The Top 10 Biggest Seaports in the World
The Top 10 Biggest Seaports in the World
Contents

Seaport (or Container Port) is an area built to serve sea transport ships of large capacity with high tonnage, meeting the strong import and export demand worldwide. With the exploitation capacity of up to hundreds of millions of tons per year, major seaports such as: Port of Shanghai, Singapore, Shenzhen, Ningbo, Busan, Roterdam,… are playing an important role in international supply chains as well as international commodity trade.

It should be noted that the list of the biggest ports in the world is always being updated. This is mostly due to the global growth in commercial networking and maritime freight transportation that is occurring in all nations.

Below are the top 10 biggest ports as per the cargo volume throughout the world, ranked by Knowinsiders.com in 2023/2024.

1. Port of Shanghai (Shanghai, China)

Top 10 Biggest Seaports in the World by Cargo Volume (2024)
Port of Shanghai (Shanghai, China) - The Top 10 Biggest Seaports in the World

The largest seaport in the world today is the Chinese port of Shanghai. The port is located at the mouth of the Yangtze River. Shanghai Port is located in the vicinity of Shanghai, including a deep water and river port. In 2010, Shanghai port surpassed Singapore port to become the busiest container port in the world. Shanghai port handles 29,050,000 TEUs, while Singapore port handles half a million TEUs less.

The Port of Shanghai overlooks the East China Sea to the east, and Hangzhou Bay to the south. It includes the head of the Yangtze River, the Huangpu River (which empties into the Yangtze River), and Qiantang. Shanghai Port was managed by Shanghai International Port Authority Co., Ltd in 2003. Shanghai International Port Authority Co., Ltd. is a listed company in which the Shanghai municipal government owns 44.23 percent of the outstanding shares.

It has an area of 3,619 km2, including a total of 125 berths with a total berth length of about 20 km. The port receives 33.62 million container units and serves more than 2,000 container ships per month. The Port of Shanghai handles over 700 million tons of cargo every year. The import and export trade across Shanghai already accounts for a quarter of China's annual foreign trade value. It helps the country surpass the US to become the largest trading nation in the world.

2. Port of Singapore

Top 10 Biggest Seaports in the World Based on Cargo Volume 2023/2024
Port Of Singapore : One Of The Busiest Ports In The World

The Port of Singapore consists of the port facilities and port water areas that handle the maritime trade at the port of Singapore. Currently the port is the busiest port in the world in terms of tonnage of cargo handled, it also transits one fifth of the world's containerized cargo as the world's busiest container port, half of the world's largest container port. The world's annual crude oil supplier, and is the world's busiest transshipment port.

It was also the busiest port in terms of total tonnage handled until 2005, when it was surpassed by Shanghai Port. Thousands of ships anchor at the port, connecting ports to more than 600 other ports in 123 countries and spread across six continents.

The Port of Singapore is not merely a source of economic gain, but is necessary because Singapore lacks land and natural resources. Ports are important for importing natural resources, and then re-exporting them after the goods have been refined. The Johor Strait is impassable due to the Johor-Singapore Causeway connecting Singapore with Malaysia.

3. Port of Tianjin (Tianjin, China)

Top 10 Biggest Seaports in the World by Cargo Volume (2024)
Port of Tianjin (Tianjin, China) - The Top 10 Biggest Seaports in the World

It's possible that this seaport is not the biggest in the entire globe, but it is the biggest in Northern China. The majority of trade activities are managed by three of the nine port sectors of the Tianjin Port: Beijiang, Nanjiang, and Dongjiang. It deals with more than 180 nations and territories worldwide as one of the top ports in the world.

Tianjin port has a quay length of 34 km, a surface area of more than 120 km2, and more than 170 cargo ship berths. There are two passenger terminals and nine port regions, although only three of them, Beijiang, Nanjiang, and Dongjiang, are primarily used for commercial trade. It features two temporary anchoring places and six major anchorage areas.

4. Port of Guangzhou (Guangzhou, China)

Top 10 Biggest Seaports in the World by Cargo Volume (2024)
Port of Guangzhou (Guangzhou, China)

One of the most significant Chinese ports, Guangzhou Port has marine trade ties to more than 300 ports in over 100 nations.

