Why shipping’s niche players are set to resurge
Mark O'Neill argues that geopolitical turmoil, trade tensions, sanctions and regional conflicts have made global trade less predictable, and that the international maritime framework underpinning it is showing strain. Supply chains are being redesigned around resilience, security and proximity rather than cost efficiency alone, and routes that once appeared permanent can become commercially or politically unattractive. He writes that the coming shipping cycle could see a resurgence of the specialist, since niche operators with closer customer relationships and leaner structures can adapt routes, vessels and operations faster than the largest players.
Why it matters: It sets out how the shift from globalisation to regionalisation is reshaping trade and supply chains, and which firms gain from that fragmentation.