Shipping travelled further than trade grew

In 2024, the distance-adjusted work of seaborne trade grew much faster than the amount of cargo.

GDS Research Desk
5 November 2026 · 2 min read

The data, visualised2024 growth versus 2023

More distance than extra cargo

Global seaborne trade · annual growth in 2024

Cargo volume2.2%

Transport work5.9%

05.9 %

Cargo volume is measured in tons. Transport work is measured in ton-miles, combining cargo weight with distance.

More distance than extra cargo
Category / period	Value (%)
Cargo volume	2.2
Transport work	5.9

Cargo volume is measured in tons. Transport work is measured in ton-miles, combining cargo weight with distance. Download CSV →

Data: 2024 growth versus 2023. Sources & methodology ↓

A longer journey for the same goods

Global seaborne trade volume grew 2.2% in 2024. Measured in ton-miles, it grew 5.9%, according to UNCTAD's Review of Maritime Transport 2025.

A ton-mile combines cargo weight with the distance travelled. When ships take longer routes, transport work can rise even without a similar increase in the amount being shipped.

The cost of taking the long way round

UNCTAD links the gap to vessel rerouting. Disruption around major shipping passages can lengthen journeys and change the demands placed on fleets.

The two bars measure growth rates, not shares of world trade. Subtracting them gives a 3.7-percentage-point gap, but that is not itself a measure of the increase in average journey length. Cargo mix and routes also matter.

Show your workings

Sources & methodology

How to read the numbers

Both values refer to global seaborne trade growth in 2024, as reported by UNCTAD. The bars compare percentage changes in different measures. The 3.7-point gap is 5.9 minus 2.2; it is not a direct estimate of distance growth.

UNCTAD · Review of Maritime Transport 2025 ↗Checked 5 November 2026
UNCTAD · Global maritime transport: Staying the course in turbulent waters, figure 1 ↗Checked 5 November 2026

This story uses the dated releases listed above. Historical observations, estimates and projections are identified separately; newer releases may revise these figures. Our editorial standards.