Shanghai in first place globally and Singapore in second, maintained their positions, followed by Ningbo-Zhoushan, Shenzhen, Qingdao, Guangzhou,
Busan, Tianjin, /Jebel Ali and Port Klang.
Of the top ten ports, six belong to China, while the Moroccan Tanger Med ranked 17th, remaining the top port in Africa.
Rotterdam is the first of the European ports holding the 11th position, with a throughput of 13.82 million TEUs (+2.8%), while Piraeus was in 43rd place, with a 6.1% drop, at 4.79 million.
TEUs.
Asia remains dominant, with Chinese ports representing over 40% of the total throughput of the top 100 ports.
US ports on the East and West coasts as well as the Gulf coast recorded a significant rise, due to increased consumer demand and precautionary inventory restocking amid trade tensions with China.
European hubs recorded milder increases, despite the uncertainty from the war in Ukraine, while emerging markets – such as India, Vietnam, and Turkey – benefited from the reconfiguration of supply chains and new regional trade agreements.
Lloyd’s List highlights that 2024 was a milestone year for container shipping, with adaptability and strategic realignment becoming critical for maintaining resilience in a changing trade
environment.
In 2024, Shanghai solidified its position as the world’s top container port in terms of throughput, handling 51,506,300 TEUs and recording a 4.8% increase compared to 2023.
According to Lloyd’s List’s annual One Hundred Container Ports 2025 report, this volume represents approximately 16% of China’s total throughput, confirming the country’s enduring dominance in global trade, despite geopolitical tensions and supply chain diversification efforts.
13.9% of the throughput came from international transshipment, increased by two percentage
points compared to 2023, a result of the further relaxation of cabotage rules by Beijing.
Moody’s characterized Shanghai as “extremely effective” in serving its customers, emphasizing that it has one of the world’s most advanced automated terminals – Yangshan Phase IV – with a capacity of 27-28 moves per hour.
Strict central oversight of port development in China creates high barriers
to entry for new competitors, while Shanghai also leads in areas such as the digitalization of port services and the use of alternative fuels.
The electronic customs clearance process and data exchange between cargoes, warehouses, and terminals are already fully operational, making Shanghai a model for the ports of the future.
Two of Europe’s most important transshipment hubs, Piraeus and Rotterdam, recorded different trends in container throughput in 2024, reflecting the impacts of geopolitical instability as well as local development strategies.
The Greek port, majority-controlled by Cosco, saw a 6.1% decline due to reduced transshipment traffic because of the threats in the Red Sea, while Rotterdam, Europe’s largest port, recorded a 2.8% increase.
Rotterdam, which is in 11th place, recorded a 2.8% increase in container
throughput in 2024, reaching 13,820,000 TEUs, according to the Lloyd’s List report.
This increase reversed the 7% decline of 2023, despite geopolitical uncertainties and the
impacts of regional conflicts on the global economy.
The CEO of the Port of Rotterdam Authority, Boudewijn Siemons, underlined that the port “remained stable in troubled international waters” and continues to invest in projects that enhance its future dynamics.
The increase is mainly attributed to the boost in consumption in Europe.
The major terminals APMT Maasvlakte II and Rotterdam World Gateway are implementing extensive development plans.
APM Terminals has ordered up to 71 automated lifting vehicles from Konecranes, aiming to double capacity by 2027.
Maasvlakte II, with a total area of 130 hectares, will feature a 2,000-meter deep-water quay and will become APMT’s largest fully automated terminal in Europe.
In parallel, RWG is proceeding with the construction of its third quay, which is expected to be operational in 2026.
Both terminals are investing in shore power supply infrastructure, in view of the mandatory implementation of European regulations in 2030 for all ships over 5,000 GT.
With a total throughput of 4,792,199 TEUs in 2024, the port of Piraeus, ranked 43rd on the Lloyd’s list, recorded a 6.1% drop in transshipment traffic compared to
2023, affected mainly by the Houthi threats to shipping passing through the
Red Sea and the Suez Canal.
Piraeus Container Terminal (PCT), a subsidiary of Cosco, handled nearly 4.3 million TEUs,
registering a 7.8% decrease, while the quay operated by PPA S.A. recorded a 9.6% increase, to 563,725 TEUs, thanks to the rise of almost 35% in local Greek
cargo, which offset the 3.1% decrease in transshipped containers.
The port’s annual capacity amounts to 7.2 million TEUs, with Cosco’s plans for
expansion to at least 10 million TEUs, aiming to establish it as a top transshipment
hub in the Mediterranean and a main Asia-Europe import-export gateway.
In the car sector, total traffic decreased by 22%, to 247,600 vehicles.
However, Cosco launched a new vehicle transport service to and from Piraeus and signed an agreement with Neptune Lines for the distribution of finished vehicles from China to Europe, as well as for providing feeder services to 21 ports in 12 countries in the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, and North Africa, enhancing the port’s profile
as a regional logistics hub.
