Climate change may render top ports unusable by 2050
Source: Middle East Insurance Review | Nov 2023
Some of the world’s largest and important ports may become unusable by 2050 as rising sea levels hit operations according to a new report released in September 2023.
The 63-page Global Maritime Trends 2050 report, commissioned by shipping services group Lloyd’s Register and independent charity arm Lloyd’s Register Foundation looks at future scenarios and efforts to speed up decarbonisation of the maritime sector and bring in new technology.
The study found that a third of the world’s 3,800 ports are vulnerable to climate change effects. It found that ports at Houston, Shanghai and Lázaro Cárdenas in Mexico could become inoperable by 2050 if sea levels rise by just 40cm. Other important ports including Rotterdam are already under pressure.
Weather-related disruptions are already causing issues, with the Panama canal affected by drought. The maritime industry transports around 90% of global goods, while shipping accounts for nearly 3% of CO2 emissions.
“Countries will need to invest in increasing the efficiency and resilience of their ports and logistics infrastructure to keep up with growing demand for imports and consumption,” the report said.
The report said ports highly susceptible to rises in sea levels such as Shanghai could establish flood defence systems similar to Holland’s Maeslant Barrier and London’s Thames Barrier. It said, “This would negate the need to constantly raise existing floodwalls every decade, which is a short-term and costly solution.”
The shipping industry is actively cutting its emissions by reducing its fossil fuel consumption.
“The average shipowner owns circa five ships. As a consequence, not all players are good at gathering data. There can also be a reluctance to share data. Forecasting relies on having access to solid and relevant datasets,” the report said. M