The Guangzhou Port Group Ltd. owns it, and it is situated in Guangzhou, Guangdong. The port was the fifth-busiest container facility in the world in 2020 after handling more than 23.19 million TEUs.

It has been in existence since antiquity and is situated in a strategic location where three significant rivers converge. For the industries in the area, which are found in locations like Guanxi, Sichuan, Hubei, etc., the port acts as a vital transportation center.

5. Port of Ningbo (Ningbo-Zhoushan, China)

Top 10 Biggest Seaports in the World by Cargo Volume (2024)
Port of Ningbo (Ningbo-Zhoushan, China)

The Ningbo Port is located in the provinces of Ningbo and Zhoushan, Zhejiang, not far from Hangzhou Bay, on the coast of the East China Sea. With more than 28.72 million TEUs handled in 2020, it will rank as the third busiest port in the world. With 600 ports in 150 different countries, the port offers maritime connections.

This important port is located along China's busiest shipping route along the coast. With connections to 600 other ports in 150 countries, it is the third busiest seaport in the world. The port of Ningbo-Zhoushan primarily handles bulk, breakbulk, product oil, crude oil, liquid chemicals, coal, equipment, cereals, and other types of goods.

6. Port of Rotterdam (Rotterdam, The Netherlands)

Top 10 Biggest Seaports in the World by Cargo Volume (2024)
Port of Rotterdam (Rotterdam, The Netherlands)

One of the biggest (and oldest) ports in Europe is this well-known port. The Netherlands' Rotterdam Port first opened its doors in the fourteenth century. From 1962 through 2004, it was regarded as the busiest port in the world every single year. It is one of the most significant distribution hubs on the continent because to its connections to London, Paris, and the Ruhr region of Germany.

With a special location on an area of 105km2. The Port of Rotterdam currently stretches over a distance of 40km (25 miles). The Port of Rotterdam is considered as the ELC center of Europe (European Logistics Centre). In addition, Rotterdam is also a connection point with major industrial centers of the whole of Europe such as metallurgical, chemical and high-tech industrial parks, etc. through railway and road transport systems. by land and waterways throughout Europe. Adjacent to developed industrial countries such as Germany, France, Belgium... makes Rotterdam general port an attractive place for large corporations to choose as a hub for transshipment of goods and production materials.

The Port of Rotterdam always offers preferential ground and creates many logistics value-added stages to attract foreign shippers and domestic logistics business units (such as providing modern equipment, vehicles, manual labor, etc.). professional skills for preliminary processing, assembling, making new labels, packing, sorting, re-exporting ...), especially in Distriparks, there are many businesses specializing in warehouses, yards, and distribution of goods throughout Europe and the world. .

7. Port of Suzhou

Top 10 Biggest Seaports in the World by Cargo Volume (2024)
Port of Suzhou

The Port of Suzhou rose to the seventh-largest port in the world after achieving a cargo handling capacity of 428 million tonnes. This port is included among the busiest inland river ports in the world and has a high rating when ports are ranked according to their business.

It is built on the Yangtze River's lower stretch and has three significant port areas: Changshu, Zhangjiagang, and Taicang.

These port sectors operate with more over a thousand domestic and international shipping lines, totaling 224 berths. Transporting coal and different building materials are the principal uses of this port. The Suzhou Harbour Administration Department oversees all port-related operations.

8. Port of Qingdao (Qingdao, China)

Top 10 Biggest Seaports in the World by Cargo Volume (2024)
Port of Qingdao (Qingdao, China)

The Port of Qingdao, the largest iron ore port in the world, was built at the head of Bay of Jiaozhou on the Shandong Peninsula and placed eighth on the list of the greatest ports in the world according to cargo capacity.

In the Chinese province of Shandong, the Port of Qingdao is close to the Yellow Sea. The West Pacific is crucial to international trade and has been in operation since the 18th century. As a premier port, it trades with more than 450 other ports in around 130 different nations.

9. Port of Dalian (China)

Top 10 Biggest Seaports in the World by Cargo Volume (2024)
Port of Dalian (China)

The Port of Dalian in the Chinese province of Liaoning, which handles more than 303 million tonnes of cargo, is ranked ninth out of the top ten largest ports in the world.

