Much of the increase in average distances travelled
during 1970–2008 was generated by trade in the
major five bulk commodities, with the average distance
increasing from 4,600 to 5,400 nautical miles due to
sharp increases in import demand in fast-growing
developing regions, in particular China (Crowe, 2012).
Robust coal and iron-ore import demand from Asia have
contributed significantly to the growth in dry-bulk trade