The Role of Ocean Cargo Transportation

1. Ocean cargo transportation is the main mode of international trade transportation. Although international ocean cargo transportation has the disadvantages of low speed and high risk, it has become the main mode of transportation in international trade due to its advantages such as large throughput capacity, large volume, low freight, strong adaptability to goods, and unique global geographical conditions. 80% to 90% of my country's total import and export cargo transportation is carried out by ocean transportation. Due to the rise and development of container transportation, not only has the cargo transportation developed in the direction of aggregation and rationalization, but also it has saved cargo packaging materials and freight charges, reduced cargo damage and difference, ensured transportation quality, shortened transportation time, and thus reduced transportation costs.

   2. Ocean cargo transportation is one of the important channels for the country to save foreign exchange payments and increase foreign exchange income. In my country, freight expenditures generally account for about 10% of the total foreign trade import and export volume, especially the freight of bulk goods accounts for a larger proportion. If we make full use of international trade terms in trade and strive to send more ships, we can not only save foreign exchange payments, but also strive for more foreign exchange income. In particular, we should invest our shipping capacity in the international shipping market and actively carry out transportation to third countries to create foreign exchange income for the country. Countries around the world, especially coastal developing countries, attach great importance to building their own ocean-going fleets and developing ocean cargo transportation. In some shipping-developed countries, foreign exchange freight income has become an important pillar of their national economy.

3. The development of the ocean transportation industry is conducive to improving the country's industrial structure and the structure of international trade export commodities

Ocean transportation is achieved through the practice of maritime activities. The basis of maritime activities is shipbuilding, navigation technology and seafarers who master the technology. The shipbuilding industry is a comprehensive industry. Its development can drive the development of the steel industry, ship equipment industry, and electronic instrumentation industry, and promote the improvement of the industrial structure of the entire country. my country has gradually become a ship exporter from a former ship importer in recent years, and is moving towards the ranks of major ship exporters. Due to the continuous development of my country's navigation technology, the dispatch of crew members has attracted the attention of countries around the world. With the development of the ocean transportation industry, my country's ocean-going shipping fleet has entered the top 10 in the world, providing conditions for large-scale shipbreaking in the future. It not only provides cheap raw materials for my country's steel mills, saves energy and consumes imported ore, but also can export scrap steel. It can be seen that the development of the marine transport industry can not only improve the national industrial structure, but also improve the commodity structure in international trade.

4. The marine transport fleet is an important reserve force for national defense

The ocean-going transport fleet has always been used as a logistics transport tool in wartime. The United States, Britain and other countries call the merchant fleet: "the fourth military service besides the army, navy and air force", and the merchant fleet of the former Soviet Union is also called the "shadow fleet" by Western countries. It can be seen that it plays a role in the victory or defeat of the war. Precisely because marine transportation occupies such an important position, countries around the world attach great importance to the maritime shipping industry, protect it through legislation, support and subsidize it financially, and give preferential treatment in terms of cargo.