There is little sign of movement at the top of the global container port league table heading into 2026. The leading three Asian hubs all posted solid growth in 2025, even as international trade faced increasing uncertainty.
Shanghai once again secured its position as the world’s busiest container port. Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG) handled 55.06m teu during 2025, representing a 6.9% year-on-year rise. This result marks the 16th consecutive year that Shanghai has led the global rankings.
According to SIPG, performance over the past year was achieved despite challenging circumstances, including volatile trade conditions and disruptions caused by extreme weather.
Singapore and Ningbo hold their positions
Singapore retained second place after recording its highest-ever container volumes. The port processed 44.66m teu in 2025, an increase of 8.6% compared with the previous year.
PSA International group CEO Ong Kim Pong noted that, as global trade patterns continue to shift, closer coordination and stronger connectivity across ports and supply chains are becoming increasingly important.
In third position, Ningbo-Zhoushan handled approximately 43m teu last year. While ranking third for containers, the port remains the world’s largest overall by cargo volume, moving more than 1.4bn tonnes across all segments.
Alternative rankings paint a different picture
Container throughput is no longer the sole measure used to assess port performance, with alternative rankings gaining prominence.
In November, Singapore was named the top container port globally in the inaugural Leading Container Ports of the World (LCP) report, produced by DNV and Menon Economics. In that assessment, Shanghai and Ningbo-Zhoushan ranked second and third respectively.
The LCP study evaluates 160 ports using 35 indicators across five categories: enablers, connectivity and customer value, productivity, sustainability, and overall impact. The methodology relies on neutral, data-driven criteria, including berth efficiency, emissions per teu, throughput levels, and access to alternative fuels.
By contrast, the World Bank’s Container Port Performance Index (CPPI), developed with S&P Global and released last September, places greater emphasis on vessel time spent in port. In that ranking, Shanghai topped the list, while Singapore did not feature among the top ten.
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