Revealed: The busiest container ports in the world, 2024

The port of Shanghai is the busiest container port in the world, with a capacity of over 49 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU). It’s worth noting that 15 of the world’s 20 busiest container ports are located in Asia. Some of the busiest container ports in Asia are Shanghai, Singapore, and Hong Kong. In the United States, the neighboring ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach constitute the largest container hub in the country. The cities of Rotterdam, Hamburg, and Antwerp host the largest ports in Europe.

Despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, global shipping has been continuously growing. Projections suggest that global port throughput may reach 988 million TEU by 2027. Consequently, the world’s busiest container ports are expanding to meet the increasing demand.

The Port of Shanghai holds the title of the busiest port in the world in terms of cargo tonnage. Located at the mouth of the Yangtze River, it covers an area of 3,619km². The port has 125 berths with a total quay length of about 20km. It accommodates over 2,000 container ships monthly and contributes to a quarter of China’s total foreign trade.

The Port of Shanghai consists of three primary container port areas: Wusongkou, Waigaoqiao, and Yangshan. These areas collectively have over 13km of quay length, 43 berths, and 156 quay cranes. Additionally, the port has two bulk cargo terminals and three break-bulk terminals situated in the Luojing, Wusong, and Longwu areas. Its cruise terminal covers an extensive area of 160km², featuring an 850m quay wall and four large berths.

Busiest container ports in the world

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