Challenges Of Cargo Shipping in 2022

Image by Bellergy RC from Pixabay. Shipments of cargo have been growing over the years, and the growth is expected to continue this year. However, the outlook for freighter shipping in 2022 is clouded with uncertainty and is likely to remain that way until fundamentals improve and the cyclical situation becomes more evident. More and more problems emerge every year with their consequences affecting the global supply chains and hindering the operation of logistics companies worldwide.  Many factors create challenges for the cargo shipping industry, but only a few are discussed here. These challenges will determine how effectively goods and services are transported. They will also dictate whether the industry can remain competitive in related areas such as logistics and e-commerce.  Port Congestion The coronavirus pandemic is a challenge for cargo shipping today. It caused many problems with supply chains, including port congestions due to a lack of available workers and containers. Many shipping companies have had to face crew changeovers being delayed or canceled due to travel restrictions enacted by governments worldwide.  Therefore, there has been a significant amount of pressure on global supply chains, resulting in ships waiting for much more extended periods at the port for unloading or loading cargo. Two years after COVID-19 became a global concern, the shipping industry is still seething from its effects. Even some of the cheapest vehicle transport companies are now reviewing their prices.  Fleet Capacity Shipping companies will not keep up with increasing demand without increasing their fleets’ capacity. That means building larger ships, which creates its own set of challenges. Large container ships often require deeper ports than those currently used by many smaller carriers, which means some ports may need to undergo costly improvements before they can accommodate this new generation of vessels. Decreasing carbon emissions Environmental damage is an important issue, and reducing carbon emissions is critical to solving it. The shipping industry has always been a major polluter, but now governments and public pressure is forcing ships to clean up their act. One of the biggest challenges to reducing carbon emissions in shipping is the size and diversity of the industry.  Everyone from large corporations to individuals is involved in global trade, with different motivations and resources to change. In addition, the costs associated with going green can be steep, and many companies do not have the resources to get there right now or may take longer than others.  Shortage of skilled workers The shortage of skilled workers is present in all logistics industries, including vehicle transportation and other fields related to cargo movement. Many workers are nearing retirement age, and there are not enough young people entering the area to replace them.  The new generation is not interested in these jobs because they think it isn’t prestigious enough. And even if they take the job, they need proper training and time to develop their skills. The pool of older workers has developed skills that are not immediately transferable to new applicants who want to enter the logistics field. Cybersecurity As vessels become more technologically advanced, they become more vulnerable to cyberattacks. As shipping companies implement digital solutions like automated tracking systems, they must adhere to new regulations to protect user privacy. Otherwise, hackers will exploit vulnerabilities in IT systems and cause havoc with shipping schedules and operations and steal user data for nefarious purposes.  With these increasing cyber threats to the maritime sector and recent strict regulations enforced by organizations such as IMO, cargo shipping will confront new security challenges. The regulatory landscape is expected to become more complex as more rules are introduced, and requirements change over time. Political Challenges Cargo ships tend to rely on predictable demand patterns as they transport goods from one country to another. When politics become unstable between two countries, this affects trade and decreases the overall demand for shipping services between them. Therefore, perhaps the biggest challenge for the shipping industry is the unstable political climate between various countries and regions which often makes shipping routes unpredictable.  Even beyond the current Russian crisis over Ukraine, the global economy continues to be in a state of flux, and cargo shipping is experiencing the effects. Cargo shippers must rely on stable diplomatic relationships between various countries to safely reach their destinations without incident.  Conclusion The widespread growth of trade and globalization has increased the demand for cheap, quick, and secure transport for goods. Cargo shipping companies will have to find new ways to secure business, setting out innovative shipping solutions. After all, the demand for cheaper, faster cargo transportation will only increase. However, technology offers a glimmer of hope, with new systems in development that are being designed to make shipping more accessible and provide better service.

