Marinha Mercante do Brasil: perspectivas no novo cenário mundial

Abstract

The restructuring of industrial processes worldwide has introduced new challenges for the merchant shipping sector. The simple provision of port-to-port transportation services has been replaced by sophisticated logistics systems that transport and manage the movement of raw materials, parts, components, and finished products between industrial units and production lines, and from these to final distributors. The article is divided into six sections. The first presents the evolution of world trade, the transformations in production processes and locations, and their impacts on merchant shipping. The second provides statistics on the global merchant fleet, including its distribution by countries and companies. The third examines the dynamics of the global freight market. The fourth discusses changes in international maritime transport markets and their effects on corporate organization. The fifth offers an overview of the Brazilian context. Finally, the sixth section presents the study's conclusions.