ABSTRACT
Maritime transport is international by nature. International trade and international logistics are closely related. This chapter starts with an overview of international trade and maritime trade and then discusses the impact of the recent regionalisation and the changes in policy (e.g. US-China trade war and political tension, UK leaving the European Union, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and the outbreak of COVID-19) on international trade. The complexity of international logistics will be explained from the three-channel perspective (i.e. the transaction and payment channel, the physical distribution channel, and the documentation-communications channel). Case studies involving maritime transport will be provided to demonstrate the interactions of three channels in international logistics. The drivers and approaches to business internationalisation are discussed. Examples are provided to illustrate the impact of international logistics on international trade. Finally, relevant literature and further reading are discussed.
