Resilient ports anchor trade amid the turbulence
In a year defined by disruption, the world’s leading container ports defied expectations — transforming volatility into opportunity to post their strongest growth in nearly a decade
Top Stories
Daily Briefing 9 December 2025
China Merchants Energy Shipping treads net zero course ‘cautiously’ as IMO plan stalls | HD Hyundai to build new shipyard in India as it expands global reach | Sanctioned tanker stranded off Bulgarian coast
West African risk ripples across shipping and ports
Local expertise is vital for ship operators to mitigate geopolitical upheavals
Spotlight
China Merchants Energy Shipping treads net zero course ‘cautiously’ as IMO plan stalls
One of China’s largest shipowners is betting on flexibility to stay ahead of a fractured regulatory landscape
Happy Xmas (Ukraine’s war isn’t over)
Three drone strikes on vessels remind us the fighting is still raging
The evolution of the shadow fleet
Lloyd’s List maritime risk analysts explain how the shadow fleet has changed and what you should be looking out for the minimise your exposure to risk
One Hundred Ports 2025
In 2024, global container ports demonstrated remarkable resilience amid geopolitical instability and shifting trade dynamics. Lloyd’s List One Hundred Ports reported a combined throughput of 743.6m teu, marking an 8.1% increase from the previous year and reversing the stagnation of recent years. Click here to view the full report
From boom to breather: port throughput braces for second-half slowdown
Global container port growth is set to decelerate sharply during the second half of 2025 and into 2026, as frontloaded cargo volumes and rising US tariffs weigh on demand, but a slowdown could offer congested ports a much-needed reprieve
Port call data reveals China’s trade pivot as tariffs turbocharge rerouting
Geopolitics and tariffs are driving a surge in China’s direct port calls to emerging economies, highlighted by Southeast Asia and Africa, while US imports from China fall, signalling major shifts and new complexities in global trade flows
US ports: So far so good, but tariff fallout ‘lag’ is ending
Counterintuitively, US imports have risen amid skyrocketing tariff costs. Volumes in July reached peaks seen only once before, during the Covid pandemic boom. However, the upside for US ports looks like it has run its course
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