New CWR Report! Crude Awakening 2 – Looming double threat of global oil trade disruptions + rising energy security from faster sea level rise
by CWR 17 September, 2025
Hong Kong, 17 September 2025 – CWR releases a new report “Crude Awakening 2 – Oil trade to face growing risks as rapid ice sheet losses drive faster sea level rise”. Almost two-thirds of global oil produced is shipped, yet CWR’s new report finds that nearly 90% of the world’s 30 largest oil ports serving the Top 5 oil producing & consuming as well as exporting & importing nations could be hit by fast rising seas by 2070 on the current emissions path.
This grim irony of oil supertankers being overwhelmed by rising seas was raised earlier at Davos by the UN Secretary-General Guterres, citing work derived from CWR’s earlier “2024 Crude Awakening 1”.
But, persistent annual warming this year above 1.5°C as well as a new safe threshold for ice sheets announced in May 2025 that is closer to 1°C raised the threat levels. And so, we expanded our analysis from 15 to 30 ports.
“The findings were sobering. 1m of SLR could disrupt 26 major oil ports impacting up to 49% of global crude oil exports & up to 50% of crude oil imports; and that’s just for the Top 5 exporting & importing nations of crude oil” said CWR’s Tan. “Depending on where they are, impacts could be felt between 25 to 45 years’ time. COP30 host Brazil, ranked #5 globally by oil demand, is also vulnerable as its key port could be hit in this timeframe.”
Check out our updated findings:
- At-a-glance global oil flows vulnerable to rising seas – key oil ports impacted
- Key updates on ice losses & SLR
- Top 10 crude oil producers, consumers, exporters & importers
- Japan & South Korea exposure
- Other chokepoints: Strait of Malacca, Suez Canal, key European ports & Santos
- 3 Recommendations
Get on top of these escalating risks now! Check out the Full Report & Press Release.
“The hotter it is, the faster ice melts; there’s no negotiating with the melting point of ice. The only thing that will slow down rapid ice melt and fast rising seas, is deep and rapid emissions cuts. Given the looming double threat to the oil trade & energy security, it is certainly in the interest of the oil sector and any country which relies on oil for energy or economic security to rethink energy & transition today.” Debra Tan, Director & Head of CWR