The importance of the oceans in the process of globalisation
Globalisation = the growing integration and interdependence of people’s lives in a complex
process with economic, social (cultural), political and environmental components.
Time-space compression = a set of processes leading to a ‘shrinking world’ caused by
reductions in the relative distances between places.
• Globalisation in the 21st century differs significantly from that in the 16th of mineral
shipping and slave trade.
• Freight dominates maritime transport
• Total world trade trebled to 45% of global GDP since 1950s.
• US maritime alone accounts for movement of over US$6 trillion worth of goods
annually.
• Oil is one of the largest seaborne commodities due to reduction of available
terrestrial fossil fuel.
• 90% global trade occurs via maritime transit.
Pattern of global shipping routes
Container ships produce 1 million tonnes CO2 every day.
Physical geography important factor in port locations; coastline shape, winds, water
currents, depth, reefs and sea ice.
Major ports include Rotterdam and Singapore.
Suez and Panama Canals:
Two of the most significant engineering maritime ‘shortcuts’ and global consequences for
trade / geopolitics.
Current upgrades to allow more and larger ships through; Panama will triple size of ships
that can pass
The direction and type of trade across oceans
EU = 37% of exported agricultural products
China = 17% of exported manufactured goods.
Singapore → world’s largest trans-shipment port in terms of goods in / out
• handles 20% world’s containers
• 50% crude oil
• 33 million containers / year
Marine technology, a revolution in transport
Containerisation:
The shipping of goods (by road and sea) in standard-sized metal boxes.
History → Malcom McLean in USA 1940s Depression established concept. Replaced ‘break
bulk shipping’ which was slower and required more workers
Fundamental to globalisation; allows efficient, mechanised handling of large volumes of
goods to eliminate ‘loose cargo’. Reduced costs and handling time by uniquely coded
containers which are computer-traced to create efficient logistics of distribution.
Bulk carriers of goods (oil, mineral ores + grains) have increased in size.
• Largest oil tankers carry 3 million barrels
• Since 1960s container ships have more than doubled in length and almost 10x the
TEU (20-foot equivalent unit; no. of containers per ship).
Economies of scale:
Internal economies of scale are savings in unit costs that arise from large-scale production,
derived from within a plant. External economies of scale are savings made by a firm that
arise from outside the firm itself, such as benefits of proximity to other firms /
infrastructure.
Submarine cables, unseen connections
History:
1866 – first trans-Atlantic telegraph cable
Early 20th century – global telegraphic network
1950s – telephone cables
Today – fibre optic cables support internet. Most cable laying in Pacific Asia + developing
submarine link across Arctic for London, Tokyo, etc
Global pattern:
• High speed between Europe, links to USA, Africa + Asia (ACs)
• Many medium speed links between Asia + USA for rapidly growing economy +
geopolitical significance in trade
Cornwall cables:
Satellite speed too slow in ‘.com boom’ so undersea cable connections developed from
existing Cornish links.
Porthcurno Beach → lands 7 cables (busiest cable beach in UK)
Flag Atlantic Interlink connects main trans-Atlantic + Asian cables into Europe
Pentewan Sands →
TAT 14 latest trans-Atlantic ring cable with vacuum so travel close to speed of light; reduced
travel time 6ms (supports Global Stock Market – must run on fastest cables)