Datastream
The World’s Largest Shipping Hubs
The Briefing
- The world’s 10 largest shipping hubs shipped 250 million TEUs (twenty foot equivalent units) in 2019
- The Asia-Pacific dominates the landscape with 9 out of 10 shipping hubs located in that region
The World’s Largest Shipping Hubs (2005-2019)
As consumers, we often overlook the complexity and sheer size of global trade that is behind the goods and services we consume everyday.
Trade accounts for roughly 60% of global GDP—and emerging markets, particularly in the Asia Pacific region, have trade to thank in part for their economic growth in recent times.
When it comes to the movement of all these goods, shipping hubs are a crucial component of the trade ecosystem. The following data looks at the 10 largest global shipping hubs and their changes in throughput over time.
The 10 Largest Shipping Hubs (2005-2019, Thousands of TEUs)
Rank | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2019 |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Singapore: 23,192 | Shanghai: 29,069 | Shanghai: 36,537 | Shanghai: 43,303 |
2 | Hong Kong: 22,602 | Singapore: 28,431 | Singapore: 30,922 | Singapore: 37,196 |
3 | Shanghai: 18,084 | Hong Kong: 23,699 | Shenzhen: 24,205 | Ningbo-Zhoushan: 27,535 |
4 | Shenzhen: 16,197 | Shenzhen: 22,510 | Ningbo-Zhoushan: 20,627 | Shenzhen: 25,769 |
5 | Busan: 11,843 | Busan: 14,194 | Hong Kong: 20,073 | Guangzhou: 23,223 |
6 | Kaohsiung: 9,471 | Ningbo-Zhoushan: 13,147 | Busan: 19,469 | Busan: 21,992 |
7 | Rotterdam: 9,288 | Guangzhou: 12,546 | Guangzhou: 17,625 | Qingdao: 21,012 |
8 | Hamburg: 8,088 | Qingdao: 12,012 | Qingdao: 17,436 | Hong Kong: 18,303 |
9 | Dubai: 7,619 | Dubai: 11,600 | Dubai: 15,592 | Tianjin: 17,301 |
10 | Los Angeles: 7,485 | Rotterdam: 11,148 | Tianjin: 14,111 | Rotterdam: 14,811 |
One of the biggest changes in recent years is the addition of the Yangshan Port in Shanghai. This massive port has already undergone four expansion phases since it opened in 2005.
Also noteworthy is Hong Kong’s falling position in this ranking. Only a decade ago, Hong Kong was the third-busiest port in the world. Today, facing fierce competition from nearby port facilities, Hong Kong sits in eighth place.
The Global Trade Machine
Trade and the transportation of goods and services are a fundamental component of the $88 trillion global economy. The value of all exports in 2019 was $24.9 trillion.
The Chinese economy continues to show immense strength, and the country is now the top trading partner of 128 countries around the world. China exported $2.6 trillion worth of goods last year, representing 18% of GDP and making them the largest exporter in the world. This economic prowess is also expressed through their enormous shipping hubs – 70% of the TEUs from the top 10 flow through China.
The aggregate volume of goods and services that move between the worlds largest shipping hubs has risen in relation to global trade figures over time, from 212 million TEUs in 2014 to 250 million in 2019.
Where does this data come from?
Source: Marine Department of Hong Kong
Notes: Latest data is as of 2019
Economy
Charted: Public Trust in the Federal Reserve
Public trust in the Federal Reserve chair has hit its lowest point in 20 years. Get the details in this infographic.

The Briefing
- Gallup conducts an annual poll to gauge the U.S. public’s trust in the Federal Reserve
- After rising during the COVID-19 pandemic, public trust has fallen to a 20-year low
Charted: Public Trust in the Federal Reserve
Each year, Gallup conducts a survey of American adults on various economic topics, including the country’s central bank, the Federal Reserve.
More specifically, respondents are asked how much confidence they have in the current Fed chairman to do or recommend the right thing for the U.S. economy. We’ve visualized these results from 2001 to 2023 to see how confidence levels have changed over time.
Methodology and Results
The data used in this infographic is also listed in the table below. Percentages reflect the share of respondents that have either a “great deal” or “fair amount” of confidence.
Year | Fed chair | % Great deal or Fair amount |
---|---|---|
2023 | Jerome Powell | 36% |
2022 | Jerome Powell | 43% |
2021 | Jerome Powell | 55% |
2020 | Jerome Powell | 58% |
2019 | Jerome Powell | 50% |
2018 | Jerome Powell | 45% |
2017 | Janet Yellen | 45% |
2016 | Janet Yellen | 38% |
2015 | Janet Yellen | 42% |
2014 | Janet Yellen | 37% |
2013 | Ben Bernanke | 42% |
2012 | Ben Bernanke | 39% |
2011 | Ben Bernanke | 41% |
2010 | Ben Bernanke | 44% |
2009 | Ben Bernanke | 49% |
2008 | Ben Bernanke | 47% |
2007 | Ben Bernanke | 50% |
2006 | Ben Bernanke | 41% |
2005 | Alan Greenspan | 56% |
2004 | Alan Greenspan | 61% |
2003 | Alan Greenspan | 65% |
2002 | Alan Greenspan | 69% |
2001 | Alan Greenspan | 74% |
Data for 2023 collected April 3-25, with this statement put to respondents: “Please tell me how much confidence you have [in the Fed chair] to recommend the right thing for the economy.”
We can see that trust in the Federal Reserve has fluctuated significantly in recent years.
For example, under Alan Greenspan, trust was initially high due to the relative stability of the economy. The burst of the dotcom bubble—which some attribute to Greenspan’s easy credit policies—resulted in a sharp decline.
On the flip side, public confidence spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was likely due to Jerome Powell’s decisive actions to provide support to the U.S. economy throughout the crisis.
Measures implemented by the Fed include bringing interest rates to near zero, quantitative easing (buying government bonds with newly-printed money), and emergency lending programs to businesses.
Confidence Now on the Decline
After peaking at 58%, those with a “great deal” or “fair amount” of trust in the Fed chair have tumbled to 36%, the lowest number in 20 years.
This is likely due to Powell’s hard stance on fighting post-pandemic inflation, which has involved raising interest rates at an incredible speed. While these rate hikes may be necessary, they also have many adverse effects:
- Negative impact on the stock market
- Increases the burden for those with variable-rate debts
- Makes mortgages and home buying less affordable
Higher rates have also prompted many U.S. tech companies to shrink their workforces, and have been a factor in the regional banking crisis, including the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank.
Where does this data come from?
Source: Gallup (2023)
Data Notes: Results are based on telephone interviews conducted April 3-25, 2023, with a random sample of –1,013—adults, ages 18+, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. For results based on this sample of national adults, the margin of sampling error is ±4 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. See source for details.
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