How Ports Measure Traffic: TEU, Tonnage, and Passengers

Container volumes use the TEU, the twenty foot equivalent unit of a standard steel box. One 40 foot container counts as two TEU.

Bulk ports report tonnage, so Ningbo-Zhoushan leads the world with over 1.3 billion tonnes a year even though Shanghai moves more boxes. Cruise ports count passengers, and fishing ports weigh landings in tonnes or dollars.

Rankings differ by measure: the busiest port in the world is Shanghai in TEU, Ningbo-Zhoushan in tonnage, Port Hedland in bulk exports, and Miami in cruise passengers. Always check which yardstick a league table uses.