Lloyd's List Spotlights Asian Shipping Markets

LONDON, April 4, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- -In a Move Designed to Reflect the Enormous Importance of the Asian Shipping Markets, Lloyd's List is Placing Asia at the Forefront of its News Reporting and Analysis

"Asia is now the major force in shipping, led by China," says Tom Leander, Editor-in-Chief, Lloyd's List Asia. "Our fresh and close look at China's role shows that it's yet to bust out of a domestic focus - but it surely will."

These are the opening words in a new Lloyd's List special edition insight paper - What's Really Going On In Asian Shipping - which provides exclusive Lloyd's List Intelligence insight, data and analysis of the Asian shipping market and forecasts how what is happening in Asia will affect business during the coming year.

Lloyd's List - the leading news, information, analysis and data service for the global shipping industry - is putting Asian shipping at the top of its agenda with the launch of the in-depth report on the region and the announcement of significant expansion to its Far East operations.

"This special report delves into Lloyd's List's assessment of the true composition of the Asian fleet, how China's extraordinary growth affects the mix, and which owners are doing the most business," says Leander. "Our report sheds light on how these forces will affect Asia and world shipping and explains why we are expanding our journalism and insight teams in the region."

"China is not yet dominant on the global shipping stage, but growth in its fleet and its deep pockets will reshape our industry in the very near term," explains Leander. "Shipowners in Asia and elsewhere must prepare for the next stage of our business led by an ever-strengthening China."

Key statistics highlighted in the special edition emphasise Leander's point. Exclusive new Lloyd's List Asia data shows seaborne to and from Asian ports up in volume terms by 13.4% to more than 4 billion tones - or 55% of global seaborne trade by value. Seaborne trade to and from China accounts for almost a quarter of the world's total, while the overall Asia seaborne trade share - at 36% - far outstrips any other region with Europe at 23% and the Americas at 20%.

In addition, while non-Asian owners still dominate the market in use of larger vessels for international trading, there is a lot of capacity in the China fleet, where only a tenth of mainland Chinese-owned vessels ply internationally.

During the coming weeks and months, Lloyd's List will be expanding its editorial and sales staff capabilities from Shanghai to Mumbai, increasing its coverage of events and awards within the region, and developing a dedicated web presence for its coverage of the Asian market.

"Our readers will be seeing a lot more of this exclusive and independent data, insight and news in the months to come as we provide the information which will help them plan their business strategies," continues Leader, who was formerly Editor-in-Chief of Lloyd's List and whose move to Lloyd's List Asia underlines the importance which the world's longest-published business newspaper accords to Asian shipping and China's industry dominance.

"Shipowners through Asia and the world must adjust their long-term thinking to account for this next stage, when China will claim the dominance for which it has ingeniously prepared."

For more information, please log on to: http://www.lloydslist-asia.com

For further information about Lloyd's List Asia activities, a copy of the Lloyd's List Asian Shipping Insight Paper and/or an interview with Tom Leander, please contact: tom.leander@informa.com or kirstin.stocker@informa.com