Demand for ro-ro and container ship capacity by car manufacturers and their suppliers is forecast to remain brisk in the coming years. Strong sales of light vehicles in North America and China, an economic rebound in western Europe, and the globalisation of supply chains will spur maritime cargo growth in the sector, according to analysts, logistics operators and shipper representatives gathered at the Automotive Logistics Europe conference in Bonn, Germany. Global production of passenger cars and light commercial vehicles is expected to increase by 30% to 107.9M between now and 2020, auditor and consultant PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) forecasts in its 2014 Automotive Outlook. The highest growth rates in vehicle assembly are forecast for Southeast Asia, Brazil, China and Russia. These countries will be responsible for more than 70% of annual global production growth, said Michael Gartside, senior analyst with PwC.
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