This port is owned by the Dalian Port Company, which is also in charge of all relevant port operations. There are roughly 80 berths, and the Dalian Port connects more than 89 shipping lines from all over the world through its seven major areas: Daliangang, Ganjinzi, Dalianwan, Nianyuwan, Xianglujiao, Dayaowan, Heizuizi, and Si'ergou. Because it is a regional port, it handles practically all of the local transportation.

10. Port of Busan (South Korea)

Top 10 Biggest Seaports in the World by Cargo Volume (2024)
Port of Busan (South Korea)

Busan port, which belongs to the South Korean government, is located at the end of the peninsula. The port is separated into two areas: the eastern port area is used for international trade and business, while the western port area is mostly used for fishing.

The main port in South Korea, Busan, handled about 21.82 million TEU in 2020. It is an important marine entry point for the country, connecting it to Pacific ports and significant Asian ports. Fertilizers, meat, metal, leather, oils, iron ore, timber, natural sand, sugars, petroleum, and coal are among the containerized cargo it transports.

It is a significant port in South Korea since it is the only port that can handle bulk and container exports as well as a significant amount of the nation's fishing production. The catchment area that this port spans is estimated to be 840,000 m2, and it can accommodate 169 boats at once.

Conclusion

So KnowInsiders.com has introduced to you the top 10 largest seaports in the world. Most of the world's major seaports are located mainly in China, with some located in Singapore, the Netherlands and South Korea. Hope this information will help you in the process of learning about shipping and logistics.

Top 50 Largeat Seaports (Container Ports) 2023/2024

(Ranked by overall TEU)

1. CNSHG – Port of Shanghai (China)

2. SGSIN – Port of Singapore (Singapore)

3. CNNBG/CNZOS – Port of Ningbo-Zhoushan (China)

4. CNSZX – Port of Shenzhen (China)

5. CNGZG – Port of Guangzhou (China)

6. CNQDG – Port of Qingdao (China)

7. KRPUS – Port of Busan (South Korea)

8. CNTXG – Port of Tianjin (China)

9. HKHKG – Port of Hong Kong (Hong Kong)

10. NLRTM – Port of Rotterdam (the Netherlands)

11. AEDXB – Port of Dubai, United Arab Emirates

12. MYPKG – Port Kelang, Malaysia

13. CNXMG – Port of Xiamen, China

14. BEANR – Port of Antwerp, Belgium

15. MYTPP – Port of Tanjung Pelepas, Malaysia

16. USLAX – Port of Los Angeles, United States

17. TWKHH – Port of Kaohsiung, Taiwan

18. USLGB – Port of Long Beach, United States

19. DEHAM – Port of Hamburg, Germany

20. USNYC – Port of New York/New Jersey, United States

21. THLCH – Port of Laem Chabang, Thailand

22. VNSGN – Port of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

23. CNTAG – Port of Taicang, China

24. LKCMB – Port of Colombo, Sri Lanka

25. MAPTM – Port of Tanger Med, Morocco

26. IDJKT – Port of Tanjung Priok, Indonesia

27. INMUN – Port of Mundra, India

28. IDSUB – Port of Tanjung Perak, Indonesia

29. JNPT – Port of Jawaharlal Nehru, India

30. ESVLC – Port of Valencia, Spain

31. USSAV – Port of Savannah, United States

32. GRPIR – Port of Piraeus, Greece

33. CNYIK – Port of Yingkou, China

34. VNHPH – Port of Hai Phong, Vietnam

35. CNRZH – Port of Rizhao, China

36. ESALG – Port of Algeciras, Spain

37. CNLYG – Port of Lianyungang, China

38. DEBRE – Port of Bremen/Bremerhaven, Germany

39. BRSSZ – Port of Santos, Brazil

40. SAJED – Port of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

41. CNQZH – Port of Qinzhou, China

42. OMSLL – Port of Salalah, Oman

43. PAONX – Port of Colón, Panama

44. PHMNL – Port of Manila, Philippines

45. VNCMT – Port of Cai Mep, Vietnam

46. EGPSD – Port Said, Egypt

47. CAVAN – Port of Vancouver, Canada

48. GBFXT – Port of Felixtowe, Great Britain

49. CNDLC – Port of Dalian, China

50. CNFOC – Port of Fuzhou, China

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