Headlines
UN predicts soaring prices of commodities in 2022 due to freight rate spike.

The United Nations has warned that a surge in container freight rates could mean higher prices for consumers next year unless pandemic-fuelled problems are untangled.
The UN’s trade and development agency (UNCTAD) said global import price levels could increase by 11 percent and consumer price levels by 1.5 percent between now and 2023.
“Global consumer prices will rise significantly in the year ahead until shipping supply chain disruptions are unblocked and port constraints and terminal inefficiencies are tackled,” UNCTAD said in its Review of Maritime Transport 2021 report.
Global supply chains faced unprecedented demand from the second half of 2020 onwards as consumers spent on goods rather than services during coronavirus lockdowns.
But the upswing in demand hit several practical constraints, including container ship carrying capacity, container shortages, labour shortages, congestion at ports and Covid-19 restrictions.
The mismatch led to record container freight rates “on practically all container trade routes”, according to the report.
“The current surge in freight rates will have a profound impact on trade and undermine socioeconomic recovery, especially in developing countries, until maritime shipping operations return to normal,” said Rebeca Grynspan, UNCTAD’s Secretary-General.
“Returning to normal would entail investing in new solutions, including infrastructure, freight technology, and digitalisation and trade facilitation measures,” she said.
UNCTAD said the pandemic had magnified pre-existing industry challenges, particularly labour shortages and infrastructure gaps.
It also exposed vulnerabilities, such as when China’s Yantian Port shut in May due to a coronavirus outbreak, causing significant delays, or when the giant container ship Ever Given blocked the Suez Canal in March, snarling global trade.
Still, the pandemic’s impact on maritime trade volumes last year was less severe than initially expected, UNCTAD said.
Maritime trade contracted by 3.8 percent to 10.65 billion tons in 2020, and is projected to increase by 4.3 percent in 2021.
UNCTAD said the medium-term outlook remained positive but was subject to “mounting risks and uncertainties”.
The agency predicted that annual growth will slow to 2.4 percent between 2022 and 2026, compared to 2.9 percent over the past two decades.
“A lasting recovery… largely hinges on being able to mitigate the headwinds and on a worldwide vaccine roll-out,” said Grynspan.
“The impacts of the Covid-19 crisis will hit small island developing states (SIDS) and least developed countries (LDCs) the hardest.”
The rise in consumer prices is expected to be 7.5 percent in SIDS and 2.2 percent in LDCs.
Contending with lockdowns, border closures and a lack of international flights, hundreds of thousands of seafarers have been stranded at sea, unable to be repatriated or replaced, UNCTAD said.
The UN agency urged governments and industry to work together to end the crew change crisis in the sector, which employs more than 1.9 million people worldwide.
UNCTAD also said the vaccination rate of seafarers was around 41 percent and called for them to be jabbed as a priority.
“This is not acceptable if we want to see the supply chains moving again,” said Shamika Sirimanne, UNCTAD’s Director of technology and logistics.
While bottlenecks have hindered the economic recovery, the pandemic could trigger far-reaching transformations in maritime transport, UNCTAD predicted.
The crisis has activated digitalisation and automation, which should, in turn, deliver efficiency and cost savings.
Meanwhile, e-commerce — accelerated by the pandemic — has changed consumer shopping habits and spending patterns, according to the report.
“This could generate new business opportunities for shipping and ports,” said UNCTAD.
Customs
Customs, UN agency collaborate to fight smuggling

“On behalf of the entire Management Team of the Nigeria Customs Service, I wish to inform you that we will partner with you in this campaign, and we will grant you all forms of support you may need to carry out this campaign — and I want to assign one of our amiable DCGs, Abba Kura, to work with you closely.”
He appreciated how they traveled from afar to inform the Nigeria Customs Service of their campaign against smuggling, which, according to him, the Nigeria Customs Service has already started yielding positive results in suppressing the menace of smuggling.
The CGC also welcomed Dr Raymond’s offer to engage officers and men of the Service in capacity—building to enhance their understanding of digital literacy skills, adding that the Service has already started embracing technology to advance its work by introducing related courses to officers.
The CGC appreciated the collaborative effort between the Nigeria Customs Service and UN—Habitat and believes that the collaboration signifies a commitment to tackling smuggling and enhancing trade facilitation in the nation, setting the stage for a more prosperous future.
He also appreciated their pledge to train officers and men of the Service in digital literacy skills, assuring that the Service will continue to prioritize proficiency in the fight against smuggling through a technological approach.
He underscored the importance of digital skills, promising that the relevant Service department will enhance trade facilitation.
On his part, the Director of UN—Habitat, Dr. Raymond Edoh, appreciated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for reposing the responsibility of heading the Nigeria Customs Service on the Acting Comptroller-General, describing him as “a competent Customs officer who knows the terrain and masters the job.”
According to him, they decided to visit the Ag. CGC at the Customs Headquarters to express their interest in partnering with the Service.
He appreciated the Service for being a “gatekeeper of the country” that protects citizens against border threats, stressing that his organization will collaborate with NCS to mitigate the smuggling of illicit goods and train officers and men of Customs on digital literacy skills and certification.
UN-Habitat is the United Nations entity responsible for developing urban policies and translating them into action to create sustainable cities and promote viable urban development and adequate shelter for all.
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