- Around 90% of world trade is carried by the international shipping industry.
- Without shipping the import and export of goods on the scale necessary for the modern world would not be possible.
- Shipping is the least environmentally damaging form of commercial transport and, compared with land based industry, is a comparatively minor contributor to marine pollution from human activities.
- Shipping is regulated globally by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The harsh nature of the sea exposes ships to considerable physical risk, so a total commitment to safety pervades all deep sea shipping operations.