SANCTIONS AT SEA: How Political Decisions Rewire Global Cargo Flows
SANCTIONS AT SEA: How Political Decisions Rewire Global Cargo Flows EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: 1. The Geography of Sanctions: Western sanctions on Russia and other state actors have triggered the largest redrawing of global maritime trade routes since the Cold War. The result is a bifurcated global supply chain: one compliant, and one operating in the shadows. 2. The Enforcement Paradox: As sanctions tighten, the methods to evade them become more sophisticated. The rise of Ship-to-Ship (STS) transfers in international waters, the disabling of AIS transponders, and the use of opaque corporate structures make maritime enforcement a logistical nightmare. 3. The Collateral Damage: While sanctions target specific state economies, the unintended consequences are borne by global shipping insurers, compliant shipowners, and ultimately, consumers in developing nations who face higher freight and insurance premiums. --- HOOK Look at a map of global shipping routes from 2021, and then look at one from to...