Shanghai, Singapore, and Ningbo-Zhoushan have retained their positions as the world’s top three container ports by throughput in 2025.

The Port of Shanghai consolidated its position as the world’s busiest container port, handling 55.06 million TEU, a 6.9% year-over-year increase. This marks the port’s 16th consecutive year at the top. Port operator, Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG) called attention to the port’s role as a “critical node” in global logistics, noting that international transshipment volumes increased by 10.6% compared to 2024.

Singapore achieved a record 44.66 million TEU, up 8.6% year-over-year, according to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), placing it second in rankings. MPA expects that the maritime industry will continue to show resilience in 2026 even with the ongoing geopolitical tensions and trade. “Global seaborne trade is projected to grow, especially for commodity trades where diversification and re-routing are driving up shipping demand,” MPA said.

According to Singapore’s port operator PSA International, Group CEO Ong Kim Pong in a January 14 press release, emphasized the importance of connectivity and coordination across ports and supply chain nodes.

Ranking third, Ningbo-Zhoushan handled 43 million TEU in container traffic in 2025. In terms of total cargo volume, it became the first port to surpass 1.4 billion tonnes. This marks the 17th consecutive year that Ningbo-Zhoushan has taken top spot for handling the largest total cargo volume globally, according to a report published by Global Times.

Source: Shanghai International Port Group, Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore, PSA, Global Times