6. Conclusion

Maritime transport is a market linked to the development of international trade. It is recording a steady increase in activity, which is set to continue for several years yet, especially in the liner market. It's also a sector subject to intense international competition, and one in which rates of return on capital fluctuate widely. It's a business that can only be assessed over long cycles. The sector periodically suffers from significant overcapacity.

Shippers have different needs and constraints, depending on their activity, their size, their customers and suppliers and their logistics options, as well as the type of products they transport. The choice of transport chain will be based on all these factors. On-demand and scheduled transport share this market. In terms of tonnage, on-demand transport dominates, but the ratio is reversed in terms of value....