At any given time, there are around five to six million containers that are loaded on ships and sailing the world’s oceans. This is just one of the amazing facts about ocean freight transportation you might not be aware of. Here are some other interesting ocean facts we thought worth mentioning:

• Approximately two-thirds of all container ships have no means of communications whatsoever with an OTI (Ocean Transportation Intermediary) aside from the captain’s radio while they are on the open sea.
• Pirates are still a threat, especially off the coast of South Africa. In all, more than two ships are lost worldwide each day due to piracy.
• More than 55,000 merchant ships can be found across the globe. The most elaborate of these ships can cost as much as $200 million to construct.
• More than 1.5 million people are employed in the seafaring industry. Less than two percent of them are female.
• Container ships are among the “greenest” form of transportation available, putting out fewer an emissions than trucks and airplanes.
• During its annual voyage, a typical container ship travels a distance that is equivalent to three-quarters of the way to the moon and back.
• The biggest merchant fleets worldwide are found in Germany, Japan, and Greece. The largest percentages of seafarers are Filipino, with as many as one-third of the crew members around the globe being this nationality.
• The world’s largest ships are capable of transporting around 745 million bananas each.
• Inspectors at U.S. ports inspect a mere 5% of all containers that arrive at her border on an annual basis. The same can be said in other countries, as only between two and ten percent of containers are thought to be physically inspected.
When you look at these mind-boggling facts, it’s easy to see that container shipping still plays an intricate role in the distribution of goods worldwide. In addition, these facts reveal that there are risks associated with ocean freight. To better protect yourself against these risks, read about our Marine Cargo Insurance program to see how it can safeguard your assets. Contact us to find out more.