UNCTAD transport economist Dr. Valentine in Colombo for Maritime Week, CIMC 2015

• Principal co-author of the annual Review of Maritime Transport

Dr. Vincent F. Valentine

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) was established in 1964 as a permanent intergovernmental body.

UNCTAD is the principal organ of the United Nations General Assembly dealing with trade, investment, and development issues. The organisation’s goals are to: ‘Maximise the trade, investment and development opportunities of developing countries and assist them in their efforts to integrate into the world economy on an equitable basis’.

The primary objective of UNCTAD is to formulate policies relating to all aspects of development including trade, aid, transport, finance and technology. The conference ordinarily meets once in four years; the permanent secretariat is in Geneva.

The UNCTAD Review of Maritime Transport (RMT) is an annual publication that has been published since 1968 by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). It provides an analysis of structural and cyclical changes affecting seaborne trade, ports and shipping, as well as an extensive collection of statistical information.

The RMT is prepared by the Division on Technology and Logistics of the UNCTAD secretariat; it is an important source of information on the port sector. It closely monitors developments affecting world seaborne trade, freight rates, ports, surface transport and logistics services, as well as trends in ship ownership, port/flag state control, fleet age, tonnage supply and productivity.

Dr. Vincent Valentine is a transport economist at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in Geneva, Switzerland. Whilst here he has held various roles including, principal co-author of the annual Review of Maritime Transport (2007-2014); Coordinator of the Review of Maritime Transport (2008-2010) and most recently Officer-in-Charge of the Transport Section (2010-2014). Immediately prior to this he served in the Transport Division of the UN’s regional commission in Bangkok, Thailand (UNESCAP) from 2004-2007. He is a founding member of the International Association of Maritime Economist’s Port Performance Research Network, as well as a transport insurance and training expert with the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Association (FIATA) in Zurich since 2003. He has more than 25 years experience working in the transport sector. Dr. Valentine will give an overview of the global maritime industry at the Colombo International Maritime Conference, which will take place from 24-26 September.

Details of the Colombo International Maritime Conference can be found on www.cimc2015.com or on hotline 0773820703.