The Economist has cited data from the IMF PortWatch platform, developed jointly with OPSIS researchers, in a recent article examining the early economic fallout from new US tariffs on Chinese imports. The news piece, titled “Stormy seas,” highlights how real-time shipping and trade indicators—including PortWatch data—are being used to monitor the evolving situation and predict economic impacts.
PortWatch, developed by the IMF and the Oxford Programme for Sustainable Infrastructure Systems, (OPSIS), at the Environmental Change Institute (ECI), provides near real-time insights into global maritime trade by tracking ship movements, cargo volumes, and port activity. The tool was initially designed to support countries facing climate and economic shocks, offering critical early warning data for disruptions in maritime supply chains.
As traditional economic indicators lag behind real-world developments, PortWatch has proven invaluable for understanding shifts in global trade patterns—such as declining cargo bookings and rising blank sailings between China and the US—helping economists and policymakers gauge the severity and timing of potential shocks.
Read the full news article in The Economist (subscription required).
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