摘要: |
The numbers are well known. Officials and analysts alike note that 90% of global trade moves by sea. Such trade travels on commercial ships that transit the oceans along sea lines of communication (SLOC) and through maritime choke points. The significance of this trade is widely acknowledged at high levels within national governments and within the international community. This importance derives from the global reliance on just-in-time delivery of goods and resources. However, while maintaining a 24/7 365-day flow is recognized as crucial to daily life, the risks are increasingly recognized and evident. In recent years, events have demonstrated that disruption to the free flow of shipping can-and does-occur regularly, in different regions and contexts. In March 2021, the grounding of the container ship MV Ever Given closed the Suez Canal to all traffic for six days, at significant impact and cost to global shipping patterns. |