Chattogram Port ranks 68th among world’s top container ports

Chattogram Port handled a record 3.41 million TEUs of containers in 2025, but its position in the global ranking slipped one place to 68th as other major ports grew at a faster pace.

The ranking was published by London-based shipping and ports publication Lloyd’s List in its latest report, One Hundred Ports 2026. Chattogram handled 3,409,069 TEUs last year, up from 3,275,627 TEUs in 2024.

Despite the increase in throughput, the port fell from 67th place, where it had remained for two consecutive years. The change highlights how global rankings based mainly on container volume can shift even when a port itself records growth.

Lloyd’s List said growth at Chattogram has remained constrained, while major investments by APM Terminals, MSC and Red Sea Gateway Terminal are expected to reshape the port’s future.

Red Sea Gateway Terminal began partial operations at the Patenga Container Terminal in June 2024 and moved into full-scale operations this year. Meanwhile, Danish operator APM Terminals is set to begin construction of the Laldia Container Terminal, with its foundation stone scheduled to be laid on Sunday.

China’s Shanghai Port retained the top position after handling 55.06 million TEUs in 2025, followed by Singapore Port.

Chattogram’s global ranking has fluctuated considerably over the past decade. The port was ranked 64th in 2022 before slipping to 67th in 2023 and remaining there in 2024. It had reached 58th in 2020 but dropped sharply during the Covid-19 pandemic amid disruptions to Bangladesh’s garment exports.

Port users, however, caution against judging Chattogram’s overall performance solely by its Lloyd’s List ranking, as the ranking primarily measures container throughput. A port can improve its capacity and efficiency yet fall in the table if competing ports expand more rapidly.

Chattogram Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Mohammad Amirul Haque said there was “no room for complacency” and credited port users—including importers, industrialists and investors—for maintaining the port’s position despite economic and operational challenges.

He said upcoming investments, particularly the proposed Bay Terminal, could significantly strengthen Chattogram’s global position, potentially taking it into the top 20 container ports worldwide.