Revenues declined in 2023 amid an international trade slump, geopolitical conflicts and economic uncertainty.
E-commerce growth and constraints on ocean shipping have fueled strong demand for airfreight this year.
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 2023 | TEUs 2022 | % Change | Freight Tonnage (metric tons) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Port of Los Angeles | Los Angeles | container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, automotive, heavy lift, project, refrigerated | 8,629,681 | 9,911,159 | -12.9% | 178,000,000* |
| 2 | Port of Long Beach | Long Beach, Calif. | container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, automotive, heavy lift, project, refrigerated | 8,018,668 | 9,133,657 | -12.2% | 175,518,642 |
| 3 | Port of New York and New Jersey | New York | container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, automotive, heavy lift, project, refrigerated | 7,810,005 | 9,493,664 | -17.7% | NA |
| 4 | Port of Savannah | Savannah, Ga. | container, break bulk, dry bulk, automotive, heavy lift, refrigerated | 4,927,654 | 5,892,131 | -16.4% | 34,739,800 |
| 5 | Colon Container Terminal, Port of Cristobal and Manzanillo International Terminal | Colón, Panama | container, dry bulk, liquid bulk, project | 4,868,759 | 5,058,556 | -3.8% | NA |
| 6 | Port Houston | Houston | container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, automotive, heavy lift, project | 3,824,600 | 3,974,901 | -3.8% | 45,652,497 |
| 7 | Port of Manzanillo | Manzanillo, Colima, Mexico | container, dry bulk, liquid bulk, automotive, refrigerated | 3,698,582 | 3,473,852 | 6.5% | 33,828,606 |
| 8 | Port of Balboa and PSA Panama International Terminal | Panama Int'l Terminals, Panama | container, dry bulk, liquid bulk, automotive, project | 3,370,009 | 3,347,861 | 0.7% | NA |
| 9 | Port of Virginia | Norfolk, Va. | container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, automotive | 3,287,546 | 3,703,230 | -11.2% | 59,089,478 |
| 10 | Port of Vancouver | Vancouver, British Columbia | container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, automotive, project | 3,126,559 | 3,557,294 | -12.1% | 150,380,603 |
| 11 | Northwest Seaport Alliance | Seattle and Tacoma, Wash. | container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, automotive, heavy lift, project | 2,974,416 | 3,384,018 | -12.1% | 23,804,032 |
| 12 | Port of Charleston | Charleston, S.C. | container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, automotive, project, refrigerated | 2,482,080 | 2,792,313 | -11.1% | NA |
| 13 | Port of Oakland | Oakland, Calif. | container, refrigerated | 2,065,709 | 2,337,607 | -11.6% | NA |
| 14 | Port of Kingston | Kingston, Jamaica | container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, automotive, heavy lift | 1,995,000 | 2,137,500 | -6.7% | NA |
| 15 | Port of Lázaro Cárdenas | Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán, Mexico | container, dry bulk, liquid bulk | 1,869,293 | 2,026,546 | -7.8% | 29,585,287 |
| 16 | Port of Montreal | Montreal | container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, refrigerated | 1,538,464 | 1,722,704 | -10.7% | 35,346,163 |
| 17 | Port of Caucedo | Caucedo, Dominican Republic | container, break bulk, automotive, heavy lift, project, refrigerated | 1,488,000 | 1,406,500 | 5.8% | NA |
| 18 | Port of San Juan | San Juan, Puerto Rico | container, break bulk, dry bulk | 1,349,400 | 1,398,600 | -3.5% | NA |
| 19 | Port of Jacksonville^ | Jacksonville, Fla. | container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, automotive, heavy lift, project, refrigerated | 1,313,487 | 1,298,132 | 1.2% | 10,470,025 |
| 20 | Moín Container Terminal | Límon, Costa Rica | container, break bulk | 1,261,262 | 1,226,585 | 2.8% | NA |
| 21 | Port of Freeport | Freeport, Bahamas | container, break bulk, automotive, heavy lift, project | 1,215,000e | 1,574,200 | -22.8% | NA |
| 22 | Port of Veracruz | Veracruz, Mexico | container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, automotive | 1,148,000 | 1,187,000 | -3.3% | NA |
| 23 | Port of Baltimore | Baltimore | container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, automotive, refrigerated | 1,126,511 | 1,069,421 | 5.3% | 10,617,657 |
| 24 | Port Miami^ | Miami | container, break bulk, automotive | 1,098,322 | 1,197,663 | -8.3% | 9,717,000 |
| 25 | Port Everglades^ | Broward County, Fla. | container, break bulk, dry bulk, refrigerated | 1,006,981 | 1,107,546 | -9.1% | NA |
| NOTE: Data for the Colon Container Terminal, Port of Cristobal and Manzanillo International Terminal is from the Georgia Tech Panama Logistics Innovation and Research Center. Data for the ports of Kingston, Caucedo, San Juan, Freeport and Veracruz is via PortEconomics. Data for the ports of Lázaro Cárdenas and Manzanillo is via the Coordinación General de Puertos y Marina Mercante. All other data is via port authorities. * Freight tonnage for the Port of Los Angeles is for fiscal year 2022-23, ended June 30, 2023. ^ Data for the Port of Jacksonville, Port Miami and Port Everglades is for fiscal year 2022-23, ended Sept. 30, 2023. |
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Post-COVID normalization and shaky economic conditions led to a difficult year at container ports and airports in 2023.
Learn more about Transport Topics’ Top 50 Global Freight Companies publication.
Maersk Sails South of Africa to Avoid Red Sea Conflict Area
Shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk A/S will redirect its vessels to sail south of Africa to avoid the Red Sea conflict area where Houthi militants have attacked several ships.
December 19, 2023Deutsche Bahn to Sell Logistics Unit Schenker
BERLIN — Germany’s main national railway operator, Deutsche Bahn, on Dec. 19 launched an effort to sell its logistics unit, DB Schenker, as the company concentrates on its core business.
December 19, 2023Railroads Urge Border Officials to Reopen US-Mexico Crossings
Railroads are calling for U.S. Customs and Border Protection to reopen U.S.-Mexico rail crossings at El Paso and Eagle Pass, Texas.
December 18, 2023Houthi Attacks Push Shipping Giants to Pause Red Sea Voyages
Attacks on merchant ships by Houthi militants near Yemen in the Red Sea have prompted trade disruption, with major vessel owners Maersk and Hapag-Lloyg halting trips through the area.
December 15, 2023Cargo Workers Strike at Denver International Airport
Nearly 100 Swissport cargo workers at the Denver International Airport are on strike Dec. 11, protesting unsafe work conditions they say the company has been ignoring for more than a year.
December 11, 2023DHL Express Workers Strike at Cincinnati Air Cargo Hub
More than 1,100 unionized DHL Express workers walked off the job at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, a critical logistics hub for the package delivery company.
December 8, 2023NTSB Calls for California Shipping Fix After 2021 Oil Spill
The National Transportation Safety Board wants changes in how containerships are anchored off Southern California to help prevent oil pipeline ruptures like the 2021 spill off Huntington Beach.
December 6, 2023Pilotless FedEx, Reliable Robotics Plane Completes Flight
Reliable Robotics Corp. has flown a small cargo plane on loan from FedEx Corp. without a human on board, a step toward the autonomous flight startup winning regulatory approval.
December 6, 2023Shipping Giants Want End Date for Fossil Fuel-Only Vessels
Europe’s biggest container lines want to phase out ships powered only by fossil fuels, they say in a proposal jointly made by Mediterranean Shipping Co., Maersk, CMA CGM and Hapag-Lloyd.
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.
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