News
Global container trade rose 5.2% year on year in the first six months of the year (January–June), according to a review of the world’s top 30 ports compiled by Alphaliner.
With strong export growth driven by high-tech and manufactured goods, plus a successful diversification drive, volumes at China’s seaports reached 161.1 million TEUs, a rise of 5.8% and a new six-month record.
Defending its title as the world’s busiest container port, Shanghai handled 28.74 million TEUs, up 6.2%. Moving up from third to second place, Ningbo-Zhoushan processed 22.9 million TEUs, up 8.8%. Throughput increased 4.7% to 22.74 million at Singapore, but the port was ranked third, down from second place. Alphaliner sees Ningbo-Zhoushan and Singapore will continue to compete with each other over the position of the second-busiest port as they are both proceeding with massive terminal expansion projects.
Shenzhen and Qingdao both continued to stay at fourth and fifth places, moving 18.56 million TEUs, up 7.7%, and 17.56 million TEUs, up 7.2%, respectively. Six of the top 10 were Chinese ports. Throughput at Busan fell 0.7% to 12.6 million TEUs due to a decrease in transshipment cargo, which lowered the South Korean port by a notch of eighth place. Los Angeles and Long Beach remained at ninth place, processing 9.97 million TEUs, up 2.8%.
