The world's busiest port is contested by several ports around the world, as there is as yet no standardised means of evaluating port performance and traffic. Most keenly fought over this for the past decade was between the Port of Rotterdam and the Port of Singapore, with both ports claiming the busiest port title. The former, however, based its measurement on cargo tonnage handled (total weight of goods loaded and discharged), while the latter ranks in terms of shipping tonnage handled (total volume of ships handled). Since 2005, the Port of Shanghai has exceeded both ports to take the title in terms of total cargo tonnage.

The following ports have variously made claims (or had claims made for them):

• Port of Shanghai, People's Republic of China

The world's busiest port by cargo tonnage for the first time in 2005.

• Port of Singapore, Singapore

The world's busiest port by shipping tonnage since 1986, and was the world's busiest container port twice in 1998 and 2005. It also continued to be the world's busiest transshipment port and world's busiest bunkering port. It was the busiest by cargo tonnage until overtaken by Shanghai in 2005.

• Port of Rotterdam, Netherlands

Was the world's busiest port by cargo tonnage for many years until it was first overtaken by Singapore, and then by Shanghai since the 1990s.

• Port of Hong Kong, People's Republic of China

Was the world's busiest container port since 1992 until overtaken by Singapore in 1998 and 2005.

References

• AAPA World Port Rankings 2004
• AAPA World Port Rankings 2003
• AAPA World Port Rankings 2002

See also

• World's busiest port by cargo tonnage
• World's busiest port by shipping tonnage
• World's busiest container port
• World's busiest transshipment port
• World's busiest bunkering port
• World's busiest port by cargo value
• World's busiest port by area
• World's busiest port region
• List of seaports

Ports and harbours | World records

Verdens travleste havn | Liste des plus grands ports