Approximately 95 percent of world trade occurs by sea. However, little is known about the world's shippers because only a fraction are traded publicly.
In her new book Dynasties Of The Sea, CNBC's Lori Ann LaRocco profiles 21 of the biggest players of the notoriously secretive shipping industry.
LaRocco also got the priceless insight of these players who are intimately familiar with what's going on in the world economy.
"One of the biggest themes that came out of this book is how these shipping titans are worried about the health of the global economy and the bloated balance sheets of the United States and Europe," LaRocco says.
From the book, we pulled some key quotes from the biggest players of the shipping industry.
The world has a leadership deficit.
"There’s not so much wrong with the global economy. What is wrong is that there are no leaders. No one seems to be able to take charge. In America, today they are just bickering about peanuts instead of getting together and discussing other changes that they can make, and find a common ground. But right now, they’re not doing anything, and now things are getting worse and worse. In Europe, it is even worse because we are 27 countries and we can’t agree on anything. Until someone is a leader. Until we have a Churchill or Eisenhower. We need people to take charge. If not, the impact of this lack of leadership will continue."
– Jacob Stolt-Nielsen, Founder of Stolt-Nielsen
Source: Dynasties Of The Sea
Europe's promise of greater employment is a lie.
"The biggest issue in Europe is, they were giving false promises to the youth. Anyone who knows anything about reality knew the promise of employment for life in the public sector would never to be fulfilled. Europe will have to change its attitude. This is a European problem, in essence. So we need an understanding that this lack of employment, with safety of government, does not exist. It’s a lie.”
– Angeliki Frangou, CEO of Navios Maritime Partners
Source: Dynasties Of The Sea
America's debt is a major concern.
"The only sovereign debt that worries me is America’s. My biggest concern there is at some point our creditors will call to question on us. If they do, it will re-orient the cost of capital...I do worry that someday I’m going to wake up and see America not paying zero percent for borrowing, but 6, 7 or even 8%.... In the future, the U.S. may still be paying at zero or if I woke up in 2014 and Uncle Sam was paying 8% for treasury bills, it wouldn’t knock me over. In planning my business, I’ve got to be prepared for, in my view, both eventualities."
– Charles Fabrikant, Chairman of SEACOR Holdings
Source: Dynasties Of The Sea
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