Data from Lloyd's List and Alphaliner shows Indian ports trail global leaders, with Mundra ranking 25th and JN Port 26th in global container throughput. This highlights a need for better infrastructure and global partnerships to compete with ports like Shanghai and Singapore, which handle significantly higher volumes.
Recent reports suggesting that India’s container ports have climbed to the 6th position globally require context when compared against established international benchmarks. Official 2025 throughput data from industry trackers like Lloyd's List and Alphaliner reveal that Indian ports continue to lag behind major Asian, European, and American counterparts in terms of total container volume.
Global Throughput Disparity
Shanghai remains the world leader, having processed 55 million Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in 2025, a figure that is more than double the combined traffic of all Indian ports. Other regional hubs also maintain a significant lead. Singapore follows closely with 44.6 million TEUs, while Ningbo-Zhoushan processes 43.8 million TEUs. Even within the top 30 rankings, ports like South Korea's Busan, which handled 24.8 million TEUs, outperform India's largest facilities. Currently, Mundra Port sits at 25th place and JN Port at 26th globally, trailing behind Colombo Port, which occupies the 24th spot.
Strategic Partnerships and Infrastructure
The gap in throughput highlights the necessity for Indian ports to focus on modernization and strategic global alliances to handle larger vessel classes. While some progress is visible, such as Adani Ports’ partnership with Mediterranean Shipping Company at Vizhinjam and APM Terminals' operations at Pipavav, the industry remains heavily influenced by a small group of global shipping giants. Seven major shipping companies, including Maersk, CMA/CGM, and Hapag-Lloyd, currently control 74% of the global market share, significantly influencing which ports receive the most traffic. Expanding these types of collaborations—similar to the model seen at the Port of Tanjung Pelepas in Malaysia—could be a critical path for Indian operators like DP World in Cochin or terminal developers working with international shipping lines.
Operational and Regulatory Challenges
Beyond infrastructure investment, Indian ports face unique hurdles that complicate their ability to scale. The sector is often impacted by complex regulatory environments and environmental compliance requirements that can slow the pace of development. In contrast, international competitors have focused on long-term capital spending and technological integration to improve efficiency. For investors, the performance of these ports is tied to the broader maritime trade ecosystem. Future updates to track include the successful execution of ongoing terminal development projects, the impact of new capacity additions on total throughput, and the ability of Indian ports to attract more direct calls from major global shipping alliances. Tracking the progress of these specific partnerships will be key to understanding whether Indian ports can narrow the efficiency and volume gap with global peers.