Transport and Covid-19: responses and resources

Global Freight Figures Suggest Weak Growth Ahead

The latest global freight data collected by the International Transport Forum at the OECD, through June 2011, highlight concerns over economic recovery:

  • Freight volumes indicate a marked macroeconomic slowdown. External trade by sea in the EU-27 and the USA stabilizes below pre-crisis levels (-3% and -4%) while trade by air declines in EU (falling from 15% to 9% above pre-crisis); 
  • The risks of dependence on Asia-led global growth are exposed. Both US and EU-27 exports by sea to Asia have declined since Feb-11, measured in tonnes of goods moved. Trade by air with China declined both for the USA and the EU-27, possibly indicating a slowdown in demand from the world’s engine of recovery. 
  • Further slow growth in inland freight transport volumes continues to contribute to the sense of weak recovery in domestic demand.

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