Source: Splash247
Date: 10th June 2026 

Fuzhou tops the 2025 Container Port Performance Index as ports focus on resilience amid growing supply chain disruptions.

Chinese ports continue to set the global benchmark for operational efficiency, according to the latest Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) released by the World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Fuzhou secured the top position in the 2025 rankings, followed by Dalian, Salalah, Mawan and Chiwan. The annual study evaluates more than 400 container ports worldwide based on vessel turnaround times, using shipping movement data and port call information to measure overall operational performance.

Asia remained the strongest-performing region, with Chinese ports accounting for six of the top sixteen positions. The results reinforce China’s continued investment in port infrastructure, digitalisation and operational efficiency.

Beyond the leading rankings, several ports recorded significant long-term improvements. Notable gains were achieved by Port Elizabeth in South Africa, Khalifa Bin Salman Port in Bahrain, Posorja in Ecuador, Göteborg in Sweden, Muhammad Bin Qasim in Pakistan, Haiphong in Vietnam, Mawan in China and Kobe in Japan.

The report also highlighted strong year-on-year recoveries from ports that had previously faced operational challenges. Durban, Freeport, Coega (Ngqura), Cristobal and Manzanillo were among the ports posting the largest improvements between 2024 and 2025.

A key finding of this year’s study is the growing impact of what researchers describe as “burst congestion”, short but intense periods of congestion caused by clusters of delayed vessel arrivals.

Rather than resulting from sustained cargo growth, these congestion events are increasingly linked to disruptions such as severe weather, labour shortages, geopolitical tensions and schedule reliability issues. When delayed vessels arrive simultaneously, ports can experience sudden pressure on berths, container yards and inland transportation networks.

Recent disruptions affecting major shipping corridors have further demonstrated how quickly congestion can spread across global port networks. Vessel rerouting and schedule adjustments have created irregular arrival patterns, placing additional strain on even highly efficient ports.

The report concludes that port performance now plays a critical role in overall supply chain resilience. Efficient ports not only support faster cargo movement but also help minimise the impact of external disruptions on global trade flows.

Port efficiency is becoming increasingly important as supply chains face greater uncertainty. Faster vessel turnaround times can reduce delays, improve schedule reliability and help control transportation costs. Shippers may benefit from incorporating port performance considerations into routing and carrier selection decisions.

The rise of burst congestion demonstrates that supply chain disruptions are becoming more dynamic and less predictable. Companies should build greater flexibility into inventory planning and transportation strategies to minimise exposure to sudden port bottlenecks and vessel schedule disruptions.

The latest CPPI rankings highlight the growing importance of operational efficiency and resilience across global port networks. While leading ports continue to improve productivity, the emergence of burst congestion shows that even the most efficient gateways remain vulnerable to external disruptions. As supply chains become increasingly interconnected, businesses should focus not only on cost and transit times but also on the resilience of the ports and logistics corridors supporting their trade flows.