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.
East and West Coast Ports Spar Over Who's No. 1
It came as a surprise at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach when the ports of New York-New Jersey said their complex was the busiest cargo container handler in America.
August 15, 2023Global Ocean Shipping Costs Creep Higher
Spot rates for shipping containers jumped by the most in more than two years, a sign that a 16-month slump in ocean freight costs that helped ease the sting of goods inflation is over.
August 3, 2023DHL Plans Expansion in Latin America
Five Latin American nations could share $556 million by 2028 as contract logistics provider DHL Supply Chain plans to expand its regional fulfillment network.
July 14, 2023IMO Countries Agree to Net-Zero Shipping Emissions by 2050
Maritime nations agreed July 7 to slash emissions from the shipping industry to net zero by about 2050 in a deal that several experts and nations say falls short of what’s needed.
July 7, 2023CSX and CPKC Will Connect to Increase Traffic in Southeast
CSX and CPKC railroads announced a deal June 28 that will allow them to beef up a little-used connection between their two networks in the southeastern United States to handle more freight.
June 29, 2023Pepsi Leads Calls for EU to Roll Out Green Trucks Faster
Companies including PepsiCo Inc. and Nike Inc. are calling for the European Union to implement stricter emissions targets for trucks, which the firms say will lower costs in the long run.
June 26, 2023Germany’s Deutsche Post DHL Group Changes Name to DHL Group
BONN, Germany — German multinational package delivery and logistics company Deutsche Post DHL Group said June 19 that it is changing its name to DHL Group as of the beginning of July.
June 20, 2023Global Shipping Company ZIM Relocates US Headquarters
ZIM American Integrated Shipping Services, a global container shipping company, is set to relocate its U.S. headquarters from Norfolk, Va., to Virginia Beach.
June 20, 2023Chicago Suburbs Appeal Federal Approval of CPKC Rail Merger
A group of suburban Chicago communities is appealing the federal approval of the Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger that is expected to bring more freight trains to the area.
May 12, 2023California’s Port Dominance Is Slipping as Cargo Shifts East
The pandemic’s cargo crush pushed the Los Angeles and Long Beach complex close to the breaking point, allowing ports from New York-New Jersey to Houston to grow their market share.
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