2023 Essential Revenue and Operating Information for the 50 Largest Global Freight Companies
Up Front

Infrastructure and automation improvements have helped port operators, but there is still more work to be done.

A new No. 1 leads off this year’s Transport Topics Top 50 list of the world’s largest freight companies.

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 2022 TEUs 2021 % 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 9,911,159 10,677,610 -7.2% 219,000,000*
2 Port of New York and New Jersey New York container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, automotive, heavy lift, special project cargo, refrigerated, passenger 9,493,664 8,985,929 5.7%  
3 Port of Long Beach Long Beach, Calif. container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, automotive, heavy lift, special project cargo, refrigerated, passenger 9,133,657 9,384,368 -2.7% 193,354,062
4 Port of Savannah Savannah, Ga. container, break bulk, heavy lift, automobile, refrigerated 5,892,131 5,613,163 5.0% 38,459,904
5 Ports of Colon, Cristobal and Manzanillo Colón, Panama container, liquid bulk, dry bulk, passenger, transshipping 5,058,556 4,915,975 2.9%  
6 Port Houston Houston container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk 3,974,901 3,453,226 15.1% 49,950,465
7 Port of Virginia Norfolk, Va. container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, automobile 3,703,231 3,522,834 5.1% 59,398,828
8 Port of Vancouver Vancouver, British Columbia container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, automobile, special project cargo, passenger 3,557,294 3,678,952 -3.3% 142,469,186
9 Port of Manzanillo Manzanillo, Colima, Mexico container, dry bulk, liquid bulk 3,473,852 3,371,438 3.0% 34,434,272
10 Northwest Seaport Alliance Seattle and Tacoma, Wash. container, break bulk, liquid bulk, dry bulk, automobile, heavy lift, special project cargo, refrigerated, passenger, air cargo 3,384,018 3,736,206 -9.4% 24,551,174
11 Port of Balboa/PSA Panama International Terminal Panama Int'l Terminals, Panama container, transshipping 3,347,861 3,561,432 -6.0%  
12 Port of Charleston Charleston, S.C. container, break bulk, dry bulk, automobile, refrigerated 2,792,313 2,751,442 1.5%  
13 Port of Oakland Oakland, Calif. container 2,337,607 2,448,243 -4.5%  
14 Port of Kingston Kingston, Jamaica container, heavy lift, liquid bulk 2,137,500 1,975,401 8.2%  
15 Port of Montreal Montreal container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, passenger 1,722,704 1,728,114 -0.3% 35,997,337
16 Port of Lázaro Cárdenas Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán, Mexico container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, transshipping 1,700,000 1,686,076 0.8%  
17 Port of Freeport Freeport, Bahamas container, passenger 1,574,200 1,642,780 -4.2%  
18 Port of Caucedo Caucedo, Dominican Republic container, refrigerated, transshipping 1,406,500 1,250,000 12.5%  
19 Port of San Juan San Juan, Puerto Rico container 1,398,600 1,438,738 -2.8%  
20 Port of Jacksonville^ Jacksonville, Fla. container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, automobile, heavy lift, refrigerated 1,298,132 1,407,310 -7.8% 9,101,666
21 Port Miami^ Miami container, passenger 1,197,663 1,254,062 -4.5% 9,267,587
22 Moín Container Terminal Límon, Costa Rica container 1,182,854 1,319,372 -10.3%  
23 Port Everglades Broward County, Fla. container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, passenger 1,107,546 1,038,179 6.7% 24,129,601
24 Port of Baltimore Baltimore container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, automobile, refrigerated, passenger 1,069,421 1,022,683 4.6% 10,307,241
25 Port of Prince Rupert Prince Rupert, British Columbia container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, special project cargo, passenger 1,035,639 1,054,836 -1.8% 24,593,720
NOTE: Data for the ports of Kingston, Freeport, Caucedo and San Juan are via PortEconomics. Data for the Port of Lázaro Cárdenas is via the American Journal of Transportation. All other data is via port authorities.

* Freight tonnage for the Port of Los Angeles is for fiscal year 2021-22, ended June 30, 2022.

^ Data for the Port of Jacksonville and Port Miami is for fiscal year 2021-22, ended Sept. 30, 2022.
Extras

2022 saw an eastern shift in North American ocean freight, while airfreight dipped across the continent.

If your company appears on the 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.

Global Freight News
Business, Equipment, Logistics, For-Hire, Global Freight

FedEx Freight Unit Furloughs Workers as Cargo Demand Slows

FedEx Corp.’s freight unit is putting workers on furlough in some U.S. markets, adding to mounting evidence of a cargo slowdown as the company joins other large employers trimming their ranks.

Thomas Black | Bloomberg News
November 14, 2022
Business, Logistics, Global Freight

Supply Chain Woes Accelerate Reshoring, Nearshoring Trend

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic followed by supply chain disruptions around the world has sparked a resurgence of companies bringing sourcing and manufacturing back to the United States or closer to U.S. shores.

Gary Frantz | Special to Transport Topics
November 4, 2022
Business, Logistics, Global Freight, Top 50

Top North American Seaports and Airports Realize Record Volumes

Seaports and airports across North America experienced record-breaking volume in 2021 amid growing consumer demand.

Mike Senatore | Features Coordinator
November 4, 2022
Government, Business, Fuel, Logistics, Global Freight, Top 50

A Clouded Outlook for Global Freight

Describing global supply chains as “volatile” for the last two years is an understatement. Glimmers of hope are emerging, but anxiety grows over whether freight volumes can maintain traction amid high inflation and economic uncertainty.

Katie Pyzyk | Special to Transport Topics
November 4, 2022
Business, Logistics, Global Freight

German Government Settles Internal Dispute Over Port Stake Sale to China

The German government is close to reaching a compromise over a disputed sale of a stake in a Hamburg container terminal to China’s state-owned shipping conglomerate Cosco Shipping Holdings Co.

October 25, 2022
Business, Equipment, Global Freight, TCA

Alabama Port Study Highlights Growth, Economic Impact

The Alabama State Port Authority has released a new study showing significant growth in jobs, tax revenue and general economic impact since 2019, underscoring the port’s place as a major economic driver in the state.

Lawrence Specker | Alabama Media Group
October 24, 2022
Business, Technology, Global Freight

CSX Q3 Profit Up 15% as Railroad Hauls 2% More Freight

CSX Corp. delivered 15% more profit in the third quarter as it handled 2% more freight and worked to eliminate the delays shippers have been complaining about for months.

Josh Funk | Associated Press
October 21, 2022
Business, Equipment, Global Freight, TCA

UPS Aircraft Mechanics Ratify Labor Contract

Aircraft mechanics at UPS Inc. voted to ratify a labor contract extension that will give them a 3.3% hike in pay annually for three years, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters union announced Oct. 18.

Kelly Yamanouchi | The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
October 19, 2022
Business, Safety, Global Freight, TCA

California Ports Reveal Surge in Harmful Emissions in 2021

California port officials announced an unprecedented increase in harmful emissions last year. Although the increase in pollution was substantial, officials said emissions are still much lower than levels in the mid-2000s.

Tony Briscoe | Chicago Tribune
October 18, 2022
Government, Technology, Logistics, Global Freight, TCA

Truckers Win Over BNSF in Case Regarding Illinois Biometrics Law

In what is believed to be the first jury verdict related to Illinois’ strict biometrics privacy law, a $228 million judgment has been entered against BNSF Railway in a class-action lawsuit over the railroad’s collection of fingerprint data.

Sarah Freishtat | Chicago Tribune
October 17, 2022
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