Positive outlook

Moody’s Investors Service has changed its outlook on the global shipping industry to positive from stable, amid strong demand for goods and commodities as the global economy recovers from the coronavirus pandemic. “The change in outlook to positive reflects our view that demand will significantly outpace supply in key shipping segments for the rest of this year and likely into 2022, as growth in the global fleet remains muted” said Daniel Harlid, a vice president and senior analyst at Moody’s Investors Service. “The pandemic has also put the vulnerability of just-in-time supply chains back on the corporate agenda and could potentially lead to more regionalisation, resulting in both supply and production moving closer to the end customer and a reconfiguration of a number of shipping routes.”