Global container port throughput rose just 2.1% in 2025, marking the slowest annual expansion since 2021, according to the newly released UNCTAD Review of Maritime Transport 2025. This deceleration, down from 3.8% growth in 2024, reflects softening demand in Europe and China, Red Sea disruptions, and ongoing macroeconomic uncertainty. Yet beneath the headline slowdown lies a stark divergence. While Hamburg and Rotterdam recorded slight contractions, Colombo and Tangier Med surged ahead with growth exceeding 6.9%. The message is clear: geography, strategy, and agility now outweigh scale alone.

Port of Colombo capitalized on India’s export diversification and transshipment recovery to post a 7.3% volume increase. Meanwhile, Port of Tangier Med leveraged its proximity to Europe and newly operational logistics zones to capture nearshoring flows, growing 6.9%. In the United States, the resolution of West Coast labor tensions in Q2 allowed the combined Los Angeles–Long Beach gateway to regain modest momentum, finishing the year at +1.5%. These rebounds contrast sharply with Northern Europe’s struggle, where Hamburg and Rotterdam saw volumes dip 0.8% to 1.2% as manufacturers curtailed exports and vessel calls declined amid Suez Canal avoidance.

Infrastructure investment tells a more optimistic story. Ports committed over $28 billion to capital projects in 2025, a 12% year-on-year increase, per the joint World Bank–International Association of Ports and Harbors report. Much of that spending targets decarbonization and digital resilience. Green corridors linking Singapore–Shanghai and Rotterdam–Gothenburg now feature active shore power trials and early-stage hydrogen bunkering pilots. Artificial intelligence has moved from pilot to practice. More than 45 major terminals have deployed AI-driven optimization tools, trimming average vessel turnaround time by 11%. Port Community Systems and blockchain-based platforms, bolstered by the relaunch of TradeLens and deeper Portchain integrations, are gaining traction across ASEAN and Latin America, where paper-based inefficiencies still cost days in clearance.

The regulatory landscape shifts decisively in 2026. The EU’s FuelEU Maritime rules take effect January 1, penalizing carbon-intensive voyages and pushing ports to fast-track alternative fuel infrastructure. Over 60 global gateways, including Port of Busan, Port of Vancouver, and Port of Antwerp, now offer rate discounts or priority berthing to vessels meeting EEXI or CII benchmarks. Meanwhile, the U.S. Maritime Administration awarded $2.3 billion in new Port Infrastructure Development Program grants on December 19, prioritizing inland intermodal hubs such as those feeding Chicago and Kansas City. These projects aim to alleviate coastal bottlenecks by shifting container drayage inland.

Drewry Maritime Research forecasts 2026 throughput growth of 2.4% to 3.0%, but that range hinges on three volatile variables. First, Red Sea stability. If the Houthi ceasefire endures beyond January, Mediterranean–Asia transit times could normalize, restoring call patterns to Suez-dependent terminals. Second, labor peace holds for now. The ILA–ILWU contract runs through September, but wage and automation disputes remain unresolved. Third, China’s manufacturing pulse. December’s preliminary PMI data showed a tentative rebound in new export orders, suggesting stimulus may be gaining traction.

All told, 2026 will test port operators not on volume alone but on adaptability. The era of linear growth is over. Winners will be those balancing near-term efficiency through AI and data integration with long-term bets on energy transition, inland connectivity, and geopolitical diversification. As one terminal executive confided off-record, “We’re no longer optimizing for peak season. We’re optimizing for surprise.”

Source: Breakbulk News