The port of Belfast is a part of the world shipping scene which underpins the global economy.
While every issue of Ships Monthly provides in-depth coverage of ships and the maritime world, we tend to focus on individual ships and companies, rather than looking at the bigger picture and the macro-maritime scene in which ships operate. But when we do assess the bigger picture, it shows what a vital role ships play in the world economy, which is now struggling under the impact of the post-Covid recovery and the shock of the war in Ukraine, while in Britain we also have the problem of Brexit to deal with.
About 80 per cent of the world’s trade travels by sea and the massive acceleration of globalisation over the past three decades has resulted in a boom in shipping and seaborne transportation, and Britain, being an island nation, is an important player in this expansion.