Seaports in Asia face escalating effects of climate change
6 Mar 20237 min read
Summary
- Asian seaports are under escalating pressure from climate‑driven hazards such as sea‑level rise, flooding, storm surges and land subsidence — particularly in low‑lying coastal and delta regions.
- These impacts threaten port infrastructure, logistics operations and the broader trade flows that depend on them, heightening disruption risk for supply chains and regional economies.
- Without accelerated adaptation and resilient investment, the region’s port network could face far‑reaching costs and competitive setbacks in global shipping and trade.
Seaports are global trading channels. They accommodate the transportation of essential goods, materials, and machines that help drive economic development. However, the disasters caused by climate change adversely affect operations in shipping ports which hamper the supply chain.
In December 2022, a rare incident of severe winds caused havoc and moved stacks of containers happened at Singapore's Keppel Terminal. There were no casualties. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore inspected the place while the PSA Corporation Ltd. recovered 15 empty containers in the water.
The occurrence is only one of the many cases that involved harsh weather conditions. In the past, seaports not just in Singapore but all over Asia have experienced erratic effects of climate change.
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"There is copious and irrefutable evidence that climate change is happening, but a lot of it is not immediately apparent to the average person,"Director Miranda Massie of the Climate Museum shared to Yale Sustainability, an offshoot online platform of Yale University.
Intensifying environment and weather conditions
An increase in sea level and disruptive weather conditions distresses water transport. A high sea level could jeopardize the seaports on a low-lying island such as Singapore.
According to the National Climate Change Secretariat, only 30 percent of Singapore is less than five meters above the height datum. In this sense, the varied topography of Asian countries also contribute to the intensity of climate change effects that hampers shipping and receiving in trading ports.
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