The international shipping industry is closely watching the politics of the new US President, Donald Trump, following his statements on US claims to the Panama Canal. “The Panama Canal will remain open and shipping will continue to use it, I’m convinced of that” said Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of the container shipping company Hapag-Lloyd, in an interview with the Welt newspaper.
However, Habben Jansen did not dwell on Trump’s statements. “What’s important for us is that the canal has sufficient water for passage, which hasn’t always been the case in the past” he said. The Panama Canal is crucial for all major shipping lines, particularly in the container transport of goods to and from South America.
Regarding the proposed tariffs on Chinese and European goods by Trump, Habben Jansen said, “Donald Trump was once already President of the USA. His decisions had a limited impact on the flow of goods back then. I hope that remains the case.”
However, it is possible that trade barriers could lead to a decrease in the transportation of goods from China. Such barriers are never good for the shipping business. “But the US government also wants the economy to continue growing. That can only be achieved through free trade” said Habben Jansen. He is optimistic that global trade will not decline this year.