Leipzig: Intensifying trade uncertainties, including tariff wars, have a great impact on the global transport industry, which has no choice but to "adapt" to the changed situation, the chief of the inter-organizational transport body said Friday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim Young-tae, Secretary General of the International Transport Forum (ITF), highlighted in a group media interview at the 2025 ITF Summit in Leipzig that the global trade war significantly affects the types of goods being transported between countries. "We have no choice but to adapt to different situations in the global environment as we are transporting goods and people," Kim emphasized, noting that tariffs influence the supply and demand for trade goods, such as automobiles.
Kim pointed out that geopolitical tensions could also disrupt and restructure maritime trade routes, referencing ongoing tensions in the Red Sea, a critical waterway in the Middle East. The trade policies introduced by the Trump administration, including a 25 percent tariff on South Korean imports and a pause on reciprocal tariffs for 90 days, have further complicated the global transport landscape.
A report from global maritime consultancy Drewry projects a 1 percent drop in global container shipping volume in 2025 due to these U.S. trade policies. Kim stated, "We are attentively monitoring the situation ... and taking into account the trade and climate change issues to make projections on the growth of the transport industry."
The annual ITF summit concluded its three-day event Friday, bringing together global transport leaders from over 80 countries, including South Korea and the United States, to discuss strategies for enhancing transport resilience to global shocks. Transport ministers from ITF member nations adopted policy recommendations on comprehensive road safety and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) by transport authorities.
Although a recommendation on the decarbonization of the transport industry was discussed, it was not adopted due to opposition from the U.S., as noted by Kim. During the summit, South Korean Transport Minister Park Sang-woo presented South Korea's initiatives to promote public transportation and the transition to electric vehicles (EVs) as measures to reduce carbon emissions.
Addressing the incorporation of AI in the private transport sector amid varying standards for "safe" and "responsible" use, Kim suggested that the ITF's policy recommendation could guide international efforts. "We need clear guidance and clear information on where we are going, and our policy recommendation on AI can be an input to productive regulations for the European Union and the United Nations," he asserted.