Worlds Most Crucial Ports

7 of the World's Most Crucial Ports

Prepare to set sail.

 
By Tim Newcomb

The world's largest ports don't offer much variety with nine of the top 10 ports in terms of traffic located in Asia. But there's more to shipping than the size of your port, and in the grand scheme there are more than a few global players, both currently and historically. Looking at the number of twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of containers and beyond, this list covers seven of the world's most impressive and important ports.

Port of Shanghai—China



The most recent data available (2015) has the Port of Shanghai pushing 36.5 million TEUs of containers on and off ships annually, a massive amount that tops every port in the world. Located at the mouth of the Yangtze River, the 125 berths can handle more than 2,000 container ships monthly, roughly a quarter of all of China's outgoing shipments.

Port of Singapore—Singapore



When it comes to the size, Singapore doesn't disappoint either. With nearly 31 million TEUs in 2015, Singapore has remained a constant powerhouse in shipping—it was once the largest port in the world before Shanghai that crown. A current construction project plans to expand the capacity and perhaps give the Singapore its old title back. A key port for ships flowing through the Strait of Malacca, Singapore has over 200 cranes to deal with the constant flow of traffic.

Port of Rotterdam—Holland



The largest port in Europe in terms of cargo—over 12 million TEUs in 2015—doesn't even crack the top-10 worldwide in terms of TEU size, instead coming in at number 11. Continued expansion has seen the Holland-based port grow to over 38 square miles with continued capacity growth in the works. One of the deepest ports in Europe, Rotterdam has continued to keep up with growing ship sizes and its increased ability to transfer containers which makes it a key launching point for products in and out of Europe.

Jebel Ali—United Arab Emirates



The only non-Asian port to crack the top-10 in terms of size, the Jebel Ali port handles shipping traffic coming through the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf, serving as a critical port for all things oil. Southwest of Dubai, Jebel Ali carried over 15 million TEUs in 2015, a steady growth for a port that took nine years to construct before it opened in 1979. It's the largest manmade port in the Middle East and a relatively new worldwide player in the critical shipping trade.

Port of Los Angeles—United States



The largest port in either North America or South America sits 19th internationally with 8 million TEUs. But combine the Port of Los Angeles with the fully separate, but adjoining, Port of Long Beach, and the two ports would crack the top 10 globally. Covering 43 miles of waterfront and with almost 12 acres of land, the Port of Los Angeles handles ships coming from the ever-busy Asian ports with its 270 deepwater berths and 113 miles of rail.

Port of Busan—South Korea



While still trailing Shanghai and Singapore, along with the Chinese ports of Shenzhen, Ningbo-Zhoushan and Hong Kong in terms of overall international size, few ports have grown as rapidly as Busan in South Korea, which now handles nearly 20 million TEUs a year, rising to challenge the larger ports ahead of it. Located on the southeast tip of South Korea, at the intersection of the Sea of Japan and Sea of China, Busan could easily see continued growth.

Ambarli—Turkey



While ranked only 48th internationally in terms of size moving just over 3 million TEUs annually, Turkey's largest port has played a key role in shipping for centuries. One of the oldest ports in maritime history Ambarli has access to the Sea of Marmara, the Golden Horn, the Black Sea, all of which wrap around Istanbul, a confluence which helped grow shipping worldwide and import European characteristics the world over.