East Asia Container Ports Dominate Global Efficiency Rankings as U.S. Lags

Global port performance has declined between 2020 and 2024 due to multiple disruptions including the Red Sea Crisis, Panama Canal challenges, and pandemic-related shocks, according to the fifth edition of the Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) released today by the World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence.

The comprehensive report, which benchmarks 403 container ports worldwide, reveals that East Asian ports continue to dominate global efficiency rankings with 15 out of the top twenty positions.China’s Yangshan Port maintained its leading position for the third consecutive year, with Fuzhou Port securing the second spot.

“Even amid the multiple shocks, developing country ports are finding ways to adapt, improve, and maximize value,” noted Nicolas Peltier-Thiberge, Global Director for Transport at the World Bank. “It’s a reminder that with better planning, technology, and cooperation across the logistics chain, ports can make significant strides in their efficiency.”

The report highlights several developing nation success stories, with ports in Senegal, India, Türkiye, Egypt, and Ecuador showing notable improvements in their scores and rankings over the 2020-2024 period.These gains are attributed to strong political commitment, partnerships with global terminal operators, streamlined trade procedures, and targeted investments from financial institutions.

U.S. ports continue to lag behind their global counterparts. The Port of Philadelphia ranks highest among American ports at 26th place.Other major U.S. gateways ranked considerably lower, with the Port of New York and New Jersey at 139th position (falling from 92nd in 2023) and the nation’s largest container import destinations at Los Angeles and Long Beach ranking 359th and 318th respectively, for a slight improvement over last year.

This year’s CPPI introduces multi-year trend analysis for the first time, providing deeper insights into port performance evolution over the past five years.The report uses total vessel time in port as a key efficiency indicator, analyzing data from more than 175,000 vessel calls and 247 million container moves.

“The CPPI, and its underlying data, serves as a diagnostic tool, enabling stakeholders to pinpoint structural inefficiencies and develop strategies for enhancing port operations,” said Turloch Mooney, Global Head of Port Intelligence & Analytics at S&P Global Market Intelligence.

The report suggests that ports can improve performance through implementing 24/7 crane operations, optimizing crane deployment, and adopting digital platforms that connect with customs and logistics partners.

You can find the full report here.

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