The following two web sites track ships around the world:

https://www.vesselfinder.com/

http://www.myshiptracking.com/

We should be seeing ships all over the globe, moving. As of the time I write this, I only see one ship out at sea. What I heard today is, it has been this way for two weeks. Goods are not being shipped.

Jeanette Isabelle

The Baltic Dry Index is at record lows. Investment Tool's chart goes back far enough that the current low is evident. Just my layman opinion, but the top chart on that page says a lot about the state of International trade -- tanking.

I heard three theories on why this is happening. Regardless of the reason, if you're not stocked up, what are you waiting for? Store shelves will be bare.

Jeanette Isabelle

Looking at your first link (vesselfinder.com), if you read the "about" link at the bottom, it says it is using AIS terrestrial stations to track ships. AIS (Automatic Identification System) uses VHF to transmit vessel location, identification, etc. If the website is only using terrestrial stations, it won't show any ships beyond VHF range from shore. For big ships with high antennas that might be only 100 miles or so from shore. If you look at the map, it only shows vessels near shore and near various islands. Zoom in and you will see lots of ships at sea coming and going near big ports.

A more recent development called "S-AIS" uses satellites to receive data from ships, but it doesn't appear that this website is using that. And I don't know if all vessels are using S-AIS either.

Bottom line is that the absence of vessels at sea is due to an absence of data, not an absence of ships at sea. Trade may be declining somewhat, perhaps related to China's economic downturn, but I'm not too worried that "Store shelves will be bare."

AKSAR's post makes sense. I looked at some of the ships, and they were moving. If we're faced with some sort of global economic collapse that we haven't somehow heard of, the ships would be immobile.

But maybe I should still stock up on those iPhones in case China stops shipping them.

Plenty of ships moving: http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:-69/centery:39/zoom:2

Russ is correct. The Baltic Dry Index is at a record low.

http://shipandbunker.com/news/world/584482-baltic-dry-index-doesnt-fall-for-first-time-in-2016

http://splash247.com/baltic-dry-indexs-three-week-rout-comes-to-a-halt/

http://gcaptain.com/2016/01/25/baltic-dry-index-ends-losing-streak/#.VqefhvEdf8c

http://uk.reuters.com/article/baltic-index-idUKL3N1594QA

http://www.afr.com/business/transport/sh...20160124-gmd2iu

These are just five of web pages on the Baltic Dry Index. The following web pages repeat some of what the previous link said regarding "zombie ships."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/12108...ing-memory.html

http://gcaptain.com/2016/01/21/no-calmer...t/#.Vqek1PEdf8c

As for not hearing anything about it, it is in the foreign press. I mentioned in another thread I read the foreign press.

http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/t...icle3225440.ece

Jeanette Isabelle

Be careful of this link. It seemed to have tried to make me download malware.

I had time to read the article though. Its sources of information are random blogs.

I'm puzzled by the contradiction -- the article says the cargo ships are dead in the water, but the first links that Jeanette provides at the start of the thread showed, when I spot checked, individual cargo ships moving. I could see their speed and direction. If they're out of business, why would they be moving?

I don't think shipping has issues at the moment. With the low oil prices the shipping company's are really investing in a lot of things to improve there operations.

(on the other hand, the oil prices causes budget cuts in the oil industy)

No one said anyone is out of business, quite the opposite. Lenders are not wanting or not ready to declare a loss.

In the original post I did say I saw one ship moving at the time I wrote it, meaning not all ships are anchored. Two of links I provided are of "zombie ships." I'm not saying all ships at sea are "zombie ships" but they are out there.

Jeanette Isabelle