Shanghai port has maintained its top position for a 10th consecutive year in terms of container throughput in 2019 with a record 43.3m teu handled, up by 3% over 2018’s 42.01m teu figure.
This is an important year for Shanghai’s maritime aspirations. Back in 2008, authorities determined that by 2020 Shanghai would become a major international maritime centre. The current mayor has outlined this week further measures to bolster the city’s shipping credentials.
In second place in the box port rankings, Singapore saw 1.6% more boxes handled last year, with a total of 37.2m teu moving through the Lion Republic.
It is still too early to compile a full list of the top 20 ports around the world with many places yet to report their full-year figures. What is likely, however, is that once again the biggest loser in 2019 will prove to be Hong Kong. The world’s busiest container port through to 2005 has been on an inexorable decline ever since, with last year being especially bad. Throughput dropped by 6.3% or 1.232m teu to 18.36m teu, hastening the Chinese city’s exit from the world’s top 10 container ports.
