Logistics: Commercial Shipping Crises

July 18, 2026: Commercial shipping is facing unreliable sea routes and the risks of political, diplomatic and military interference with operations. This is a huge problem because the number of ships at sea on a typical day ranges from 50,000 to 60,000. Half of these are fishing boats, many of them freezer trawlers that stay at sea for months at a time. Five or six thousand Container Ships operate worldwide. There are about 10,000 Bulk Carriers, most of them carrying coal and other raw materials. There are up to 4,000 petroleum and other chemical tankers. Between two and three thousand General Cargo Ships transport goods that won’t fit in containers or are sanctioned or illegal and require discreet transportation. About a thousand Ro-Ro/Roll-On/Roll-Off ships are used to transport vehicles of all sizes and types, including heavy equipment.