Infrastructure

Home page

Infrastructure

Index of best shipping ports announced - List

29 July 2019 11:23 (UTC +04:00)

Based on objective factors including port throughput and facilities, depth and breadth of professional maritime support services, as well as general business environment, APA-Economics reports citing Xinhua-Baltic Exchange index.

Acquired by the Singapore Exchange (SGX) in 2016, the Baltic brings together complementary strengths of Singapore and London, two of the world’s most important maritime centres.

In the six years since this report has been published, there has been a general rise in the performance of Asian and Middle Eastern locations. The first report in 2014 included three European locations in the top five; in 2019 only London remains. The top five international shipping centres are Singapore, Hong Kong, London, Shanghai and Dubai.

Xu Yu Chang, President of The China Economic Information Service, a wholly-owned company of the Xinhua News Agency, says; “Shipping is an essential method of international trade transportation and has become a significant pillar in the evolution of globalisation. Over the years, the joint index by Xinhua and the Baltic Exchange has become a globally recognisable evaluation tool for shipping centres around the world. In the context of continued globalisation, I believe our index will play an even greater role in optimising the allocation of global shipping resources and promoting the scientific development of international shipping centres in the future.”

Based on the evaluation scores, Singapore shows strength in ship management and shipbroking services, while Hong Kong is benefiting from China’s Belt and Road Initiative and economic opportunities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area. London’s first-class services in shipbroking, legal and shipping finance were highlighted. As important cities in emerging economies, Shanghai and Dubai are catching up with London in their level of shipping development, and were ranked fourth and fifth respectively.

Ranking	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015	2014
1	Singapore	Singapore	Singapore	Singapore	Singapore	Singapore
2	Hong Kong	Hong Kong	London	London	London	London
3	London	London	Hong Kong	Hong Kong	Hong Kong	Hong Kong
4	Shanghai	Shanghai	Hamburg	Hamburg	Rotterdam	Rotterdam
5	Dubai	Dubai	Shanghai	Rotterdam	Hamburg	Hamburg
6	Rotterdam	Rotterdam	Dubai	Shanghai	Shanghai	Dubai
7	Hamburg	Hamburg	New York – New Jersey	New York – New Jersey	Dubai	Shanghai
8	New York – New Jersey	New York – New Jersey	Rotterdam	Dubai	New York – New Jersey	Tokyo
9	Houston	Tokyo	Tokyo	Tokyo	Busan	New York – New Jersey
10	Athens	Busan	Athens	Athens	Athens	Busan