10 Largest Ports in the world
The main mode of transportation for global trade is ocean shipping. Around 90 % of traded goods are carried over the seas. There’s no doubt the maritime shipping industry plays a crucial role in the maintenance and growth of the global economy.
Out of the top 20 ports, only ONE is in the United States and three are from Europe.
15 of the top 20 busiest ports are in East Asia.
Here are top 10 busiest ports according to volume of trade handled in TEU.
- 10-port of Rotterdam, Netherlands
- cargo capacity, 14.51 million TEUS.
The port of Rotterdam is currently the biggest port in Europe and the 10th biggest in the world by annual cargo throughput. The port handled 441.5 million tons of cargo. It is the only port in northwestern Europe that offers unrestricted access to ships with the deepest drafts. The port, including an industrial complex within its vicinity, stretches across the length of about 42 kilometres. It is managed and operated by the port of Rotterdam Authority.
port of Rotterdam, Netherlands
9- port of Tianjin, China
cargo capacity, 16 million TEUS.
The port of Tianjin is located just 150 kilometres from Beijing. It is often considered to be the maritime gateway to the Chinese capital located in the mouth of Hay River in northern China. It connects to more than 500 ports and serves 189 countries.
Tianjin Port Group Companies is the operator. It handled 476 million tons of cargo. The transportation of hazardous goods to and fro from the port was halted for 2 years in 2015
port of Tianjin, China
8- port of Qingdao, China
Cargo capacity, 18 . 26 million TEUS
Established in 1892. China’s port of Qingdao is made up of four different port areas. It’s considered to be one of the most important ports for the West Pacific trade. The port is touted as the world’s largest port for iron ore and China’s largest port of crude oil. The port merges the small ports and is connected to more than 450 ports in more than 130 countries and regions across the world.
port of Qingdao, China
7- port of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Cargo capacity, 19.60 million TEUSs
It’s owned by a private sector consortium of five companies and handles roughly 23.9 million shipping containers and about 456,000 vessels per year. Now the port operates via three cross-boundary ferry terminals, nine container terminals and eight public cargo working areas while also being home to a state-run dockyard with about 795 vessels from 14 different government departments.
port of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
6- port of Busan, South Korea
cargo capacity, 21.66 million TEUs
Port of Busan is the world’s third largest transhipment port and 6th largest port. It is located in the mouth of the Nakton River in South Korea. It is spread over an area of 840,000 square meters and is capable of handling 169 vessels simultaneously. The South Korean port handles 40 % of the total marine export freights, 80 % of container freights and 42 % of fisheries production of the entire nation.
port of Busan, South Korea
5- port of Guangzhou, China
cargo capacity, 21.87 million TEUs
the port of Guangzhou two spots to become the 5th busiest port in the world from its 2017 ranking of 7th place. After a record-breaking number of tests handled in 2018, the port is divided into four main areas. The port is located in the middle of the Pearl River Delta. It is operated by the Guangzhou Port Authority, and it is currently the largest loading and discharging port for coal in China. It handles more than 23 million standard shipping containers per year and reaches over 300 ports and more than 80 countries through its direct networks.
70 % of the total port container is located in Nanchor, one of the port major areas
port of Guangzhou, China
4- port of Ningbo-zhoushan, China
cargo capacity 26 . 35 million TEUS formerly two separate entities.
The ports of Ningbo and Zhoushan merged in 2006 to become the 4th largest port in the world. Today, the port is known for its infrastructure capabilities, which include a massive crude oil terminal that can hold 250,000 tons of crude oil and a 200,000 + ton or loading berth. The port connects to more than 600 ports in more than 100 countries. it handled more than 453 million tons of cargo. The reason for its importance is that it’s located at a crossroads to canals to important waterways such as the Yangtze river, while the port is also has a variety of different specialized cargo areas such as the Bailun Seaport, the Shanghai Estuary Port and the ningbo island river port due to its location.
port of Ningbo-zhoushan, China
3- port of Shenzhen, China
cargo capacity 27 . 74 million TEUS.
the port of Shenzhen is home to 40 shipping companies who have launched around 130 international container routes with the port, in general, being connected to over 300 ports in over 100 countries. It is perhaps thanks to all of these connections that Shenzhen is a pretty happening place. It’s also considered to be the world’s 4th busiest port due to the fact that over 26.5 million standard shipping containers are handled there annually. Given that the port is only 42 years old, these stats are pretty impressive. And in the plan is for Shenzhen to be an integral part of China’s belt and Road Development initiative. As such the port of Shenzhen truly is an incredible center of mercantile commerce.
port of Shenzhen, China
2- port of Singapore
cargo capacity, 36.60 million TEUS prior to being overtaken by the port of Shanghai.
While there are several massive ports located in China, the main port that services, much of southeast Asia is actually outside of the middle kingdom. That’s because the port of Singapore takes a spot for being the largest publicly owned port in the world. It offers links to more than 600 ports in 123 countries making it by far one of the most well connected trade hubs on the planet, because of this connectivity it attracts more than 130,000 vessels per year, which collectively handle about 37 . 2 million standard cargo containers and about 622 million tons of product each year.
As a result of this massive inflow of funds, Singapore wants to develop the port, which will be able to handle 65 million standard shipping containers and will use innovative technologies such as yard automation and fully electric, automated guided vehicles.
port of Singapore
1-port of Shanghai, China
cargo capacity 42.01 million TEUS.
The port of Shanghai has been the world’s largest port by cargo volume since 2010 when it overtook Singapore to gain the title With a cargo size of 744 million tons of cargo , it’s handled 42.01 million of cargo capacity in 2018. A world record owned by the port. The port is located at the mouth of the Yangtze River and it’s owned by Shanghai International Port Group. It serves more than 2,000 container ships every month and accounts for 1/4 of China’s total foreign trade.
port of Shanghai, China
