Shanghai climbs to second position in intl shipping hubs

Shanghai has surpassed London to rank second in the 2026 Xinhua-Baltic International Shipping Center Development Index published on Friday, reflecting its comprehensive capability among global shipping centers.

Before the new rating, Shanghai had retained its position as the world's third international shipping center for six years in a row, according to the index that has evaluated 43 shipping hub cities worldwide based on port conditions, shipping services, and overall environment in the past 13 years.

In this year's ranking, the top 10 international shipping center cities are Singapore, Shanghai, London, Hong Kong, Dubai, Ningbo-Zhoushan, Rotterdam, New York-New Jersey, Athens-Piraeus, and Hamburg.

"The competition among international shipping centers has expanded from port scale and network to more extensive capabilities, including green transformation, digital innovation, influence on shipping regulations, and global resource allocation," the report said.