Drewry’s Global Container Port Throughput Index surged to an all-time high of 119.9 points in March 2025, marking a significant 3.4% month-on-month increase and a robust 6.6% year-on-year growth. The rolling 12-month average growth rate for global port handling remained steady at a healthy 6.4%, indicating sustained momentum in the container shipping industry.
The first quarter of 2025 witnessed impressive growth across several key regions. North America led the charge with a 9.0% year-on-year increase in throughput, closely followed by the Middle East & South Asia region at 8.3% and Greater China at 7.7%. Oceania was the only region to report a decline, with its 1Q25 throughput falling by 4.5% year-on-year.
Regional Highlights:
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Greater China: The Greater China Container Port Throughput Index climbed 8.4% month-on-month to 122.6 points in March, representing an 8.7% year-on-year increase. The 12-month average growth rate in Greater China rose to 6.3%. The start of the year has been particularly strong for many of the region’s largest ports, with 1Q25 throughput at Shenzhen soaring over 17% year-on-year, and volumes at Ningbo increasing by more than 10%. Qingdao and Guangzhou also saw substantial growth of 7.4% and 7.0% respectively, while Shanghai rounded out the top five with a 6.1% year-on-year rise in container throughput.
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North America: While the North American Container Port Throughput Index saw a modest 1.0% month-on-month rise in March to 118.0 points, it recorded a significant 12.9% year-on-year increase. This strong annual growth suggests a potential front-loading of cargo, possibly to avoid anticipated tariffs. The rolling 12-month average growth rate for the region saw a slight decrease to 10.2%. Major US West Coast ports experienced robust volumes in 1Q25, with throughput at Los Angeles rising 8.7% and Long Beach surging an impressive 26.6% year-on-year. Seattle also saw a 19% increase, and Oakland experienced a 6.3% year-on-year rise in 1Q25 volumes.
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Middle East & South Asia: The Middle East and South Asia Container Port Throughput Index increased by 0.7% in March, representing a 7.7% year-on-year rise. The 12-month rolling average growth rate for the region increased to 4.7%. Ports in the Gulf exhibited strong volume growth, with 1Q25 throughput at Jebel Ali up 10% year-on-year, Saudi Arabia’s Dammam port up 18.4%, and Qatar’s Hamad port up 6.4%. Indian port volumes also had a positive first quarter, with Mundra’s throughput increasing 11.6% year-on-year, Jawaharlal Nehru Port’s rising 14.4%, and Chennai’s seeing a 16.2% increase.
The continued robust performance of global container port throughput in March underscores the resilience and ongoing dynamism of the international trade landscape.
