NEW needs for seaborne transportation will develop in the Far East as inter-regional trade increases, according to Mr Eivind Grostad, regional manager of Det Norske Veritas Classification.
He said as the world economy was changing with the creation of trade blocks in Europe, the Americas and the Far East, shipping needs would also expand simultaneously, especially in Asian countries whose infrastructure was less developed.
''The inter-regional trade will call for smaller vessels to undertake the regional distribution,'' Mr Grostad said in a paper entitled ''What about the shipping industry towards year 2000?''.
Mr Grostad, who presented the paper at the classification society's committee meeting recently, said China, the Philippines and Indonesia had problems with their land-based infrastructure and the best way for them to transport goods was by developing inland waterways.
The economic expansion of these countries would have a ''positive influence on all aspects of shipping bulk, semi-finished and finished goods'', he said.
Mr Grostad said the shipping industry, which was facing new challenges, would have to cope with the fact that the average age of vessels would remain high.
