Geopolitical Risk + Energy Transition + Climate Change = The Trifecta
BLUF Usually, we talk about ships transiting through the Panama Canal. But a robust ecosystem of multimodal transshipment options explodes from the area around the canal, making this 50-mile (80 km) strip of land even more strategically important than many realize. The Panama Neutrality Treaty helps maintain the status quo.…
BLUF Panama Canal’s port concessionaire is 80% owned by a Hong Kong company with ties to the PRC for decades. Law #5 gives the concessionaire significant authority that puts the port’s neutrality at risk. The geopolitical risk presented by PRC’s ability to exert significant influence over Panama Canal operations…
BLUF Korea, Japan, and China are the #1, #2 and #5 largest importers of US LNG. Ensuring Korea’s reliable supply of US LNG is critical to the country’s energy security. Japan and China are less reliant on US LNG. Why does this matter? All points of exit for US…
BLUF Depending on their cargo, energy tankers use the Panamax or Neopanamax locks in different proportions. This variation influences how Panama Canal delays affect each segment. Chemical tankers, for example, almost exclusively use the Panamax locks, while liquified natural gas (LNG) tankers almost exclusively use the Neopanamax locks. Why…
BLUF Let me be clear. This post does not advocate increased shipping in the Arctic region or minimize the myriad geopolitical challenges involved. It explores an under-represented advantage of Arctic shipping routes – avoidance of some geographic chokepoints that are geopolitical hot spots. Houthi attacks on maritime vessels in…
