and time to access international markets. Spread
across different regions, SIDS, grouped here as the
Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, the West African and
the Pacific regions, lie outside the major East–West
maritime trade routes. These routes connect the
three economic regions of Asia (Far East, Western
Asia and South Asia), Europe (Northern Europe and
the Mediterranean) and North America (figures 6.1
and 6.2). Many SIDS, which are highly dependent
on containerized imports, are nevertheless in no
position to share in the gains that may be generated
along a maritime belt or a corridor carrying around
85 per cent of global containerized trade flows
exclusively through the northern hemisphere, and
which excludes countries located in the southern
hemisphere.