本图片由Bellergy RC从Pixabay获取。
多年来，货物运输量持续增长，且预计今年仍将保持这一增长态势。然而，2022年货轮运输（freighter shipping）行业的前景蒙上了不确定性的阴霾，且这一状态或将持续至行业基本面改善、周期性态势愈发明朗之时。每年都有愈发增多的问题浮现，其后果波及全球供应链（supply chains），掣肘全球各地物流公司的运营。
诸多因素给货运行业带来挑战，但本文仅探讨其中数项。这些挑战将决定货物与服务的运输效率，也将决定该行业能否在物流、电子商务等相关领域保持竞争力。

港口拥堵（Port Congestion）
新冠疫情是当下货运行业面临的一大挑战。疫情引发了供应链（supply chains）层面的诸多问题，包括因劳动力与集装箱短缺导致的港口拥堵。全球多国政府实施旅行限制，致使诸多航运公司不得不面临船员换班（crew changeovers）延误乃至取消的困境。
因此，全球供应链（supply chains）承受了巨大压力，导致船舶在港口装卸货物时的等待时长大幅延长。新冠疫情成为全球公共卫生关切的两年后，航运行业仍深受其扰。如今即便是部分定价最为低廉的汽车运输企业，也在重新审视其定价策略。

船队运力（Fleet Capacity）
若不提升船队运力，航运企业将无法满足日益增长的运输需求。这意味着需要建造更大吨位的船舶，而这本身也会带来一系列新的挑战。大型集装箱船通常需要比当前多数小型航运运营商所使用的港口更深的泊位，这意味着部分港口需投入高昂成本进行升级改造，方能容纳这类新一代船舶。

碳排放削减（Decreasing carbon emissions）
环境破坏是一项亟待解决的重要议题，而削减碳排放（carbon emissions）是破解该问题的关键所在。航运行业向来是主要的污染排放源之一，如今各国政府与公众舆论的压力正迫使航运船舶整改减排。
航运行业削减碳排放（carbon emissions）面临的最大挑战之一，在于行业的规模与多样性。从大型企业到个体从业者，全球贸易的参与主体各异，其转型的动机与可调用资源也各不相同。此外，践行绿色转型所需的成本不菲，诸多企业暂无足够资源推进转型，或需比其他企业更长的时间方能完成变革。

熟练技工短缺（Shortage of skilled workers）
包括汽车运输在内的所有物流行业，均面临熟练技工短缺的问题。诸多从业人员已临近退休年龄，而愿意进入该领域的年轻人才数量不足，无法完成岗位接替。
年轻一代对这类工作兴趣缺缺，认为其社会认可度不足。即便有年轻人愿意入职，也需要接受系统培训并投入时间打磨技能。现有老年从业人员所积累的技能，无法直接迁移至想要进入物流领域的新求职者身上。

网络安全（Cybersecurity）
随着船舶愈发智能化，其遭受网络攻击（cyberattacks）的风险也随之升高。航运企业在部署自动化追踪系统（automated tracking systems）等数字化解决方案时，必须遵守新的监管要求以保护用户隐私。否则，黑客将利用信息系统的漏洞，扰乱航运日程与运营，并窃取用户数据以谋取非法利益。
随着海事行业（maritime sector）面临的网络威胁与日俱增，再加上国际海事组织（IMO）等机构近期实施的严格监管规定，货运行业将面临全新的安全挑战。随着更多新规出台、监管要求持续更迭，监管格局预计将愈发复杂。

政治挑战（Political Challenges）
货轮的运营依赖可预测的需求模式，以实现跨国家的货物运输。当两国间政治局势趋于不稳时，双边贸易将受到影响，航运服务的整体需求也会随之下降。因此，航运行业面临的最大挑战或许在于各国与各地区间不稳定的政治氛围，这往往会导致航运航线的不可预测性。
除当前俄乌冲突带来的危机外，全球经济仍处于动荡之中，货运行业正承受其负面影响。货运企业必须依靠各国间稳定的外交关系，方能安全无虞地将货物运抵目的地。

结论（Conclusion）
贸易与全球化的广泛发展，提升了对廉价、快捷且安全的货物运输服务的需求。货运企业必须探寻新的业务获取途径，推出创新性的航运解决方案。毕竟，市场对更廉价、更高效的货物运输服务的需求只会有增无减。不过，技术为行业带来了一线希望：诸多旨在提升航运便利性、优化服务质量的新型系统尚在研发之中。