Top 10 Highest Capacity Car-Carrier Terminals Worldwide
Car carrier terminals are crucial components of the global automotive supply chain, ensuring a seamless journey for millions of vehicles from production centres to showrooms. The vehicles are arranged in sprawling, multi-level storage yards. These terminals also offer services such as pre-delivery inspections, minor repairs, cleaning and installation of accessories. The world’s highest-capacity car carrier terminals have a dedicated team of drivers, technicians, and logistics experts.
Let’s have a look at some of the highest-capacity car carrier terminals worldwide.
1. Shanghai Haitong International Automotive Terminal, China
This facility in the Waigaoqiao Port Area of Shanghai is considered China’s biggest and most significant vehicle RORO terminal.
In 2024, the port handled 3.63 million vehicles, with Haitong Terminal alone exporting more than 1.29 million vehicles.
The terminal’s location at the mouth of the river Yangtze allows it to export several cars of domestic manufacturers, especially those in provinces along the Yangtze River, who use a river-sea combined transport route to move cars from factories to the terminal via the river for international export.
The terminal connects over 200 ports in more than 100 countries. Almost two to three vessels depart from the facility every day.
It is a crucial partner for major Chinese automakers such as SAIC Motor, which has a significant presence at the Haitong Terminal and depends on its own fleet and logistics.
The terminal’s automated and efficient operations have helped in increasing China’s auto exports, especially electric vehicles, over the years.
2. AutoTerminal at Port of Bremerhaven, Germany
The port’s AutoTerminal can process over 1.3 million cars annually. It can accommodate 70,000 to 120,000 vehicles and has multi-storey parking.
It is operated by specialised logistics providers, like BLG Logistics, which offer complete automotive logistics management solutions.
The terminal has 9 berths to handle 9 car carriers. It also has 16 rail ramps for hinterland transport.
It also boasts Europe’s largest automotive workshop, providing services like repairs, underbody coating, vehicle finishing and installation of equipment.
As one of the largest automotive hubs in Europe, the port is a strategic location for maritime trade. It offers excellent transport connections to the interior via roads and railways.
3. Port of Antwerp-Bruges, Belgium
This port has a colossal capacity, which it has inherited from the former Port of Zeebrugge, and is a vital link in the global automotive supply chain.
The port’s annual handling capacity for finished vehicles is over 3.56 million new cars.
This is largely due to its specialised terminals like the ones operated by International Car Operators (ICO) and Wallenius Wilhelmsen (WW). ICO reported handling around 2.5 million vehicles annually across its terminals in the complex.
The port has dedicated 974 hectares or 10 square kilometres to handling vehicles and storing them.
This enables the port to keep about 365,200 vehicles, using expansive open lots and multi-level parking garages.
4. Colonel’s Island Terminal at Port of Brunswick, U.S
This port is recognised as North America’s leader for vehicle and heavy equipment logistics.
In 2024, it surpassed the Port of Baltimore as the busiest port in the U.S for RORO cargo and took the top spot, due to the Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse.
The Colonel’s Island Terminal is a 1700-acre facility with 3 RORO berths and more than 637 acres of paved open storage. Its current annual capacity is more than 1.4 million vehicles and machinery units.
It is located on the Atlantic coast and is accessible to major interstate highways and on-terminal rail services by two Class I railroads.
This enables the swift transport of vehicles to and from dealerships and manufacturing bases across the southeastern and midwestern U.S.
The terminal is modern and has auto processors which provide services like accessorization, washing and other preparations before the vehicles are shipped.
5. Port of Los Angeles Automobile Terminal, U.S
The automobile terminal is managed by Wallenius Wilhelmsen, with its facility located at Berths 195-199 in Wilmington, California.
The 85-acre terminal has a storage capacity for up to 8000 vehicles and multiple berths designed for RORO vessels with a total berth length of more than 2250 feet.
It is a major import gateway for vehicles from Asian nations, especially South Korea and Japan. It also handles export of U.S.-manufactured vehicles and heavy equipment destined for global markets.
The terminal has a rail yard for loading and unloading auto racks to connect with the national rail network.
The Port handled 142,504 automobile units in 2024, cementing its position as a key import and export point on the U.S. West Coast.
6. Port of Rotterdam, the Netherlands
The main car terminal at Rotterdam is Brittanniëhaven in the Botlek area. It is designed for RORO cargo, which is ideal for moving vehicles.
It can store up to 95,000 cars and offers services such as vehicle inspections and part assembly. It is operated by companies such as CLdN and has deep berths and is connected to on-site terminals and barge services.
