The Role of Ocean 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 risks, its advantages such as large passing capacity, large transportation volume, low freight, strong adaptability to cargo, and unique geographical conditions around the world make it Become the main mode of transportation in international trade. 80% to 90% of my country's total import and export cargo transportation is carried out through ocean transportation. Due to the rise and development of container transportation, not only has cargo transportation developed in the direction of concentration and rationalization, but it has also saved cargo packaging materials and transportation expenses. , reducing cargo damage and difference, ensuring transportation quality, shortening transportation time, thereby reducing transportation costs.

2. Marine cargo transportation is one of the important channels for the country to save foreign exchange payments and increase foreign exchange income.

Freight expenses in our country 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 Incoterms in trade and strive to send more ships, we will not only save the payment of foreign exchange, but also Can strive for more foreign exchange income. In particular, my country's shipping capacity will be invested in the international shipping market, and transportation to third countries will be actively carried out to create foreign exchange earnings 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 developed shipping countries, income from foreign exchange freight has become an important pillar of the national economy of these countries.

3. Developing the maritime transportation industry is conducive to improving the country’s industrial structure and the structure of international trade export commodities.

Ocean transportation is realized through the practice of navigation activities, which are based on shipbuilding, navigation technology and skilled seamen. The shipbuilding industry is a comprehensive industry, and its development can drive the development of the steel industry, ship equipment industry, and electronic instrumentation industry, and promote the improvement of the entire country's industrial structure. Our country has gradually transformed from a ship importing country into a ship exporting country in recent years, and is moving towards the ranks of major ship exporting countries. Due to the continuous development of my country's maritime technology, overseas crew labor services have attracted the attention of countries around the world. With the development of the ocean transportation industry, my country's ocean transportation fleet has entered the top 10 in the world, providing conditions for the large-scale ship recycling industry in the future. It not only provides cheap raw materials, energy conservation and imported ore for the smelting of my country's steel plants consumption, and scrap steel can be exported. It can be seen that the development of the maritime transportation industry will not only improve the national industrial structure, but also improve the commodity structure in international trade.

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

Ocean transport fleets have historically been used as logistical transport vehicles during wartime. The United States, Britain and other countries call the merchant fleet: "the fourth branch of the military in addition to land, sea and air". The merchant navy 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 ocean transportation occupies such an important position, countries around the world attach great importance to maritime shipping, protect it through legislation, support and subsidize it financially, and provide preferential treatment in terms of cargo.