HANGZHOU, China—The Ningbo-Zhoushan Port in eastern China’s Zhejiang Province achieved a significant milestone Tuesday, surpassing 40 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in annual container throughput for the first time. This unprecedented volume solidifies the port’s critical role in global maritime trade, even as it continues its long-running reign as the world’s busiest port by total cargo volume.

The achievement, marked by the loading of a brightly adorned container onto a ship at the Meishan port area, underscores the facility’s rapid expansion and enduring strategic importance. According to the Zhejiang Seaport Group, the port’s acceleration in container operations has been remarkable, vaulting from 30 million TEUs to 40 million TEUs in just four years.

Dominance in Global Cargo Processing

While many major ports compete fiercely on container statistics, Ningbo-Zhoushan maintains an unparalleled advantage in overall cargo handling. It remains the only port globally to have surpassed 1 billion tonnes of annual cargo throughput for 16 consecutive years.

Although a comparative latecomer to major container shipping operations, the port’s container growth trajectory has dramatically intensified. It took seven years to grow from 10 million to 20 million TEUs, six years to advance to 30 million, and only four years to reach the current 40 million threshold. This accelerated pace reflects both massive investment in infrastructure and burgeoning global demand for Chinese exports.

Key Infrastructure and Connectivity:

• Deep-Water Capacity: The port boasts over 210 berths capable of accommodating vessels of 10,000 tonnes or more. Crucially, more than 135 of these berths are designed for vessels exceeding 50,000 tonnes, positioning it as a world leader in accommodating large and ultra-large deep-water ships.
• Global Network: The facility operates an extensive maritime grid, featuring more than 300 container shipping routes that connect with over 600 ports across more than 200 countries and regions worldwide.

Strategic Anchor for Regional Development

The port’s enhanced capabilities directly support China’s national economic strategies and the expansion of the regional economy in Zhejiang Province. As an economic powerhouse on China’s eastern coast, Zhejiang has actively promoted efforts to boost the port’s competitiveness and global influence.

The Zhejiang Seaport Group highlighted that the continuous strengthening of the port’s capacity is key to serving national strategies, fueling regional economic development, and meeting the complex logistical needs of global clients. Through sustained investment in automation, efficiency, and capacity expansion, the authorities are ensuring the infrastructure can handle ever-increasing trade volumes.

The achievement of 40 million TEUs is not an end point but rather a signal of intensifying future competition among Asia’s largest ports. Analysts expect Ningbo-Zhoushan to leverage its superior cargo volume and deep-water infrastructure to consolidate its position as a central node in international supply chains. Future efforts are likely to focus on further integrating smart logistics solutions and digital customs processes to streamline operations and further shorten port times for global carriers.

As global trade patterns evolve, the continued robust performance of facilities like the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port offers a critical barometer for the health and dynamism of China’s export-driven economy. This newest container throughput record firmly establishes the port as a permanent, indispensable pillar of global maritime commerce.