The Port of Shanghai has been named the world’s best connected port in the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) report.
Shanghai scored a connectivity rate of 134 points, followed by the Ports of Singapore (124.63 points), Busan (114.45 points) and Ningbo (114.35 points), Antwerp (94 points) and Rotterdam (93 points).
UNCTAD’s port Liner Shipping Connectivity (LSCI) Index aims to analyse maritime transport trends and determine ports’ positions compared to others. It provides data on more than 900 ports dating back to 2006.
Exclusive Paper: Modernizing Port Operations for the Digital Age
The 2019 study indicates that New York/New Jersey and Savannah’s LSCI increased by over 20% since 2016.
Furthermore, it shows that Piraeus Port, operated by Chinese state-run operator COSCO Shipping Ports (CSP), is now the best-connected port in the Mediterranean.
Morocco, Egypt and South Africa have been named the best-connected maritime nations in Africa, while the Pacific Islands ranked among those with the lowest shipping connectivity.
UNCTAD, in collaboration with MarineTraffic, also released new figures on port calls and turnaround time in the global container ports.
The study revealed that a ship spent a median time of 23.5 hours in ports and also that containerships had the lowest turnaround times. For example, while dry bulk carriers typically spent over two days during a port call, container ships spent less than a day.
According to Frida Youssef, Chief of Transport at UNCTAD, countries with more port calls have lower turnaround times: “A port with a faster turnaround can accommodate a larger number of port calls with the same number of berths,” Youssef said in a statement, and added that such ports are also more attractive to shippers and carriers.
“A container port’s performance is a critical factor that can determine transport costs and, by extension, trade competitiveness,” said Shamika N. Sirimanne, Director of Technology and Logistics at UNCTAD.
“Efficient and well-connected container ports enabled by frequent and direct shipping services are key to minimizing trade costs and fostering sustainable development,” Sirimanne added.
Read More:
