Figure 5
Worldwide Overseas Oceanborne Cargo: 1995-2007
Figure 5
Worldwide Overseas Oceanborne Cargo: 1995-2007
Excel | CSV | Graphic Version
(Millions of short tons)
| Year | Oceanborne cargo |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 4,651 |
| 1996 | 4,758 |
| 1997 | 4,953 |
| 1998 | 5,631 |
| 1999 | 5,683 |
| 2000 | 5,984 |
| 2001 | 5,891 |
| 2002 | 5,948 |
| 2003 | 6,598 |
| 2004 | 6,893 |
| 2005 | 7,122 |
| 2006 | 7,761 |
| 2007 | 8,032 |
NOTE: Although figures 5 and 6 are not to the same scale, they both show nearly a doubling of cargo, by weight, over identical time spans.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Transportation, Research and Innovative Technology Administration, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, based on data from various sources. Oceanborne cargo-United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, Review of Maritime Transport, various issues, available at www.unctad.org/rmt as of Oct. 3, 2009. Air cargo-International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), special tabulations, Sept. 28, 2009.
- In 2007, the most recent year for which data are available, the volume of worldwide international oceanborne cargo reached more than 8 billion tons. During the past decade, the annual average growth rate was about 3 percent.
- Worldwide international air cargo reached 28 million tons in 2007, growing at an annual average rate of 5 percent over the past decade. This growth trend reflects continuing globalization of economic activities and increasing adoption of inventory management strategies.
- By weight, the overwhelming majority of global overseas merchandise trade is carried by ocean vessel rather than airplane (excluding land modes of transportation). While generally ocean vessels transport low value-per-ton commodities (e.g., crude oil, grains, and coal), container vessels transport high value-per-ton manufactured goods of all kinds, such as automobiles, appliances, computer equipment, and apparel.