Infrastructure and automation improvements have helped port operators, but there is still more work to be done.
A new No. 1 leads off this year’s Transport Topics Top 50 list of the world’s largest freight companies.
Get a continent-by-continent and country- by-country look at where the Top 50 Global Freight Companies are based.
Rankings
Port Data
| Rank | Port Name | City | Type of Freight | TEUs 2022 | TEUs 2021 | % Change | Freight Tonnage (metric tons) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Port of Los Angeles | Los Angeles | container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, automotive, heavy lift, special project cargo, refrigerated, passenger | 9,911,159 | 10,677,610 | -7.2% | 219,000,000* |
| 2 | Port of New York and New Jersey | New York | container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, automotive, heavy lift, special project cargo, refrigerated, passenger | 9,493,664 | 8,985,929 | 5.7% | |
| 3 | Port of Long Beach | Long Beach, Calif. | container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, automotive, heavy lift, special project cargo, refrigerated, passenger | 9,133,657 | 9,384,368 | -2.7% | 193,354,062 |
| 4 | Port of Savannah | Savannah, Ga. | container, break bulk, heavy lift, automobile, refrigerated | 5,892,131 | 5,613,163 | 5.0% | 38,459,904 |
| 5 | Ports of Colon, Cristobal and Manzanillo | Colón, Panama | container, liquid bulk, dry bulk, passenger, transshipping | 5,058,556 | 4,915,975 | 2.9% | |
| 6 | Port Houston | Houston | container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk | 3,974,901 | 3,453,226 | 15.1% | 49,950,465 |
| 7 | Port of Virginia | Norfolk, Va. | container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, automobile | 3,703,231 | 3,522,834 | 5.1% | 59,398,828 |
| 8 | Port of Vancouver | Vancouver, British Columbia | container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, automobile, special project cargo, passenger | 3,557,294 | 3,678,952 | -3.3% | 142,469,186 |
| 9 | Port of Manzanillo | Manzanillo, Colima, Mexico | container, dry bulk, liquid bulk | 3,473,852 | 3,371,438 | 3.0% | 34,434,272 |
| 10 | Northwest Seaport Alliance | Seattle and Tacoma, Wash. | container, break bulk, liquid bulk, dry bulk, automobile, heavy lift, special project cargo, refrigerated, passenger, air cargo | 3,384,018 | 3,736,206 | -9.4% | 24,551,174 |
| 11 | Port of Balboa/PSA Panama International Terminal | Panama Int'l Terminals, Panama | container, transshipping | 3,347,861 | 3,561,432 | -6.0% | |
| 12 | Port of Charleston | Charleston, S.C. | container, break bulk, dry bulk, automobile, refrigerated | 2,792,313 | 2,751,442 | 1.5% | |
| 13 | Port of Oakland | Oakland, Calif. | container | 2,337,607 | 2,448,243 | -4.5% | |
| 14 | Port of Kingston | Kingston, Jamaica | container, heavy lift, liquid bulk | 2,137,500 | 1,975,401 | 8.2% | |
| 15 | Port of Montreal | Montreal | container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, passenger | 1,722,704 | 1,728,114 | -0.3% | 35,997,337 |
| 16 | Port of Lázaro Cárdenas | Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán, Mexico | container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, transshipping | 1,700,000 | 1,686,076 | 0.8% | |
| 17 | Port of Freeport | Freeport, Bahamas | container, passenger | 1,574,200 | 1,642,780 | -4.2% | |
| 18 | Port of Caucedo | Caucedo, Dominican Republic | container, refrigerated, transshipping | 1,406,500 | 1,250,000 | 12.5% | |
| 19 | Port of San Juan | San Juan, Puerto Rico | container | 1,398,600 | 1,438,738 | -2.8% | |
| 20 | Port of Jacksonville^ | Jacksonville, Fla. | container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, automobile, heavy lift, refrigerated | 1,298,132 | 1,407,310 | -7.8% | 9,101,666 |
| 21 | Port Miami^ | Miami | container, passenger | 1,197,663 | 1,254,062 | -4.5% | 9,267,587 |
| 22 | Moín Container Terminal | Límon, Costa Rica | container | 1,182,854 | 1,319,372 | -10.3% | |
| 23 | Port Everglades | Broward County, Fla. | container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, passenger | 1,107,546 | 1,038,179 | 6.7% | 24,129,601 |
| 24 | Port of Baltimore | Baltimore | container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, automobile, refrigerated, passenger | 1,069,421 | 1,022,683 | 4.6% | 10,307,241 |
| 25 | Port of Prince Rupert | Prince Rupert, British Columbia | container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, special project cargo, passenger | 1,035,639 | 1,054,836 | -1.8% | 24,593,720 |
| NOTE: Data for the ports of Kingston, Freeport, Caucedo and San Juan are via PortEconomics. Data for the Port of Lázaro Cárdenas is via the American Journal of Transportation. All other data is via port authorities. * Freight tonnage for the Port of Los Angeles is for fiscal year 2021-22, ended June 30, 2022. ^ Data for the Port of Jacksonville and Port Miami is for fiscal year 2021-22, ended Sept. 30, 2022. |
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2022 saw an eastern shift in North American ocean freight, while airfreight dipped across the continent.
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Learn more about Transport Topics’ Top 50 Global Freight Companies publication.
Global Shipping Company ZIM Relocates US Headquarters
ZIM American Integrated Shipping Services, a global container shipping company, is set to relocate its U.S. headquarters from Norfolk, Va., to Virginia Beach.
June 20, 2023Chicago Suburbs Appeal Federal Approval of CPKC Rail Merger
A group of suburban Chicago communities is appealing the federal approval of the Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger that is expected to bring more freight trains to the area.
May 12, 2023California’s Port Dominance Is Slipping as Cargo Shifts East
The pandemic’s cargo crush pushed the Los Angeles and Long Beach complex close to the breaking point, allowing ports from New York-New Jersey to Houston to grow their market share.
May 8, 2023Engineers Frustrated With Railroad Sick Time Policies
OMAHA, Neb. — Tens of thousands of engineers remain frustrated with the lack of paid sick time and the demands railroads like BNSF are making in negotiations.
May 8, 2023Maersk Profits Slip in Q1, Forecasts Weak 2023
A.P. Moller-Maersk A/S, a bellwether for global trade, signaled weaker results for the rest of 2023 after reporting first-quarter operating profit that tumbled by more than half.
May 4, 2023DHL Plans Third Air Cargo Hub in California
Greg Hewitt, CEO of DHL Express U.S., says company leadership is doubling down on its GoGreen Plus program, with a goal of being a net-zero emissions company by 2050.
May 1, 2023FedEx Freight Plans Closure of 29 Locations
FedEx Freight informed team members internally May 1 that it will be closing 29 freight locations and furloughing certain job classes.
May 1, 2023Nippon Express in Talks to Buy Logistics Firm Cargo-Partner
Nippon Express Holdings Inc. is in talks to buy Austrian logistics provider Cargo-Partner GmbH, people with knowledge of the matter said.
April 18, 2023CMA CGM Offers to Buy Bolloré Logistics for $5.5 Billion
Maritime transport giant CMA CGM SA has entered exclusive talks to buy Bolloré SE’s logistics arm for an enterprise value of 5 billion euros ($5.5 billion).
April 18, 2023FedEx Boosts Profit Forecast, Cites Cost Cuts as Effective
FedEx Corp.’s shares jumped the most in nine months after the courier boosted its profit outlook, signaling efforts to cut costs are helping counter a decline in package volume.
March 17, 2023-
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