Stock Photo: Shutterstock/Emils Lukso
The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) released its Maritime Barometer Report 2024-2025 today in Athens, revealing a deepening concern among maritime leaders about their ability to navigate an increasingly complex risk landscape.
The report, drawing on four years of comprehensive survey data, identifies political instability as the industry’s most pressing concern, maintaining its top position for the third consecutive year. This finding comes at a time when global trade instability has reached record levels, setting a critical backdrop for the Shaping the Future of Shipping Summit in Athens.
“Geopolitical instability is no longer a background factor, it is actively reshaping our operating conditions, redrawing trade routes, and influencing commercial decisions across the globe,” said ICS Chairman Emanuele Grimaldi.
The summit has drawn high-level participation from across the maritime sector, including Vassilis Kikilias, Greece’s Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, and Fu Xuyin, Vice-Minister of Transport from China.
Beyond geopolitical concerns, the report highlights cybersecurity as an emerging top-tier risk. Industry leaders express growing unease about vulnerabilities associated with digital integration and emerging technologies, particularly in the current geopolitical climate.
The regulatory landscape, especially concerning decarbonization and emissions, emerged as another significant challenge. The industry faces evolving regulations, with a crucial Marine Environment Protection Committee meeting at the IMO scheduled for October 2025. The report indicates a consistent decline in shipping leaders’ confidence to manage both geopolitical and regulatory challenges, with many seeking clearer pathways for meeting decarbonization goals.
This fifth iteration of the Shaping the Future of Shipping Summit builds on previous successes, including the establishment of the Maritime Just Transition Task Force and Clean Energy Marine Hubs. The summit aims to forge stronger collaboration between industry and governments, which Grimaldi describes as essential for addressing challenges ranging from the green transition to cyber threats and trade barriers.
The ICS, representing over 80% of the world’s merchant fleet, positions the Barometer Report as both a diagnostic tool and a call to action for coordinated responses across the global maritime value chain. The findings will inform discussions at both the Summit and the following ICS AGM.
As the maritime sector confronts these multifaceted challenges, the report emphasizes that solutions are within reach, but unity and coordination among stakeholders will be crucial for successfully navigating the industry’s future.
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