The Report on Shipping Safety and Development in the South China Sea (2025) confirms the region’s status as the world’s densest and most vital maritime artery, driven by high cargo throughput, a vast network of ports, and efficient, collaborative operations.
Global Significance and Traffic Density
The report highlights the South China Sea’s critical role in global trade through impressive traffic statistics and geographic links:
- Global Share: The region handles 40% of global port calls and significant portions of the world’s energy shipments: nearly 40% of crude oil and 34% of natural gas shipments.
- Vital Resource Artery: It serves as a vital artery for the flow of key global resources, including nearly 76% of crude oil imports to China, Japan, and South Korea, 21% of the world’s iron ore, and nearly 21% of global soybean shipments.
- Central Hub: The sea links four major global economic zones: China-Japan-Korea, ASEAN, Australia, and Africa. Its economic value per unit of sea area is said to far exceed that of other maritime regions.
- Densest Routes: The South China Sea possesses the densest shipping routes globally due to the high number of surrounding countries and interconnected ports.
The “Sea Overpass” Network
The report uses the term “sea overpass” to describe the highly efficient and dynamic maritime transport network that allows the South China Sea to handle heavy traffic with high throughput:
- Function: The “sea overpass” is formed by ships, cargo, and routes, operating like a “high-speed, precision machine” to maintain efficiency despite dense traffic.
- Hub and Diverter System: The network is structured around a system of core and peripheral ports:
- Key Hubs (Core Ports): Major ports like Singapore and Hong Kong act as central hubs in the global container transshipment system.
- Peripheral Diverters: Ports such as Qinzhou, Kaohsiung, Laem Chabang, and Surabaya function to flexibly ease pressure on the core ports.
- Efficiency Metrics: This collaborative system achieves the highest average number of port calls globally, yet simultaneously boasts shorter anchoring and berthing times due to smart port management, strong collection and distribution capabilities, and streamlined customs clearance.
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Source: Bastille Post
