This blog is about sharing photos. Working for the United Nations on trade logistics and development, I have the privilege to travel a lot. I meet fascinating human beings and visit diverse and interesting places, including sea ports, border crossings, markets, ministries and infrastructure projects. I try to document these visits and human encounters with my camera.

• The main purpose of this blog is to document international trade and its transport. The beauty of containers, trucks, ships, customs officers (at times), and gantry cranes is covered in the collections Seaports and Border Crossings.
• In the collection People and Places I try to capture urban transport and developmental and human dimensions of the countries visited.
• Finally, there are a few albums under Nature. These are, I hope, not only beautiful but somewhat documentary. As a child, I had always wanted to become like Prof. Grzimek.
• At the bottom of the page is a “search” function, which can be used to find specific countries.

I don’t mind if you use the photos for your own blogs, web-sites, ppts or publications – just kindly acknowledge the source. Photos after March 2009 are taken with Nikon DX cameras (first D90, then D7000, currently D7100) and uploaded in full resolution; earlier photos are shot with an Olympus compact camera. Some of the very earliest photos are available via a Picasa link.

For related research, statistics, projects, blogs and teaching on trade logistics, shipping, trade facilitation, connectivity, maritime transport costs et al, please check the following:

• UNCTAD Trade Facilitation Section
• UNCTAD Review of Maritime Transport
• UNCTAD Liner Shipping Connectivity Index
• UNCTAD fleet and other maritime statistics
• UNCTAD Transport and Trade Facilitation Newsletter
• UNCTAD Maritime Country Profiles
• UNCTAD Repository on National Trade Facilitation Bodies
• UNCTAD Empowerment Programme for National Trade Facilitation Committees
• International Association of Maritime Economists (IAME)
• International Network of Customs Universities (INCU)
• International Maritime Statistics Forum (IMSF)
• The Propeller Club of Geneva
• The Maritime Economist Magazine
• Maritime Economics and Logistics
• Maritime Policy and Management
• Journal of Shipping and Trade
• International Journal of Shipping and Transport Logistics
• Asian Journal of Shipping and Logistics
• International Institute for the Management of Logistics
• World Maritime University

I can best be contacted by e-mail (Jan.Hoffmann@UNCTAD.org). You may also want to connect via LinkedIn or follow on twitter. The usual disclaimers apply: This is a personal blog and opinions are not necessary those of my employer nor the associations where I am a member.