Transhipment hubs drive growth in global port volumes in 2025

Nhava Sheva impresses

Throughput at the world’s leading container ports again exceeded forecasts in 2025, rising an estimated 5.2% (2024: 7.5%), as volumes were driven by both higher trade demand and widespread disturbance in the liner shipping network, as per an analysis by Alphaliner.

It explained:

Recording a second year of solid growth, the figure was above the 4.7% increase seen in the general container trade. This reflected the serious operational disruption seen during the year, including large-scale re-routing and supply chain disorder. The threat - and temporary imposition in April - of US tariffs resulted in major cargo redistribution, particularly in Southeast Asia, while the ongoing effect of the Red Sea closure continued to divert cargo to other ports. 

Transhipment gateways have been the main beneficiary of this disruption, notably ports such as Singapore, Tanjung Pelepas and Colombo in Asia, and Tanger Med and Valencia in the Mediterranean.

Malaysia’s Tanjung Pelepas was the overwhelming winner during the year, recording growth of 14.5% or nearly 1.8 Mteu, and rising three places in the rankings from 16th to 13th place.

Port volumes are now nearly 55% higher than before Covid, as cargo transhipment has shifted from the Middle East/Red Sea to Southeast Asia.

Similarly, Singapore registered growth of 8.6%, greater than that of its nearest competitor Shanghai, while the port of Colombo again was an important redistribution point, with volumes rising 6.5% during the year. India’s Nhava Sheva reported robust growth of 12.6% after its Phase-2 expansion added some 2.4 Mteu of capacity.

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