The terminal is an important logistics hub which efficiently handles imported cars from across the world and distributes them to their destinations.
The access to rail and barge allows for the movement of cars inland, linking it with countries like Italy, Poland and Germany.
7. Port of Ulsan, South Korea
The port’s significance as a car terminal is due to the Hyundai Motor Company’s Ulsan Plant, the world’s single largest automobile manufacturing complex.
The facility enables the movement of cars from the final production line and quality control directly onto RORO vessels for export.
It covers 5 million square metres or 1200 acres and produces over 1.5 million vehicles annually.
The port has an automobile pier, which is operated by the Hyundai Motor Company. It is 830 m long and can berth up to three 40,000 DWT ships at once.
The pier also has an open-air storage facility that can hold new cars before loading them onto Pure Car Carriers. Around 10,000 cars can be lined up on the export-only dock.
The cars are taken to North America, Europe, the Middle East and other Asian markets.
The terminal handles 1.1 million to 1.2 million finished vehicles annually.
8. Port of Jebel Ali, UAE
Operated by DP World, this facility in Dubai is the leader of automotive operations in the Middle East and a re-export centre linking Asia and Europe to the Gulf, Africa and CIS regions.
RORO handling was moved from Container Terminal 1 to the new 800 m quay at Terminal 4, built to accommodate 3 large RORO ships at once, enabling quick turnaround times.
The port handled 960,000 vehicles last year and 545,000 vehicles in the first half of 2025, representing a massive year-on-year increase.
Around 65% of the volume includes vehicles from exporting nations like China, India, Japan, Thailand and South Korea.
The Jebel Ali Port can store around 75,000 cars.
9. Port of Singapore, Singapore
Though famous as the world’s busiest container transhipment centre, this port is also known for automotive logistics, thanks to its modern car terminals.
The facility for handling vehicles is the Pasir Panjang Automobile Terminal (PPAT), supported by the Sembawang Wharves (SW).
Operated by PSA Corporation Limited, they are the main hubs for RORO and general cargo.
The combined facilities handle approximately 1.1 million vehicles annually, placing Singapore among the world’s top vehicle handling ports.
PPAT has 3 RORO berths with a length exceeding 1000 m and a massive yard space, a multi-storey car park, and a storage area that can accommodate 20,000 cars.
Operations are focused on transhipment with vehicles coming from production centres in Asia and destined to Europe, Africa, Oceania and the Middle East.
10. Port of Piraeus, Greece
The largest port in Greece and a principal one when it comes to passenger operations, Piraeus is also the main node for vehicle logistics in the eastern Mediterranean, North Africa and the Black Sea.
The major operational area is the G2 Terminal in the Keratsini–Drapetsona Municipality area. Another car terminal (Heracleus Pier) is undergoing expansion.
The port has an annual transhipment capacity of 670,000 units, and its actual annual handling exceeds 260,000 vehicles almost every year.
The terminals span 180,000 m2 with a combined storage capacity of 120,000 vehicles. The G2 alone has a surface area of 145,000 m2 and can keep 7000 vehicles at once.
The berths have a draft of 10 to 11 m, enabling them to accommodate medium to large Pure Car Carriers (PCCs) and Pure Car and Truck Carriers (PCTCs).
The terminal has invested in EV portable chargers to handle electric vehicles being exported from China into the European market.
You might also like to read-
- 10 Largest Oil And Gas Loading Terminals In The Middle East
- Top 10 Major Dry Bulk Export Terminals In The World
- Top 10 Busiest Container Terminals In Europe
- 5 Major LNG Terminals in the United States
Disclaimer :
The information on this website is for general purposes only. While efforts are made to ensure accuracy, we make no warranties of any kind regarding completeness, reliability, or suitability. Any reliance you place on such information is at your own risk. We are not liable for any loss or damage arising from the use of this website.
About Author
Zahra is an SEO-Strategist & a Technical Writer with over 5 years of experience crafting top-tier content for the shipping world. From news, articles, ebooks, blogs and marketing pieces to industry white papers, she has written it all and now brings that experience to her role as Senior Editor. She makes complex maritime stories clear, sharp, and engaging.
Disclaimer :
The information on this website is for general purposes only. While efforts are made to ensure accuracy, we make no warranties of any kind regarding completeness, reliability, or suitability. Any reliance you place on such information is at your own risk. We are not liable for any loss or damage arising from the use of this website.
Related Articles
Subscribe To Our Daily Newsletter
By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.
BE THE FIRST TO COMMENT