Over the past year, global trade uncertainty has increased, yet China’s port throughput has grown against the trend.

In the first 11 months of the year, China’s ports handled 16.75 billion tons of cargo, a year-on-year increase of 4.4%. Correspondingly, China’s trade has maintained strong resilience amidst global economic fluctuations. In the first 11 months, China’s goods trade exports reached 24.46 trillion yuan, up 6.2% year-on-year.

Looking at the full year, major ports also delivered satisfactory results. Key hubs like Shanghai Port and Ningbo-Zhoushan Port remained among the world’s top ports, with Ningbo-Zhoushan Port becoming the world’s first port to exceed 1.4 billion tons in annual cargo throughput, and Shanghai Port’s container throughput ranking first globally for the sixteenth consecutive year. Emerging ports like Yangpu Port and Beibu Gulf Port showed outstanding growth momentum. In the year, Yangpu Port’s container throughput surged by 65% year-on-year, while Beibu Gulf Port entered the ranks of ports handling over 10 million TEUs.

Why has China’s port throughput been able to grow against the trend? On one hand, against the backdrop of slowing global trade growth and increasing geopolitical disruptions, the competitiveness of Chinese ports within the global shipping system has continued to improve. On the other hand, the commencement of operations under the Hainan Free Trade Port’s closed-off system, along with the intensive implementation of smart shipping and green shipping policies, is reshaping the port development environment from institutional and technological perspectives.

An expert noted that the stable growth in China’s port cargo and container volumes under unstable external conditions actually indicates the stable growth of China’s economic scale and international trade volume. Simultaneously, the capabilities of Chinese ports are transforming and upgrading, extending beyond traditional loading and unloading to become supply chain hubs, taking on more roles in logistics, distribution, and upstream-downstream coordination.

“Over the past year, the resilience of China’s ports has improved significantly. The stability and changes in total cargo throughput actually reflect adjustments to regional shipping route layouts and changes in the geopolitical landscape. The layout of shipping routes from Chinese ports to regions like Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America has shown a clear growth trend, driven behind the scenes by geopolitical shifts and the promotion of regional trade integration,” the expert said.

Throughput Reaches New Highs

Whether for major hub ports or emerging ports, it was a year of continuously breaking records for China’s major ports.

On December 30, a ceremony was held at the Beibu Gulf Shipping Center to mark Beibu Gulf Port’s container throughput surpassing 10 million TEUs, signifying its entry into the ranks of mega-ports handling over ten million containers.

On the eastern coast, the Shanghai International Shipping Center also witnessed a historic moment. The port’s container throughput exceeded 55.06 million TEUs, setting another historical record and securing the top global position for the sixteenth consecutive year. During the same period, Ningbo-Zhoushan Port’s annual container throughput surpassed 40 million TEUs for the first time.

With the formal commencement of the Hainan Free Trade Port’s closed-off operations, the potential of Yangpu Port is being unleashed. The port’s container throughput reached 3.3 million TEUs, a 65% year-on-year increase, with its function as an international shipping hub continuously strengthening.

Looking at northern Chinese ports, Shandong Ports handled over 1.9 billion tons of cargo and over 47 million TEUs of containers. Among them, Qingdao Port, Rizhao Port, and Yantai Port saw their container throughput in the first 11 months grow by 7%, 10.3%, and 8% year-on-year, respectively.

An industry executive pointed out that against the backdrop of frequent changes in Sino-US tariff policies, China’s foreign trade overall still achieved steady growth. At the same time, China’s share of global container exports continued to rise, increasing from 34% in 2019 to 38%, fully demonstrating the competitiveness of Chinese manufacturing and technology, as well as the resilience of Chinese enterprises.

The executive stated that as the “going global” model shifts from the highly concentrated “Made in China, Sold Globally” to a more dispersed “Chinese Enterprises Manufacturing and Selling Globally,” a broader supply chain exodus is accelerating. Globalization is continuing and deepening in another form, with Chinese enterprises continuing to play a pivotal role.

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Shanghai Port

The Port of Shanghai is the world’s busiest container port, located at the mouth of the Yangtze River. Its modern history began with its opening as a treaty port in 1842, which spurred its development into a major international trading hub. Today, it is a central engine of China’s economic growth, with its deep-water Yangshan terminal built in the 2000s to handle massive modern vessels.

Ningbo-Zhoushan Port

Ningbo-Zhoushan Port is the world’s busiest cargo port by tonnage, located in Zhejiang Province on China’s eastern coast. It was formed in 2006 by merging the historic ports of Ningbo and Zhoushan, with Ningbo’s port dating back over 1,200 years to the Tang Dynasty as a key hub on the ancient Maritime Silk Road. Today, it is a vital global logistics and trade center, crucial to China’s economic development.

Yangpu Port

Yangpu Port is a deep-water seaport located on Hainan Island, China. Historically, it was a key trading post during the Maritime Silk Road and has been significantly expanded in the modern era, now serving as a major international shipping hub and a crucial part of Hainan’s free trade port development.

Beibu Gulf Port

Beibu Gulf Port is a major seaport complex located in Guangxi, China, serving as a crucial maritime gateway for Southwest China and a key hub for the China-ASEAN trade corridor. Its modern development accelerated in the early 21st century as part of national strategies to boost regional connectivity, though the surrounding Gulf of Tonkin has a long history as a maritime trade route. Today, it is integral to the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, linking China’s inland regions to global shipping lanes.

Hainan Free Trade Port

The Hainan Free Trade Port is a major economic development zone established in 2020 on Hainan Island, China, with the goal of creating a globally influential free trade hub by the middle of the 21st century. Its history is rooted in China’s broader reform and opening-up policies, building upon Hainan’s existing status as a Special Economic Zone since 1988 to implement more extensive trade and investment liberalization. The port features unique policies like reduced tariffs, streamlined customs, and open market access to attract international business and boost regional integration.

Shandong Ports

Shandong Ports is a major port group in eastern China, formed through the 2019 merger of Qingdao Port, Yantai Port, Rizhao Port, and others. Historically, ports like Qingdao have been vital trade hubs since the late 19th century, with deep connections to maritime Silk Road routes. Today, it is one of the world’s busiest port complexes, crucial for global trade and China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

Qingdao Port

Qingdao Port is a major seaport on the Yellow Sea in Shandong Province, China, with its modern development beginning under German colonial administration in the late 19th century. Historically, it served as a crucial naval base and has since grown into one of the world’s busiest ports, playing a key role in international trade and logistics. Today, it is renowned for its advanced facilities and deep-water terminals, handling a vast volume of container and bulk cargo.

Rizhao Port

Rizhao Port is a major seaport located in Rizhao City, Shandong Province, China. It was officially opened in 1986 and has since grown into one of the world’s busiest ports for bulk cargo, particularly iron ore and coal, playing a crucial role in China’s industrial and trade development.