The Baltic Exchange, in collaboration with Xinhua News Agency, has issued the Xinhua-Baltic International Shipping Centre Development Index (ISCDI) Report, which for the 12th consecutive year recognises Singapore as the world’s leading shipping centre with a score of 99.50 out of 100.
The ISCDI Report evaluates a total of 43 maritime locations, considering various port metrics such as cargo throughput, crane count, container berth length, and port draught. It also assesses the presence of professional maritime support businesses, including shipbroking, ship management, ship financing, insurance, and legal services, alongside hull underwriting premiums. Additionally, the evaluation considers general business environment factors like customs tariffs, the level of electronic government services, and overall logistics performance.
Key findings of the 2025 ISCDI Report:
- Top performers: Singapore, London, and Shanghai continue to lead the rankings, underscoring their global leadership in shipping.
- China’s shipping centres on the rise: Guangzhou, Qingdao and Tianjin all have improved their rankings, while Ningbo-Zhoushan climbed to seventh — marking its third consecutive year of upward movement. The strong showing reflects China’s sustained investment and growing global influence as a maritime powerhouse.
- Top 20 new entrants: Los Angeles and Vancouver were new features to this year’s list, taking 19th and 20th position, marking two new North American ports in the global rankings.
"This year’s rankings reaffirm the crucial role of established maritime centres like Singapore, London, and Shanghai, alongside emerging hubs, in providing the infrastructure and expertise needed to keep supply chains efficient and reliable amid persistent geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty "… said Mark Jackson, Chief Executive of Baltic Exchange.
| Rank | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Singapore | Singapore | Singapore | Singapore | Singapore | Singapore |
| 2 | London | London | London | London | London | London |
| 3 | Shanghai | Shanghai | Shanghai | Shanghai | Shanghai | Shanghai |
| 4 | Hong Kong | Hong Kong | Hong Kong | Hong Kong | Hong Kong | Hong Kong |
| 5 | Dubai | Dubai | Dubai | Dubai | Dubai | Dubai |
| 6 | Rotterdam | Rotterdam | Rotterdam | Rotterdam | Rotterdam | Rotterdam |
| 7 | Hamburg | Hamburg | Hamburg | Hamburg | Athens/Piraeus | Ningbo Zhoushan |
| 8 | Athens/Piraeus | Athens/Piraeus | New York/New Jersey | Athens/Piraeus | Ningbo Zhoushan | Athens/Piraeus |
| 9 | New York/New Jersey | New York/New Jersey | Athens/Piraeus | Ningbo Zhoushan | Hamburg | Hamburg |
| 10 | Tokyo | Ningbo Zhoushan | Ningbo Zhoushan | New York/New Jersey | New York/New Jersey | New York/New Jersey |
