Which Ports are the Busiest in the World? 🚢

What We’re Showing

The 10 busiest container ports in the world by annual TEU traffic in 2023. TEU stands for twenty-foot equivalent unit, a general unit of cargo capacity. The data comes from Ship Technology and is updated as of February 2024.

China Is Home To Most Of the World’s Busiest Ports

Seven out of the ten busiest ports in the world are located in China, highlighting its central role in global manufacturing and trade. The country has been the largest exporter of goods in the world since 2009.

The expansion and modernization of China's extensive port network are pivotal to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The BRI is a global infrastructure development strategy adopted by China in 2013 aimed at expanding connectivity and trade between Asia, Europe, and Africa through creating extensive networks of railways, energy pipelines, highways, and shipping routes.