The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has released a landmark update to its seaborne trade dataset, now offering for the first time detailed country-level statistics. The new data provides a sharper lens into how goods move across the world’s oceans, and reveals significant shifts in global maritime trade patterns.
Maritime transport remains the linchpin of international trade, handling over 80% of global goods by volume. As the primary mode connecting global value chains, it is essential for delivering raw materials, semi-finished inputs, and final products around the world — underpinning industrial growth, job creation, and economic development.
According to the updated dataset, developing countries have substantially increased their presence in maritime trade. Once primarily seen as exporters of raw materials, many of these nations – especially in Asia – have emerged as both major importers and exporters. Developing economies accounted for just 38% of maritime trade in 2000; by 2023, that share had surged to 54%, led by China’s continued expansion as a manufacturing powerhouse.
“This shift highlights the growing importance of South-South trade and the structural transformation of developing economies,” UNCTAD said in a statement. “Improved port infrastructure, containerization, and greater regional integration have played key roles in this evolution.”
Despite this progress, the report notes that least developed countries (LDCs), particularly in Africa, and small island developing states (SIDS) continue to lag behind, constrained by small economic sizes, limited infrastructure, and weak links to global value chains.
UNCTAD’s data also reveals a fundamental change in the types of cargo dominating global shipping. While liquid bulk cargo, primarily oil, once led maritime volumes, dry cargo – including coal, iron ore, grains, and manufactured goods – now comprises a larger share. In 2023, dry cargo represented 62% of maritime trade, up from 54% in 2000. Crude oil’s share declined significantly from 29% to 18% over the same period.
The updated dataset also helps map disruptions to maritime flows, highlighting the impact of events such as the 2008 financial crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, Red Sea tensions, and recent drought-induced slowdowns in the Panama Canal. These shocks underscore the vulnerability of global shipping routes and the need for more resilient transport systems.
Built using official government-reported trade statistics from UN Comtrade, the dataset provides crucial insights to support smarter policy-making, infrastructure investment, and progress tracking for Sustainable Development Goal 9.1.2 – focused on developing sustainable and resilient transport infrastructure.
With trade dynamics increasingly shaped by digitalization, shifting geopolitics, and climate imperatives, UNCTAD’s enhanced data tools offer a timely and much-needed resource for understanding and adapting to the changing tides of global commerce.
