Ningbo-Zhoushan has overtaken Singapore to become the world’s second-busiest container port for the first time over a six-month period, according to new rankings from Alphaliner reported by Splash247.
The Chinese gateway handled 22.9 million twenty-foot equivalent units (teu) during the first half of 2026, an increase of 8.8% year-on-year, narrowly surpassing Singapore’s 22.7m teu, which rose 4.7%, according to Splash247. Shanghai remains firmly in first place, handling around 28.7m teu over the six months.
Ranking shift at the top
The Alphaliner data, as reported by Splash247, marks the first time Ningbo-Zhoushan has held the number-two slot in a six-month comparison. The port’s growth to 22.9m teu is the latest step in a two-decade expansion that has transformed it from a regional gateway into a global heavyweight, according to Splash247.
Ningbo-Zhoushan handled 22.9m teu in the first half of 2026, an 8.8% year-on-year increase, narrowly surpassing Singapore’s 22.7m teu.
| Port | H1 2026 throughput | Year-on-year change |
|---|---|---|
| Shanghai (China) | ~28.7m teu | Not stated |
| Ningbo-Zhoushan (China) | 22.9m teu | +8.8% |
| Singapore | 22.7m teu | +4.7% |
| Jebel Ali (Dubai) | 3.14m teu | Down from 7.77m teu |
Capacity expansion and growth trajectory
Ningbo has been busy adding capacity, according to Splash247. The completion of phase two of its Jintang container hub integrated five berths this year. That added handling capacity supports the volume growth that pushed the port past Singapore.
The port’s long-term record shows the scale of the rise, as reported by Splash247:
- 2001: passed 1m teu
- 2005: passed 5m teu
- 2008: passed 10m teu
- 2015: more than 20m teu (doubled from 2008)
- 2021: topped 30m teu
- 2025: broke the 40m teu barrier
Those figures, all reported by Splash247, put the port’s recent 22.9m teu half-year figure in context: Ningbo-Zhoushan has grown from a regional gateway to a global heavyweight, and the additional Jintang berths give it more headroom for container handling.
Middle East contrast: Jebel Ali’s collapse
The reshuffling at the top of the Alphaliner rankings contrasts starkly with events in the Middle East, according to Splash247. Dubai’s Jebel Ali, the world’s 10th-largest container port last year, has plunged to 32nd place after Hormuz disruption caused second-quarter volumes to collapse by more than 90%. Its first-half throughput fell from 7.77m teu to just 3.14m teu, a decline of 4.63m teu in the six-month period.
That decline is a major capacity loss for any carrier or forwarder using the Gulf hub, according to Splash247’s report. The magnitude of the drop — from a top-10 global ranking to 32nd — shows how directly the Strait of Hormuz chokepoint affected container flow through Jebel Ali.
Implications for shippers and operators
For freight forwarders, logistics managers, and ocean carriers, the new Alphaliner ranking highlights two distinct operational realities, according to Splash247’s report.
On one side, Ningbo-Zhoushan’s expanded Jintang hub provides additional berth capacity on China’s east coast. The port handled 22.9m teu in the first half, so any vessel schedule that includes Ningbo-Zhoushan is calling at a hub with proven scale and growing headroom, per the report.
On the other side, Jebel Ali’s throughput collapse means cargo previously routed through Dubai has seen a drastic reduction in available box handling. The first-half number of 3.14m teu, down from 7.77m teu, means the port processed 4.63m fewer teu than in the same period last year, per Splash247. For operators with Middle East business, the practical consequence is that Jebel Ali’s container capacity is sharply reduced compared with a year earlier.
The rankings also underline the divergence between Asian hub growth and Gulf disruption: Shanghai, Ningbo-Zhoushan, and Singapore all handled above 22m teu in the first half, while Jebel Ali fell below 4m teu.
Watch list
- Future Alphaliner six-month rankings: The next data release will show whether Ningbo-Zhoushan holds second place over Singapore.
- Jintang container hub expansions: Phase two added five berths; any further phases could push capacity higher, based on the port’s growth trajectory.
- Strait of Hormuz conditions: Jebel Ali’s plunge from 10th to 32nd is tied to Hormuz disruption; any change will affect whether the port recovers toward its year-earlier first-half throughput of 7.77m teu.
- Singapore’s performance: With 22.7m teu and 4.7% growth, Singapore remains close behind; its second-half 2026 result will determine whether the Ningbo lead is durable.
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