Yangshan Port in China took top position in the third edition of the global Container Port Performance Index (CPPI), despite periods of disruption caused by typhoons and various other factors in 2022.

In the report, the Top 10 performing port were: Yangshan, Salalah, Khalifa Port, Tanger-Mediterranean, Cartagena (Colombia), Tanjung Pelepas, Ningbo, Hamad, Guangzhou, and Port Said.

Developed by the World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence, the third edition of the CPPI is a data-based comparable index that ranks 348 global container ports according to their efficiency, measured by the elapsed time between when a ship reaches a port to its departure from the berth having completed its cargo exchange.

“The Yangshan Deep-Water Port enjoyed the greatest year-over-year improvement in performance of the top ports in the CPPI," said Turloch Mooney, director at S&P Global Market Intelligence.

“Yangshan managed to reduce ship waiting time by a sizeable three hours per call in 2022 compared with 2021, and berth hours also improved over most call size ranges despite the challenging operating conditions in the first half of the year. Yangshan continues to build for the future with ongoing heavy investment in automation and rail connectivity,” Mooney added.

Looking beyond Yangshan Port, Middle East and North Africa ports performed well again this year, with three ports from the region finishing in the top five: Port of Salalah in Oman ranked 2nd, Khalifa Port in Abu Dhabi took 3rd and Tanger Med ranked 4th.

The report noted that Ports in Latin America showed improved performance over 2022 with the Colombian Port of Cartagena taking 5th place overall and Ecuador’s Port of Posorja ranking 19th.

In Southeast Asia, the Port of Tanjung Pelepas in Malaysia rose to 6th place this year, with Vietnam’s Cai Mep 12th and Singapore port 18th. 

The report said in 16th place, the Port of Algeciras in Spain is the highest ranked port in Europe.

Meanwhile, Wilmington, North Carolina (44th) and the Port of Virginia (52nd) are the top ranked ports in North America.

The Port of Berbera, which ranked 144th, was the highest-ranking port in Sub-Saharan Africa.

It said that many ports in the region continue to experience excessive vessel turnaround time, a persistent risk for supply chain disruption.

“Improving port efficiency is essential for unlocking Africa's growth and development,” said Martin Humphreys, lead transport economist at the World Bank.

“Africa’s ports are vital gateways for trade and commerce. Their efficient operation is a key determinant in whether Africa achieves its economic potential.”

The ranking is intended to identify gaps and opportunities for improvement for the benefit of key stakeholders in global trade, including government, shipping lines, port and terminal operators, shippers, logistics companies and consumers.