Abstract
The Suez Canal, the primary conduit for Asia- Europe maritime trade, handles 12% of global cargo and 30% of all container traffic. However, this strategic monopoly faces growing challenges from security threats, congestion, high transit fees, and major disruptions, such as the 2021 Ever Given incident. These vulnerabilities have sparked urgent interest in alternative routes to mitigate supply chain risks and optimize costs. This article provides a comparative analysis of the primary alternatives to the Suez Canal Route (SCR), including the Cape Route (CR), Northern Sea Route (NSR), Trans- Siberian Railway (TSR), China-Europe Railways Express (CRE), International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), and the India-Middle-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC). Each route is examined based on its costs, distance, transit time, strategic advantages, disadvantages, and overarching economic and political implications.
Recommended Citation
Yu, Chien Wen and Xiao, Yihong
(2026).
The Crisis of Monopoly: Geopolitical Disruption and the Search for Supply Chain Resilient Asia-Europe Trade Routes.
Bridgewater Review, 44(1), 10-15.
Available at: https://vc.bridgew.edu/br_rev/vol44/iss1/6