Bauxite, global management, resource allocation, maritime transport, WTO, UNCLOS, International Maritime Code, sustainable development
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Abstract
A proposed legal agreement on bauxite aims to establish cooperation rules between member states, coordinate extraction, and manage resource allocation fairly.
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[...] Geopolitical stakes of sharing the resource and adapting the current legal framework The bauxite resource is very unevenly distributed around the world. In 2000, there were 22 billion tonnes of bauxite in the world, with most of the world's reserves found in Guinea, Australia, and Brazil. According to the figures from Statista dating back to 2025, the first producers of this resource are: Guinea with 130 million tonnes produced in 2024, Australia with 100 million tonnes produced in 2024, China, with a production of 93 million tonnes produced in 2024, and in fourth place, Brazil, with 33 million tonnes in 2024. [...]
[...] To date, UNCLOS establishes that each State sets the conditions under which it grants nationality to ships and the conditions for registering ships on its territory. With equitable allocation considered based on the population of countries and their economic needs, ships could be dedicated to bauxite transport and registered with a global organization responsible for the logistical distribution of the resource worldwide and coordinating with resource storage agencies within countries. Conclusion In summary, the development of bauxite use requires numerous legal adaptations: international legal frameworks with the creation of new cooperative trade rules by the World Trade Organization; adaptation of the bauxite transport regime with the renovation of the existing classification and the creation of transport standards more favorable to the intensification of its transport; and finally, coordination with UNCLOS enabling the registration of ships by the organization attached to UNCLOS in order to have a dedicated fleet ensuring global logistics and coordination of resource distribution with storage agencies around the world. [...]
[...] K. E. (2002). The legal value of the International Code for the Safe Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Sea (IMDG Code). Evolution and perspectives from the point of view of its application. Journal of Environmental Law, 25-41. https://doi.org/10.3406/rjenv.2002.3997 The IMO warns of the dangers associated with the transport of bauxite. [...]
[...] Bauxite, when transported in bulk on board ships, poses real risks in terms of instability. This instability can cause the capsizing of ships carrying it. Following this warning from the IMO, the International Maritime Code created a classification of bauxite into two different groups: Group A for bauxite cargo with high moisture content (posing significant safety risks), and Group which presents fewer risks as it is more solid. While in the early 2020s, around 100 million tons were transported by sea each year, this traffic is expected to intensify and be multiplied by 10 by 2050. [...]
[...] (2017). https://www.imo.org/fr/MediaCentre/PressBriefings/Pages/22-bauxite-CCC.aspx WTO Legal texts - Agreement on Agriculture. (2025). https://www.wto.org/french/docs_f/legal_f/ag_f.htm Statista. (2025, February 14). Largest Bauxite Reserves by Country in the World 2024. [...]
