Geopolitics and global food maritime transport: pathways, disparities, and research challenges

Pengjun Zhao, Zhaoyou Yin, Zhangyuan He, Yingnan Niu and Guangyu Huang

Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 2026, vol. 211, issue C

Abstract: Geopolitical disruptions are increasingly reshaping global food security by destabilising maritime transport, the dominant mode of international food trade. This study conducts a systematic review and bibliometric analysis of 204 publications indexed in Scopus and Google Scholar to examine the relationship between geopolitics and food maritime transport. The results reveal a sustained rise in scholarly attention since the early 2000s, alongside persistent geographical concentration in the Global North and pronounced thematic fragmentation. Combining bibliometric mapping with interpretive synthesis, the review shows that existing studies have mainly examined this relationship through four main lines of inquiry: (i) the spatial intersection of food insecurity, geopolitical sensitivity, and food maritime transport; (ii) conflict- and security-driven disruptions to maritime transport systems; (iii) adaptive responses through emerging routes and cooperative initiatives; and (iv) feedback effects whereby food maritime transport influences geopolitical relations and governance. Building on this synthesis, the study clarifies the main mechanisms through which geopolitical pressures are transmitted into food maritime transport, including disruptions to maritime security and transport performance, the reconfiguration of food trade and shipping networks, and the roles of adaptation and feedback. The review also identifies enduring gaps in regional coverage, disciplinary engagement, and data-driven transport analysis, particularly with respect to food-insecure and import-dependent regions. Overall, the study demonstrates that food maritime transport is a politically embedded and spatially differentiated system through which geopolitical forces reshape food flows and food security.

Keywords: Geopolitics; Maritime transport; Food trade; Food security; Maritime security (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965856426002624
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:transa:v:211:y:2026:i:c:s0965856426002624

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/supportfaq.cws_home/regional
https://shop.elsevie ... _01_ooc_1&version=01

DOI: 10.1016/j.tra.2026.105121

Access Statistics for this article

Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice is currently edited by John (J.M.) Rose

More articles in Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().