China’s ports have once again dominated global efficiency rankings in 2025, securing seven positions in the top 10 of a worldwide assessment of trade hub performance, according to a study released Wednesday by the World Bank and S&P Global. The findings highlight the continued strength of Chinese maritime infrastructure at a time when global shipping networks are under sustained pressure from geopolitical instability and supply chain disruptions.
The report, which forms part of the Container Port Performance Index (CPPI), evaluates the efficiency of more than 400 ports worldwide by measuring the average time vessels spend in each facility. Longer turnaround times are used as an indicator of potential delays and bottlenecks in global trade flows. The latest edition comes amid ongoing disruptions linked to the aftermath of the Red Sea crisis and broader instability in global shipping routes, including fallout from the US-Israel war on Iran.
According to the rankings, the Chinese port of Fuzhou in Fujian province took first place globally, followed by Dalian in northeastern China. Oman’s Salalah port placed third, while Hong Kong ranked ninth, reinforcing the strong presence of East and South Asian hubs in global port efficiency standings. The report attributes this regional dominance to sustained investment in infrastructure, intense competition among ports, and a strong export-oriented economic model.
The study notes that Asian ports have demonstrated resilience in managing volatile global supply chain conditions. Ningbo, located in Zhejiang province, was highlighted as an example of operational stability, maintaining consistent vessel turnaround times due to automation, capacity strength, and disciplined port management practices.
In contrast, the Middle East experienced a decline in performance, with the report linking the deterioration to schedule disruptions stemming from the Red Sea crisis. These disruptions underscored the vulnerability of even highly developed port systems when exposed to geopolitical shocks affecting major shipping corridors.
Performance in Western trade hubs presented a more mixed picture. While ports in North America and Europe have continued to recover from pandemic-related disruptions, the report found they remain exposed to structural weaknesses, including congestion risks, labour shortages, and limitations in inland transport networks connecting ports to broader supply chains.
The report also identified a growing challenge known as “burst congestion,” where sudden surges in vessel arrivals create rapid bottlenecks even in advanced port systems. Unlike gradual increases in traffic, these spikes can overwhelm operational capacity quickly, particularly when combined with constraints on land-side logistics infrastructure.
Such conditions can trigger what the report describes as a feedback loop, where disruptions in global supply chains lead to congestion at ports, which in turn further destabilises international trade flows. The study warns that this dynamic increases the overall fragility of global logistics networks during periods of geopolitical or economic stress.
Bertrand de la Borde, global director for transport and logistics at the World Bank, said the relationship between ports and global shocks is not one-directional. He stated that ports not only respond to external disruptions but also influence how those disruptions spread through global trade systems, adding that they can either amplify or help contain supply chain instability.
