas will take cooperation from all regulatory bodies including governments, industry and financial actors which will aim to deliver on these proposals.
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