An uncertain year ahead for shipping

TWELVE months ago this column started the year by asking the question: "Is a confident start to 2020 justified?" My answer was, broadly speaking, "Yes". Little did I know. Little did we all know about the pandemic that was about to unleash havoc on the world. So it is with more than a little trepidation that I look into my very imperfect crystal ball once more.

Actually the task this year is in some ways much easier. It is just stating the obvious to say that coping with Covid-19 is going to be the main challenge facing the shipping industry.

However, how well shipping is going to be able, be allowed even, to cope is a different matter. Shipping's fortunes depend partly on how quickly the global economy recovers.