Containerisation of cargo movement has ushered in a new era in global transportation. Although container trade volume represents only about 17 per cent of global maritime trade this fastest growing market segment accounts for almost two-thirds of the global maritime trade by value.

According to Drewry Maritime Research, London, world container port traffic reached 857 million TEUs and Asian container ports account for 62.5 per cent of world container throughput (UNCTAD Review of Maritime Transport – 2022).

Although containerisation as a concept originated in the US, Asian container ports have become more advanced and technologically efficient, compared to the US and European ports.

In the first two decades of the 2000s there has been significant improvement in modernisation, deepening and widening of approach channels, construction of specialised berths and provision of high capacity quay cranes to accommodate ever-increasing ship size in Asian ports.

US and European ports lagged behind due to a number of regulatory and procedural delays influenced by environmental issues. In 2023, nearly 70 per cent of global port container handling was concentrated in Asia — the share of China alone exceeded 50 per cent. Nine out of the world’s top 10 ports by throughput were in Asia.

China in the forefront

The list of top 30 container ports in the world released by “Alphaliner” suggests that 12 of these are in China. The largest container port in the world is Shanghai which handled 49.16 million TEUs in 2023 while Singapore remained in the second position having handled 39.01 million TEUs.

The South Korean Port of Busan, at 7th position, handled 22.75 million TEUs while the largest US port Los Angeles-Long Beach, at 9th position, handled 19 million TEUs.

Dubai in the UAE, Port Klang and the Port of Tanjung Pelepas in Malaysia are at the 10th, 12th and 16th positions having handled 14.47 million, 13.2 million and 10.5 million TEUs, respectively.

The European ports of Rotterdam, Antwerp-Bruges and Hambarg remained at 13th, 15th and 22nd positions having handled 13.02, 12.5 and 8.3 million TEUs, respectively.

South-East Asia

The Port of Ho Chi Minh city in the fast growing developing country Vietnam now remains at the 20th place, even ahead of New York, having handled 8.4 million TEUs in 2023.

Indian container ports of Mundra in Gujarat and JN Port in New Mumbai remain at 23rd and 26th positions having handled 6.5 and 6 million TEUs, respectively. The neighbouring ports of Laemchabang in Thailand, Colombo in Sri Lanka and Jakarta in Indonesia are ranked at 17th, 22nd and 25th positions having handled 8.7 million TEUs, 6.9 million TEUs and 6.8 million TEUs, respectively.

The aforementioned analysis of world container ports suggests that India’s container ports lag behind those in Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. The total container traffic in India of both major and non-major ports comes to only about 22 million TEUs. The proposed mega port at Vadhavan in Maharashtra, the transshipment port at Galathea Bay in Great Nicobar Island and Vizhinjam in Kerala together would handle less than 50 million TEUs by 2030.

In comparison, China has already handled about 300 million TEUs in 2023.

It is important to note that China has 34 major ports and more than 2,000 minor ports. Chinese ports are the beating hearts of its success, acting as vital links between China and the world.

The ambitious target of India to become the third largest economy in the world by 2030 can be realised only when a comprehensive port infrastructure development is undertaken on top priority.

The writer is a former Chairman of Mormugao Port Trust and an Adjunct Professor of Indian Maritime University, Chennai

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