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Shipping is at the heart of global agricultural trade, with more than 80 percent of staple crops and oilseeds moving by sea, yet maritime routes have become increasingly uncertain. Attacks on vessels in strategic corridors, drought‑restricted passages, and sharply rising war‑risk insurance premiums have created levels of exposure not seen in years.

Bulk agricultural cargoes are inherently sensitive to handling and transit conditions. Physical vulnerabilities—affecting the cargo or the vessel—can lead to complex, costly claims, with insurers tightening terms as geopolitical and climate‑related risks escalate. Disruptions to bulk shipping affect freight costs, trade balances, and ultimately, the economic stability of import‑dependent countries.

Insurance markets, particularly war‑risk underwriting, now exert significant influence over the viability of trade lanes. In some high‑risk corridors, premiums have surged or coverage has become unavailable, threatening trade continuity.

This seminar brings together experts from the shipping, insurance, and agricultural economics communities to examine the evolving challenges facing maritime logistics. Speakers will discuss the latest developments in freight costs, insurance markets, war‑risk coverage, cargo‑damage risks, and macro‑market implications to provide clarity on an increasingly complex and volatile risk landscape.

Opening Remarks

• Monika Tothova, Senior Economist, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO); Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) Secretary

Maritime Logistics (Report)

• Hidenobu Tokuda, Economic Affairs Officer, Transport Section, Trade Logistics Branch, UNCTAD

Insurance & Risk Transfer (Report)

• Veith Huesmann, Chief Analyst, International Union of Marine Insurance (IUMI)

Panel Discussion

The panel will discuss the most critical issues in shipping logistics and insurance, including geopolitical tensions driving war-risk exposures; rising premiums and cost pressures; climate-related losses; and aging fleets, technical failures, cybersecurity threats, and digital vulnerabilities. Panelists will identify the resulting implications for agricultural trade and import-dependent regions in 2026 and beyond.

• Dmytro Furda, Commercial Director, Tiryaki Agro (Turkiye)
• Bridget Diakun, Senior Risk and Compliance Analyst, Lloyd’s List Intelligence
• Hidenobu Tokuda, Economic Affairs Officer, Transport Section, Trade Logistics Branch, UNCTAD
• Veith Huesmann, Chief Analyst, International Union of Marine Insurance (IUMI)

Moderators

• Monika Tothova, Senior Economist, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO); Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) Secretary
• Joseph Glauber, Research Fellow Emeritus, IFPRI