The maritime shipping sector is essential to the survival and expansion of the world economy since it interconnects them and paves the way for business. Therefore, the busiest harbours in the world, owing to its capacity to regulate the movement of goods into and out of them, or functioning as final destinations, origins, or transshipment terminals, are among the important stakeholders in maritime.
However, a harbor is a body of water protected by both natural and man-made barriers. Harbours can offer secure mooring and allow the passage of goods and people from ships to the land. The depth of a harbor ought to enable ships and boats to maneuver and pass one another without touching the ground.
Besides, harbours, a shelter for boats during bad weather, can also offer some breathtaking views. The following are the top ten harbours in the world.
10. South Korea- Busan
The Port of Busan is the country’s second-biggest city and its major port. The port of Busan, the tenth-largest port in the world and on the Naktong River, serves as a vital commercial crossing point between the Pacific Ocean and the nations of Eurasia. The new port’s construction was completed in 2015.
9. China- Dalian Port
The ninth largest port in the world, the Port of Dalian in the Chinese province of Liaoning, handles over 303 million tonnes of cargo annually. The Dalian Port Company owns this port and oversees all pertinent port activities. There are about 80 berths, and the seven major districts of the Dalian Port—Daliangang, Ganjinzi, Dalianwan, Nianyuwan, Xianglujiao, Dayaowan, Heizuizi, and Si’ergou—connect over 89 shipping lines from all over the world. It is a regional port; hence, it manages almost all local transportation.
8. China- Qingdao
The Qingdao Port is a natural harbor and has a communication with over 450 ports in over 130 countries. It is opposite Japan and South Korea, the two countries leading in the shipbuilding world. The Qingdao port, which is next to the Yellow Sea and on the Shandong Peninsula, is listed as the eighth largest ship port in the world.
7. China- Hong Kong Harbour
The Hong Kong port, a natural harbor, has significantly advanced the city’s economy. The Hong Kong port, in the South China Sea, is the seventh-largest marine port in the world. The port handled 16.573 million TEUs worth of container freight in 2022.
6. Netherlands- Rotterdam Harbour
The Rotterdam port, the only marine port from Europe included, is the sixth-largest marine port in the world. In addition, it held the title of the largest port in the world for 42 years, from 1962 to 2004, before being eclipsed, in that order, by Singapore and Shanghai. The largest port in all of Europe is in Rotterdam.
5. China- Ningbo-Zhoushan
It was established in 2006 as a joint venture between the ports of Ningbo and Zhoushan. The second-largest maritime port in the world is in Ningbo-Zhoushan. Considering that the Yangtze, Yong, and Qaintang rivers are connected, the port will receive a significant boost from developing a new terminal.
4. China- Guangzhou
The Guangzhou port is the biggest in southern China, with connections to over 300 ports in approximately 100 nations. The port is the backbone of the industrial belt that spans the provinces of Guangxi, Yunnan, Hunan, and Jiangxi. A component of the Guangzhou port is the Huangpu port.
3. China- Tianjin
On the River Haihe, it is currently connected to over 400 ports in almost 200 nations worldwide, and that number will increase over the next four years. The Tianjin port is the biggest port in North China and the third largest overall.
2. Singapore- Singapore Harbour
The port of Singapore, which was once ranked as the largest port in the world, is crucial to Singapore’s economy since it serves a sizable portion of the re-export market. Over 600 ports in more than a hundred nations are connected to the Singapore port. Using this port to move 50% of the crude oil.
1. China- Shanghai Harbour
Shanghai’s port expanded to five sectors, making it the largest port in the world. The port is also a major hub of economic activity. The port of Shanghai, which has both a seaport and a river port, processed almost 29 million TEUs in just one year.
Conclusion
Given China’s economic sturdiness, it is hardly surprising that Chinese ports are top of the list of top harbours worldwide. More than half of the top 10 busiest harbours in the world and the top spot on this list are in China.
