To sum up, dry-bulk commodities, including in
particular major bulks such as iron and coal, are the
backbone of international seaborne trade and have
been the major engine of growth reflecting in particular
the fast-growing demand from emerging developing
regions. Exporters of dry-bulk commodities are rather
diversified, with suppliers spanning different regions
and with smaller new players increasingly emerging
on the market. On the import side however, there
seems to be a greater concentration, with demand
emanating mainly from emerging developing regions,
namely in Asia, in particular China. Another feature is
the high concentration in the structure of the global
import demand, as much of global growth is being