Some of the world's largest ports may be unusable by 2050

Rising sea levels may mean that some of the world's largest ports have to be shut down. Shanghai, Houston and Rotterdam are, for example, in the danger zone. This is according to a new report from Lloyd's register published by The Economist.

Even if humanity ensures that the goal of a maximum of 1.5 degrees of increased warming of the planet is reached by 2050, the effects of climate change will be tangible. According to the UN's climate panel IPCC, natural disasters and extreme weather will increase and the sea level will rise. Globally, 800 million people in 570 coastal cities are already estimated to be vulnerable to sea level rise, and the World Bank estimates that 216 million people will have to relocate within their countries before 2050.

This is a scenario that the Global Maritime Trends 2050 report took a closer look at. What will happen to shipping and ports in 2050? There are of course more vessels an more ports. Since 2020, they have more than doubled. The opening of the now always ice-free Northwest Passage has made ports such as Kirkenes in Norway and Vopnafjörður in Iceland strategically important. However, other ports, which in the 20th century were some of the world's most significant and largest, do not remain. Shanghai, Houston and Lázaro Cárdenas in Mexico are closed. People have been forced to flee. In 2020, Indonesia's capital Jakarta had 30 million inhabitants. Now almost no one lives there.

If the scenario is not to become a reality, many countries will need to increase the efficiency and resilience of their ports and establish flood systems similar to Holland's Maeslant Barrier and London's Thames Barrier. Of the world's 3,800 ports, a third are located in a tropical belt that is vulnerable to the effects of climate change. But that's not the only threat – according to the report, the world's ports also need to invest in new logistics infrastructure to keep pace with growing demand for imports and consumption.

This is where digital technology becomes important. It needs to be embraced by all because, according to the report, it is the path to an environmentally conscious and resilient future. Of course, cooperation is also required – between governments, companies and all stakeholders in the maritime sector – to accelerate the adoption of sustainable practices, reduce emissions and promote responsible energy use.

Read the report