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https://theconversation.com/from-the-strait-of-hormuz-to-malacca-global-trade-relies-almost-entirely-on-these-five-narrow-waterways-278329>
"The conflict in Iran has disrupted energy and commodity markets. Iran has
effectively closed the narrow strait of Hormuz, a vital oil transit point,
attacking more than a dozen ships over the past two weeks that have tried to
sail through the waterway.
Donald Trump has been pressing US allies in Europe to help secure the strait,
warning on March 15 that it will be “very bad for the future of Nato” if they
do not support American efforts to reopen Hormuz. But Iran has vowed to keep
the waterway closed.
The disruption to Gulf shipping has caused Brent crude oil prices to jump
sharply from around US$70 (£53) a barrel before the crisis began to more than
US$100. Global trade in a wide range of other goods – from consumer products to
agricultural raw materials – is being affected too.
But the crisis has also highlighted a broader issue: that global trade depends
on a surprisingly small number of narrow waterways, which are often called
maritime “chokepoints”. Here is a guide to the chokepoints that matter most for
global trade, and how vulnerable each one is to disruption."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
