Supply chain disruptions may be easing, but freight volumes continue to stir anxiety in shippers.
Non-asset based companies join the field in this year’s Global Freight Top 50 list.
Get a continent-by-continent and country-by-country look at where the Top 50 Global Freight Companies are based.
Rankings
Port Data
| Rank | Port Name | City | Type of Freight | TEUs 2021 | TEUs 2020 | % Change | Freight Tonnage (metric tons) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Port of Los Angeles * | Los Angeles | container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, automotive, heavy lift, special project cargo, refrigerated, passenger | 10,677,610 | 9,213,396 | 15.9% | 222,000,000 |
| 2 | Port of Long Beach | Long Beach, Calif. | container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, automotive, heavy lift, special project cargo, refrigerated, passenger | 9,384,368 | 8,113,315 | 15.7% | 196,386,014 |
| 3 | Port of New York and New Jersey ^ | New York | container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, automotive, heavy lift, special project cargo, refrigerated, passenger | 8,985,929 | 7,585,819 | 18.5% | 112,216,428 |
| 4 | Port of Savannah ^ | Savannah, Ga. | container, break bulk, heavy lift, automobile, refrigerated | 5,613,163 | 4,682,249 | 19.9% | 39,419,938 |
| 5 | Ports of Colon, Cristobal and Manzanillo ** | Colón, Panama | container, liquid bulk, dry bulk, passenger, transshipping | 4,915,975 | 4,454,902 | 10.3% | |
| 6 | Northwest Seaport Alliance | Seattle and Tacoma, Wash. | container, break bulk, liquid bulk, dry bulk, automobile, heavy lift, special project cargo, refrigerated, passenger, air cargo | 3,736,206 | 3,320,379 | 12.5% | 27,363,475 |
| 7 | Port of Vancouver | Vancouver, British Columbia | container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, automobile, special project cargo, passenger | 3,678,952 | 3,467,521 | 6.1% | |
| 8 | Port of Balboa/PSA Panama International Terminal | Panama Int'l Terminals, Panama | container, transshipping | 3,561,432 | 3,161,658 | 12.6% | |
| 9 | Port of Virginia | Norfolk, Va. | container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, automobile | 3,522,834 | 2,813,415 | 25.2% | 55,797,100 |
| 10 | Port Houston | Houston | container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk | 3,453,226 | 3,001,164 | 15.1% | 40,399,937 |
| 11 | Port of Manzanillo | Manzanillo, Colima, Mexico | container, dry bulk, liquid bulk | 3,371,438 | 2,909,632 | 15.9% | 35,024,782 |
| 12 | Port of Charleston ^ | Charleston, S.C. | container, break bulk, dry bulk, automobile, refrigerated | 2,751,442 | 2,309,995 | 19.1% | 22,631,975 |
| 13 | Port of Oakland ^ | Oakland, Calif. | container | 2,448,243 | 2,461,262 | -0.5% | 17,635,455 |
| 14 | Port of Kingston | Kingston, Jamaica | container, heavy lift, liquid bulk | 1,975,401 | 1,611,637 | 22.6% | |
| 15 | Port of Montreal | Montreal | container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, passenger | 1,728,114 | 1,600,000 | 8.0% | 34,023,135 |
| 16 | Port of Lázaro Cárdenas | Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán, Mexico | container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk | 1,686,076 | 1,063,675 | 58.5% | |
| 17 | Port of Freeport | Freeport, Bahamas | container, passenger | 1,642,780 | 1,231,703 | 33.4% | |
| 18 | Port of San Juan ^ | San Juan, Puerto Rico | container | 1,438,738 | 1,490,218 | -3.5% | 8,470,533 |
| 19 | Port of Jacksonville *** | Jacksonville, Fla. | container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, automobile, heavy lift, refrigerated | 1,407,310 | 1,277,161 | 10.2% | 9,378,906 |
| 20 | Moín Container Terminal | Límon, Costa Rica | container | 1,319,372 | 1,213,431 | 8.7% | |
| 21 | Port Miami *** | Miami | container, passenger | 1,254,062 | 1,066,738 | 17.6% | 10,114,409 |
| 22 | Port of Veracruz | Veracruz, Veracruz, Mexico | container, dry bulk, liquid bulk, automobile | 1,165,043 | 1,005,936 | 15.8% | |
| 23 | Port of Prince Rupert | Prince Rupert, British Columbia | container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, special project cargo, passenger | 1,054,836 | 1,141,390 | -7.6% | 25,071,050 |
| 24 | Port Everglades *** | Broward County, Fla. | container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, passenger | 1,038,179 | 945,512 | 9.8% | 21,346,991 |
| 25 | Port of Baltimore ^ | Baltimore | container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, automobile, refrigerated, passenger | 1,022,683 | 1,051,840 | -2.8% | 31,934,742 |
| NOTE: Data for the ports of Manzanillo (Mexico), Kingston, Lázaro Cárdenas, Freeport, San Juan, Moín Container Terminal and Veracruz are from the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Carribbean. Data for the ports of Balboa, PSA Panama International Terminal, Cristobal, Colon Container Terminal and Manzanillo International Terminal are from the Georgia Tech Panama Logistics Innovation and Research Center. All other data is from respective port authorities. * Tonnage data for the Port of Los Angeles is from its fiscal year ending June 30, 2021. ** Includes data regarding the Panamanian ports of Cristobal, Colon Container Terminal and Manzanillo International Terminal; not to be confused with the Port of Manzanillo in Colima, Mexico. *** TEU and tonnage data for the Port of Jacksonville, Port Miami and Port Everglades is from their fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2021. ^ Tonnage data for the ports of New York and New Jersey, Savannah, Charleston, Oakland, San Juan and Baltimore are from calendar year 2020, sourced from the United States Army Corp of Engineers. All other tonnage data is from calendar year 2021. |
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Last year saw air- and sea-freight volumes bounce back from supply chain struggles.
If your company appears in the 2022 list, you have a few ways to announce it. Visit our logo library to get web- and print-ready graphics.
Learn more about Transport Topics’ Top 50 Global Freight Companies publication.
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December 15, 2023Cargo Workers Strike at Denver International Airport
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December 8, 2023NTSB Calls for California Shipping Fix After 2021 Oil Spill
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December 6, 2023Pilotless FedEx, Reliable Robotics Plane Completes Flight
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December 6, 2023Shipping Giants Want End Date for Fossil Fuel-Only Vessels
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December 1, 2023Greek Shipping Giant Warns Panama Canal Chaos May Hit Suez
Congestion at the Panama Canal could result in delays at Egypt’s Suez Canal, possibly affecting cargoes of liquefied natural gas, according to an official at Angelicoussis Group.
November 29, 2023DP World Says Some Personal Employee Data Stolen in Hack
DP World Plc said workers’ personal information was stolen in the November cyberattack on the port operator’s Australian business.
November 28, 2023Shippers to Europe Facing $3.6 Billion Carbon Bill in 2024
Ships sailing to European ports face a combined carbon emissions bill of $3.6 billion next year, the start of a levy that’s likely to rise as Europe steps up efforts to combat climate change.
November 21, 2023Major Shippers Don’t Predict Issues Meeting Holiday Demand
Carriers like the U.S. Postal Service, FedEx and UPS Inc. have capacity to meet projected demand this holiday season, which is cheery news for shippers and shoppers alike.
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