SHIP FORWARDING AND SUPPLY IN CONDITIONS OF BLOCKED SEA STRAITS: CHALLENGES, ADAPTATION AND ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES

Abstract

It has been determined that world shipping is the basis of international trade, providing transportation of more than 80% of global trade. The sustainability of maritime transportation largely depends not only on the movement of ships, but also on the efficiency of related logistics processes, among which an important place is occupied by forwarding and supply of ships of maritime transport. Ship forwarding is understood as a set of organizational, logistical and coordination measures aimed at providing the ship with material and technical resources, spare parts, provisions, technical maintenance and other necessary means for safe and continuous operation. Modern ship supply systems are multi-level supply chains that unite shipowners, technical managers, agents, equipment manufacturers, suppliers and port infrastructure. The effectiveness of such systems largely depends on the stability of global transport routes and the availability of key major maritime transport corridors. Of particular vulnerability to global maritime logistics are strategic sea lanes, through which significant volumes of global cargo flows pass, including energy resources, raw materials and containerized cargo. These sections of sea routes perform a critical function in the international transport system, where even short-term disruptions or restrictions on movement can have large-scale consequences for global supply chains. Their partial or complete blockage can disrupt not only the regular movement of the fleet, but also the stable functioning of ship supply systems, including the forwarding of spare parts, bunkering, maintenance and the organization of service operations in ports. In such conditions, delays occur in the delivery of critical materials, coordination between participants in the logistics chain becomes more difficult, and dependence on alternative routes and transit hubs increases. Additionally, there is a significant increase in delivery times, an increase in the cost of logistics operations, as well as an increase in operational risks associated with the need to redirect ships, change ports of call and use more expensive and complex supply schemes. Taken together, these factors lead to a decrease in the efficiency of maritime transportation and an increase in the overall vulnerability of the global shipping system. Under such conditions, the study of the impact of blocking sea straits on the processes of forwarding and supply of ships acquires practical and scientific relevance