Every Global Trade Chokepoint Explained

Carrying about 90% of trade, maritime shipping and the waterways they pass through are vital to the global economy, with various narrow straits and canals having major impacts. So where are these chokepoints on global trade and why are they so important?

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00:00 Introduction
00:53 The Panama Canal
02:36 The Red Sea
04:39 The Strait of Hormuz
05:48 The Malacca Strait
07:18 Brilliant

[fateenshareef]

It's marvelous how much wealth flow in the world is dependent on such narrow passages. Could you do a video on how these trade routes are kept open and policed? and how this plays out among larger players like China and US?

[TLguitar]

I like how the 7:44 stock footage shows the girl failing to catch the graduate cap and getting hit in the face.

[theotheronethere]

For those wondering how the Royal Navy ended up controlling the seas during the empire period, this is how, control all the chokepoints.

Want to enter or exit the Mediterranean? Got to go through Gibraltar and Suez (both were historically British controlled. The Brits still have airbases in Cyprus to replace the Suez role).

Want to sail around South America or Africa, the Falklands and South Africa said hello?

Want to go through the Strait of Malacca? Singapore says hello.

All are current or former British colonies

[stevejohnson]

While lower in economic implications, the Danish Straights and the Straights of the Bosporus could have strategic importance.

[spicyonion]

Love these topics about general world geopolitics and overall strategic dynamics, every now and then it feels refreshing to have an all rounded, global point of view to put more regional news into perspective. As always, good job TLDR!

[bwhog]

The problem with the strait of Malacca is that when China starts taking active military action against Taiwan and other areas, they will be blocked from that strait and any detour in the area because they will all be in proximity to nations what will end up being hostile to permitting China to send ships through their waters. That's a big part of the whole "9 dash line" (which became ten dashes this year), control of and access to important trade routes.

[Kyrephare]

I think one overlooked things is how critical certain rivers are to global trade. Like the Mississippi in the US handles around 75% of tonnage as the Danish Straights and that all uncorks at New Orleans, a very disaster prone city.

[vinniechan]

If you want know where the choke points are just read the map of the former British empire

[Kinglionification]

@4:13 you say Shanghai but the map show Singapore...

[napoleonibonaparte]

Global trade is one "naughty" mother trucker.
(Had to bypass mods, lmao).

[tuams]

These educational videos are really cool! Thank you for making them.

[lmmlStudios]

4:14 you say shanghai but show singapore on the screen

[Silver_Prussian]

And then there is the arctic route that will be a better alternarive to the suez and guess who has the biggest arctic coast, the most amount of the acrtic infractructure, port and icebreakers.

[wilhelmheinzerling]

05:48 there is certainly no snow at the Malacca straight.

[mikeking]

Started watching when I lived in montana yall have had a great impact and make wonderful content keep it up

[majormoolah]

Not related to this... but UK has nothing for Ukraine in the 2024 budget. You should make a video about it.

[whanua]

What happens with Sunda Strait (Sumatra-Java Strait)? EU used the Sunda Strait before Mallaca during the Netherland-India, it's better than Lombok, TBH, is it because of the Mt. Cracatoa?

[dxd]

Yemen have the right for their water security.
Imagine if China decide to fish in the Mexican Gulf ... or build a Comerce checkpoint between Florida and Cuba on Cuba water?
Americans would meltdown haha

[brutalusgaming]

All the choke points are in the "global south".

[Scar]

4:16 - So, you say that the freight costs have surged by 150% . . Wonder how exactly the pricing then works. That much of a percentage increase based on miles travelled?

You'd think it is per mile travelled and like you've shown here -> 4:08 it went up from 8440mni to 11720nmi (3280nmi increase).

So, if 8440nmi is 100% of the usual costs then 11720 is 138.86%, an increase of 38.86% and not 150%. There is probably a lot more to it, ie salary costs of the sailors, insurance costs, increase in fuel prices, etc, but that only tells me the costs might have been going up regardless of the route travelled.

Either that or the kinds of ships / fuel used has to be different for a longer journey and therefore it is that more expensive? (Potentially less docking or refuelling points etc) Or the salary increase, because it is seen as "overtime" or something? Or time delay? Or just plain old greed?

Hard to say, but very interesting piece of news of how much more it costs to sail around the Cape of Good Hope.

Because if 8440nmi in 100% of the usual costs, not you're playing like you say 150% of the usual price. You're paying more than double, as if the ship actually travelled 21, 100nmi.

Unless you meant to say a 50% increase to the usual price. That would be 12, 660nmi travelled and would make more sense.