China and US port surge masks Middle East slump as global throughput rises 1.2%

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Global container port throughput rose in June as strong gains in China and a sharp increase at major US gateways offset a continuing contraction across the Middle East, highlighting an increasingly uneven pattern in world container trade.

The Drewry Global Container Port Throughput Index climbed 2.2% from May to 127.4 and was 1.2% above June 2025. Global throughput increased 2.5% in the first half of 2026, according to Drewry’s latest assessment.

The regional divide was pronounced. Greater China recorded 6.0% year to date growth, while Middle East and South Asia volumes fell 13.7% over the same period as conflict and disruption weighed on cargo flows.

Greater China’s index jumped 4.0% month on month and 4.4% year on year to 137.7, with all major ports reporting higher June traffic.

Shanghai’s throughput increased 6.1% from a year earlier, Shenzhen rose 7.9% and Xiamen gained 8.7%. The wider Asia region excluding China recorded more modest growth, with its index up 1.1% from May and 2.9% year on year.

Performance across Southeast Asia was mixed. Singapore’s volumes increased 3.2% year on year and Laem Chabang gained 2.1%, while Port Klang recorded a 1% decline.

North America also delivered a strong June. Drewry’s regional index rose 0.8% month on month and 6.0% year on year to 117.7, although the rolling 12 month growth rate remained negative at 0.7%.

The Port of Los Angeles handled 1,002,734 TEU during June, up 12.4% year on year and only the third time monthly throughput has exceeded 1 million TEU. Long Beach increased 10.6%, New York and New Jersey 11.9%, Savannah 17.9% and Houston 17.5%.

The June acceleration at US ports comes despite flat North American throughput growth for the first half of 2026, suggesting that the latest gains reflect a concentrated surge rather than a broad based expansion across the year.

The sharpest contrast came from the Middle East and South Asia. Its index recovered 1.9% from May to 99.6 but remained 25.4% below June 2025. Drewry said regional throughput was down 13.7% year to date amid the Middle East conflict.

For carriers, terminal operators and shippers, the figures show how geopolitical disruption can increasingly separate regional port performance even when the global headline index remains positive.

Europe provided another weak spot. Its index slipped 0.3% from May to 117.5, although it remained 2.0% higher year on year. Antwerp Bruges volumes dropped 14% month on month and 0.5% from June 2025.

Africa posted the strongest monthly increase, with its index rising 15.7% to 135.7, although Drewry cautioned that the regional figure is based on a relatively small sample. Latin America rose 1.4% month on month and 5.3% year on year, while Oceania increased 0.5% and 1.9%, respectively.

Drewry’s indices cover more than 340 ports representing over 80% of global container volumes and are calendar adjusted against a January 2019 base of 100. Its nowcasting model combines port data with vessel capacity and terminal duration information to estimate near term throughput trends.

_{Source: Drewry}