Shanghai port secures second place in global ranking, overtaking London

By Alice Li

Shanghai has risen to second place in the latest global shipping centre ranking, marking the city’s highest-ever position and overtaking London, amid China’s push to become a maritime powerhouse.

The Xinhua-Baltic International Shipping Centre Development Index (ISCDI), an annual ranking jointly compiled by China’s state-owned Xinhua News Agency and British maritime information provider Baltic Exchange, released its yearly report on Friday.

First launched in 2014, the index evaluates global hubs by placing an 80 per cent weight on maritime services and business environments, while traditional port infrastructure accounts for the remaining 20 per cent.

A Chinese cruise ship in Shanghai on March 19

Last year, the Port of Shanghai’s container throughput hit an historic 55.06 million 20-foot equivalent units, extending its unbroken 16-year streak as the top global port in shipping container volume.

The city also launched a plan in July 2025 to augment its Changxing Island into a high-end marine equipment manufacturing hub, aiming for an industrial output of over 120 billion yuan (US$17.69 billion) within three years.

While Shanghai has locked in an edge in port capacity, sheer volume would not allow it to break out against leading hubs like London and Singapore, Li Jian, deputy director of research at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, told the city’s local media outlet The Paper earlier this year.
To truly compete, Shanghai should pivot from moving cargo to commanding global maritime resources, said Li.

Becoming a premier international shipping hub is a core focus for Shanghai over the next five years, as reflected in the city’s 15th five-year plan.

Alongside infrastructure upgrades to boost connectivity, Shanghai also plans to develop high-end maritime and ship finance services, deepen institutional innovations in maritime arbitration rules, digitalise port operations and accelerate the adoption of clean-energy vessels.

“As Shanghai competes with Singapore and London, the true competition takes place in less visible areas – specifically, who can offer stable shipping networks, efficient supply chains, predictable regulations and superior risk management,” read a press release from Shanghai’s Hongkou District, a major maritime cluster, on Monday.