Shanghai, one of China’s trade and shipping hubs, has risen to the second place among the world’s leading international shipping centers for the first time, according to a report released here on Friday.
Surpassing London, Shanghai secured the second spot in the 2026 Xinhua-Baltic International Shipping Centre Development Index (ISCDI), the report showed. This marks the city’s highest-ever ranking since the index was first introduced in 2014.
“After years of steadily narrowing the gap with London, Shanghai has now become the world’s second-ranked international shipping center behind Singapore, reinforcing its position as one of the world’s premier maritime hubs for containerised cargo and maritime services,” said Jin Yu Cheong, head of Baltic Exchange Asia.
Jin noted that Shanghai’s success extends far beyond mere cargo volumes. “It is supported by a mature and diverse maritime ecosystem, bringing together shipping companies, financial institutions, insurers, legal services, shipbrokers, shipyards and technology providers,” he explained.
Jin added that continued investment in digital innovation, green port development and maritime services has further strengthened the city’s global competitiveness.
This year’s index also underscored China’s expanding footprint in the global shipping industry. The country now boasts seven shipping centers in the global Top 20, with five of them improving their rankings this year.
Notably, Ningbo-Zhoushan continued its upward trajectory to reach the sixth place, its highest ranking to date. Meanwhile, Guangzhou, Qingdao, and Tianjin also demonstrated steady progress, according to the report.
“Together, these results demonstrate the depth, resilience and diversity of China’s maritime capabilities across multiple regions,” Jin said.
According to the report, the top 10 international shipping centers this year are Singapore, Shanghai, London, Hong Kong, Dubai, Ningbo-Zhoushan, Rotterdam, New York-New Jersey, Athens-Piraeus, and Hamburg.
Jointly launched by China Economic Information Service and Baltic Exchange in 2014, the ISCDI has become one of the most influential benchmarks for evaluating the development of major shipping centers worldwide. (Contributed by Wang Chenyang and Gao Pan)
