Annual container throughput of major east China port tops 40 mln TEUs

An aerial drone photo taken on Dec. 2, 2025 shows container ships berthing at the Meishan port area of the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port in east China's Zhejiang Province. A container adorned in red was steadily loaded onto a container ship here on Tuesday, marking the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port's annual container throughput exceeding 40 million TEUs for the first time. The Ningbo-Zhoushan Port is the only port in the world that has handled over 1 billion tonnes of cargo annually for 16 consecutive years. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

HANGZHOU, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) -- The annual container throughput of the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port in east China's Zhejiang Province surpassed 40 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) for the first time on Tuesday, marking a new milestone for the world's busiest port in terms of cargo throughput.

According to Zhejiang Seaport Group, the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port has ranked first globally in annual cargo throughput for 16 consecutive years. Despite being a late starter in container operations, its growth has accelerated significantly -- its annual container throughput rose from 10 million TEUs to 20 million in just seven years, and then jumped to 30 million in the space of only six years, before surging to 40 million in just four years.

The port's capacity to serve national strategies, regional development and global clients has been continuously strengthened, the group said.

The Ningbo-Zhoushan Port has built an extensive maritime network, with more than 300 container shipping routes linking over 600 ports in more than 200 countries and regions. It now operates over 210 berths for ships of 10,000 tonnes or above, including more than 135 berths for vessels over 50,000 tonnes -- making it one of the world's top ports in terms of large and ultra-large deep-water berth capacity.

Zhejiang, an economic powerhouse province located on China's eastern coast, has in recent years rolled out an action plan to enhance the competitiveness and global influence of its Ningbo-Zhoushan Port.

An aerial drone photo taken on Dec. 2, 2025 shows a view of the Meishan port area of the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port in east China's Zhejiang Province. A container adorned in red was steadily loaded onto a container ship here on Tuesday, marking the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port's annual container throughput exceeding 40 million TEUs for the first time.

The Ningbo-Zhoushan Port is the only port in the world that has handled over 1 billion tonnes of cargo annually for 16 consecutive years. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

An aerial drone photo taken on Dec. 2, 2025 shows container ships berthing at the Meishan port area of the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port in east China's Zhejiang Province. A container adorned in red was steadily loaded onto a container ship here on Tuesday, marking the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port's annual container throughput exceeding 40 million TEUs for the first time.

The Ningbo-Zhoushan Port is the only port in the world that has handled over 1 billion tonnes of cargo annually for 16 consecutive years. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

This photo taken on Dec. 2, 2025 shows a container being hoisted at the Meishan port area of the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port in east China's Zhejiang Province. A container adorned in red was steadily loaded onto a container ship here on Tuesday, marking the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port's annual container throughput exceeding 40 million TEUs for the first time.

The Ningbo-Zhoushan Port is the only port in the world that has handled over 1 billion tonnes of cargo annually for 16 consecutive years. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

This photo taken on Dec. 2, 2025 shows a container being hoisted at the Meishan port area of the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port in east China's Zhejiang Province. A container adorned in red was steadily loaded onto a container ship here on Tuesday, marking the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port's annual container throughput exceeding 40 million TEUs for the first time.

The Ningbo-Zhoushan Port is the only port in the world that has handled over 1 billion tonnes of cargo annually for 16 consecutive years. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)