Top 10 Busiest Ports In The World

5. Port of Singapore

The Singapore port is a collective identification of all porting termini it encompasses. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore operates its multipurpose terminals at Keppel, Pasir Panjang, and Tuas.

Singapore has been instrumental in helping to reshape the Singaporean economic system. 

In 2025, it handled 590 to 600 million tonnes of cargo.

Singapore Port is the world’s busiest container transhipment facility, offering maritime trade connectivity with 600 seaports in over 100 countries.

It is also one of the largest bunkering facilities in the world. The port has 84 berths spread across six major port terminals and receives 130,000 vessel calls annually.

A fully mechanised terminal is also being constructed at Tuas, expected to be completed by 2040, with a handling capacity of 65 million TEUs. Upon completion, it would be the largest fully mechanised terminal facility in the world.

The Port’s terminals are equipped to handle diverse bulk, breakbulk, liquid and containerised cargo.

They efficiently handle oil, petroleum products, natural gas, cement, automobiles, machinery, etc.

An important terminal in Jurong deals mainly with steel, cement, and copper slag. The Pasir Panjang Terminal can handle the biggest container ships with more than 12,000 TEUs.

The Port offers various services to its national and international customers, including ship repairs and maintenance, cold storage facilities, container washing, and container tracking.

6. The Port of Hedland, Australia

It is the world’s largest bulk export port, located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

It is a natural deep-water harbour protected by a sandbar, critical for the export of raw materials from Australia’s “Iron Ore Coast.”

It operates 19 active berths split between public and private terminals.

There are 4 berths (including Utah Point) for junior miners and salt exports.

The private terminals are for major miners, including BHP (Nelson Point & Finucane Island – 8 berths), Fortescue (Anderson Point – 5 berths), and Roy Hill (Stanley Point – 2 berths).

In 2025, the port handled approximately 588 million tonnes of cargo. Throughput is dominated by iron ore, with minor volumes of salt, manganese, and lithium.

The port manages over 6,000 vessel movements annually.

It is dependent on a ‘Dynamic Under Keel Clearance’ (DUKC) system, which enables massive Capesize and VLOC vessels (up to 330m LOA) to sail with drafts of more than 19 m during high tides.

7. Port of Guangzhou, China

Guangzhou Port is one of the most important Chinese ports, and it has maritime trade connections to more than 300 ports in over 100 countries.

It is located in Guangzhou, Guangdong and is owned by the Guangzhou Port Group Ltd. It handled 583 million tonnes in 2025.

It has been operational since ancient times and is strategically located at the intersection of three important rivers.

The Port is a crucial transportation hub for the region’s industries in Guanxi, Sichuan, Hubei, etc.

The Port has 49 wharves and handles an array of agricultural and industrial goods such as oil, coal, fertilisers, chemicals, cereals, grains, metal ores, automobiles, etc.

Nansha Port, part of the main Guangzhou port area, handles more than 75% of the total cargo traffic at the Port. It comprises over 20 berths and 60 specialised cranes and can accommodate the biggest cargo carriers.

8. Port of Suzhou, China

It is the world’s largest inland river port, located in Jiangsu Province, China, along the lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

It consists of three key riverine port areas, Zhangjiagang, Changshu, and Taicang (the latter functioning as a deep-water wing for Shanghai).

The port has over 224 production berths, with more than 100 berths capable of handling vessels over 10,000 DWT.

Taicang Port Area has specialised container terminals that serve as a crucial feeder hub for Shanghai, handling massive river-to-sea transshipments.

The Zhangjiagang & Changshu are heavily industrialised zones focused on bulk and break-bulk logistics.

In 2025, the port handled approximately 570 million tonnes of cargo.

While it is a river port, its container volume is significant, surpassing 9 million TEUs annually.

It is a critical node for China’s “River-Sea Direct Link” strategy, moving raw materials from the coast up the Yangtze.

The port links over 400 international and domestic shipping lines.

It handles coal, iron ore, steel, and construction materials (cement/timber) for the hinterland.

As a river port, it sees incredibly high traffic density, managing tens of thousands of movements annually, including ocean-going bulkers and river barges.

9. Port of Tianjin, China

Operated by Tianjin Port Group Ltd, the Tianjin Port is a crucial logistics and shipping centre of North China.

Situated on the western coast of Bohai Bay, it also serves as Beijing’s maritime gateway.

It is the most extensive artificial port facility in China, with trade connections to over 600 ports across 190 nations.

In 2025, the port handled 560 million tonnes, with growth driven by ore and coal imports.

Tianjin port covers more than 120 km2, has a quay length of 34 km, and comprises more than 170 cargo ship berths.

It has two passenger terminals and nine port areas, of which three, Beijiang, Nanjiang, and Dongjiang, handle most trade operations. It also has six major and two temporary anchorage areas.

It is also connected to 13 Chinese provinces and has direct linkages with the Northeast and Mid-Asian regions.

Lying in the special economic zone, the Port handles all kinds of containerised and non-containerised cargo, such as metals, ores, oil, petroleum, vehicles, steel goods, grains, cereals, coal, etc.

10. Port of Rizhao, China

This natural deep-water seaport is located on the southern shore of the Shandong Peninsula, China, facing the Yellow Sea.

It’s divided into two primary port areas: Shijiu (East) and Lanshan (West). The port has more than 80 productive berths, featuring some of China’s deepest terminals.

It also has dedicated 400,000 DWT ore terminals (capable of handling Valemax vessels) and 450,000 DWT crude oil terminals.

Specialised zones of the port include the Shijiu Area, handling coal, iron ore, and containers. It serves as the terminus of the Watang-Rizhao Railway, a major coal transport corridor.

Lanshan Area specialises in crude oil, liquid chemicals, and timber.

In 2025, the port handled approximately 550 million tonnes of cargo, solidifying its rank in the global top 10.

It is a bulk hub, but its container throughput has grown steadily, exceeding 6.5 million TEUs.

It is China’s largest import hub for soybeans and woodchips.

Its primary cargo profile includes iron ore (imports), coal (exports/transhipment), bauxite, and grain.

The port is connected to a vast pipeline network delivering crude oil directly to refineries in the Shandong hinterland.

 

You might also like to read:

• 10 Major Ports In China
• 10 Major Ports In India
• 7 Major Ports of South Africa
• 10 Major Ports in Europe
• 7 Major Ports of the United States