This statistic represents the world's largest container ports in 2017, based on throughput. Shanghai topped the list as the busiest container port worldwide, handling around 40 million TEUs in 2017.
The world's largest container ports
Ports are hubs where marine vessels call so they can dispatch or discharge cargo. In terms of value, seaborne trade carried by container ships is the most important category of waterborne freight, and container handling is one of the key sources of revenue produced by the operation and management of a port. Intermodal containers usually have a capacity of one or two twenty-foot equivalent units, a standard unit of measure which is often being abbreviated to TEU. On a global scale, the busiest ports are located in Asia, the largest ones being Shanghai, Singapore and Hong Kong. The Port of Los Angeles and the adjoining Port of Long Beach together form the largest port in the United States. The cities of Rotterdam, Hamburg and Antwerp are home to the largest ports in Europe.
Singapore’s PSA International is ranked among the world’s leading marine terminal operator, followed by Hutchison Port Holdings, which is headquartered in the British Virgin Islands. PSA International operates several ports around the world, generating about 3.6 billion U.S. dollars in revenue in 2016.
