The Mediterranean, our China

One third of the world’s trade, crosses the Mediterranean. Asian exports, especially from China, reach Europe and the US mainly through the routes that touch the Suez channel and the Strait of Gibraltar.

The route that doubles the Cape of Good Hope, Africa’s southernmost tip, ships over 12 millions containers every year, against the 15 millions crossing the Mediterranean. And this, despite the growing threat posed by pirates along the Horn of Africa, at the entry of the Red Sea.

Despite its excellent geographic position, Italy finds it hard to capture this enormous trade, because it lacks those port and road infrastructures that, on the other hand, represent the precondition of the big North European hubs, but also of the new port terminals of the Southern shore, as the huge Tangiers hub.

Mediterranean ports are increasingly competing to become major hubs, developing sea and ground infrastructures in order to meet the needs of big shipping companies, that handle growing volumes of goods. Many are investing in the southern shore: a market of more than 280 million people, whose economic and demographic trends are unmatched. European investment in the region represent a 30% of the total assets, against a mere 10% from the US. Also the Gulf states have shown a growing interest, totalling a considerable 30% of the investment, while countries like China, India or Brazil generate a respectable 20% of the foreign capital inflows.

In this moment of deep economic crisis, the Mediterranean represents a big opportunity for the Italian economy. In a way, we could consider it our own China.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Mediterranean
• Italy

[anasthase100]

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The narrator is very funny. With him, all the world is "our ". :-)

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[n8junge]

north route will come in future and we we can ignore the sicknesses in the muslim world

[aviomaster]

@21StCenturyWarfare - WHILE people have food and work - They will not kill each other.

[21StCenturyWarfare]

too many immigrants soon europe will turn to something more common to arabia and africa it make less time than we believe