Shanghai Port as the world’s busiest container port for the 16th consecutive year

Shanghai Port handled a record high of more than 55 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of cargo Against a backdrop of sluggish global economic growth in 2025, , cementing its position as the world’s busiest container port for the 16th consecutive year. The milestone follows Shanghai Port's achievement in 2024, when it became the world's first port to surpass 50 million TEUs in annual container throughput (51.51 million)

Final year of China’s 14th Five-Year Plan

The year 2025 marks the final year of China’s 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). In the face of profound shifts in the global economic and trade landscape and accelerating industry transformation, all employees of Shanghai International Port (Group) Co., Ltd. (SIPG, the Group) rose to the challenge with determination and drive. Through comprehensive advances in lean operations, capacity expansion, intelligent and green upgrading, and coordinated empowerment, the Port of Shanghai has further consolidated its leading position as a world-class shipping hub.

The port's operational excellence 

A key contributor to the record performance was the Yangshan Deepwater Port, which handled 28.71 million TEUs in 2025, accounting for 52.2 percent of Shanghai's total throughput of all ports, up from 50.5 percent in 2024.The port's operational excellence was enhanced by innovations such as implementing a synchronized three-vessel berthing/unberthing cycle during all tidal windows. Since its introduction, the method has reduced vessel turnaround times by an average of two hours per call and unlocked additional handling capacity equivalent to 1.08 million TEUs.

Forecasting mechanisms and berthing resource allocation

To mitigate the impact of adverse weather, Yangshan Port optimized its forecasting mechanisms and berthing resource allocation, ensuring stable operations even under extreme weather conditions .Shanghai Port also accelerated its green transition, with liquefied natural gas bunkering volumes rising more than 60 percent year-on-year. Looking ahead, ongoing expansion projects, including the development of the north area of Xiaoyangshan Island into an automated container terminal, are expected to further enhance the port's capacity.

Injected strong momentum into  economic development.

International transshipment volume of the Port reached 7.911 million TEUs, up 10.6% year on year, further strengthening its reach and influence as a global hub. Behind these impressive results lies SIPG’s relentless focus on operational efficiency. The Port continues to lead globally in comprehensive berth utilization, successfully navigating challenges ranging from extreme weather events to peak logistics periods, while ensuring the rapid turnaround of vessels on international trade routes and domestic feeder services. These efforts have injected strong momentum into regional economic development.

 SIPG’s high-efficiency logistics corridors

SIPG’s high-efficiency logistics corridors have become a core engine supporting foreign trade growth. Notably, the Yangshan Deep-Water Port Area recorded year-on-year throughput growth of 10.4%, accounting for 52.1% of the Port’s total volume and setting a global benchmark for the operation of ultra-large deep-water port clusters. The annual throughput of Yangshan Phase III Terminal surpassed 10 million TEUs for the first time, further reinforcing its role as the hub’s core pillar.

Deeper Digital Transformation Elevates the Smart Port Benchmark

Driven by technological innovation, SIPG has reshaped its port operations ecosystem, achieving a decisive shift from “single-point innovation” to “system-wide upgrading.” The rollout of automated terminals continues apace. Intelligent operation control systems at Yangshan Phase IV and the Luojing Container Port Area have been continuously optimized through digital twins and big data analytics, delivering marked gains in quay crane productivity and external truck operating efficiency.

About Shanghai Port

Shanghai Port also reported progress in its environmental transition, with liquefied natural gas bunkering volumes increasing by more than 60 percent year-on-year.  Further capacity gains are expected from expansion projects, including plans to develop the northern area of Xiaoyangshan Island into an automated container terminal. 

Shanghai Port is a large-scale port operation entity responsible for container handling and related logistics activities in Shanghai.Yangshan Deepwater Port is a deepwater port area within the Shanghai port system focused on large-scale container operations. 

Related : Qingdao Port launches China’s first vacuum-based automated mooring system

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