Page 132 - ΝΑΥΤΙΚΑ ΧΡΟΝΙΚΑ - SEPT 2025

Maritime hubs

According to experts, Singapore is expected to remain despite global geopolitical turmoil. Jebel
the world’s leading maritime city for the next five Ali remained the UAE’s top port, with
years, while Shanghai is anticipated to strengthen more than 15.5 million TEUs handled
its position and take second place. in 2024, up from 14.47 million TEUs in
2023. Part of this increase can be attrib-
uted to Dubai’s emergence as a leading
hub for oil transport, due to recent geo-
political developments and the evolving
international sanctions landscape.
The top ten were rounded out by Rot-
terdam, Ningbo-Zhoushan, Athens/
Piraeus, Hamburg, and New York/New
Jersey. Particularly with regard to Ath-
ens/Piraeus, which dropped one place
compared to 2023 and came in eighth,
the report notes that over 1,000 shipping
offices are located in the wider Attica
basin, as the provision of services for
ship management and ship ownership
Fourth place went to Hong Kong (80.77), makes it a shipping metropolis of inter-
which, amidst an ever-evolving ship- national standards. Moreover, the wider
ping environment, has managed to cluster is gaining ground, as the Greek
capitalise on any opportunity that has capital hosts a number of innovative
arisen, adapting to the new realities technological start-ups that collabo-
of the freight market by launching the rate closely with the large Greek ship-
Hong Kong Chamber of Shipping to ping community to develop unique and
strengthen its credentials as an inter- modern solutions, thus enhancing the
national shipping centre. Established capabilities and efficiency of ship man-
by Leung Chunying and industry lead- agement companies.
ers, the Chamber brings together major
shipowners, operators, and classifica- Athens/Piraeus is losing ground, but
tion societies, such as China Merchants the momentum in ship management
Energy Shipping, COSCO Shipping remains undisputed
(Hong Kong), and the Hong Kong branch This year’s Leading Maritime Cities
of the China Classification Society. It report by Menon Economics and DNV
is hoped that Hong Kong’s shipping, ranks Singapore at the top of the world’s
commercial, financial, professional, maritime centres for yet another year.
and educational sectors will collaborate As in its previous editions, the report
with those in mainland China to create examines five pillars: Shipping, Finance
a unified national shipping ecosystem and Law, Maritime Technology, Ports
while transitioning towards high-value- and Logistics, Attractiveness and Com-
added activities within the industry. To petitiveness.
enhance capacity and efficiency, Hong Singapore remains the world’s lead-
Kong continues to push forward ongoing ing maritime city, unaffected by global
infrastructure projects. The expansion of conflicts and the growing environmental
the Southwest Tsing Yi reclamation area, changes in the industry. Singapore has
which will create additional container maintained its position as the world’s
stacking areas and support future ter- leading shipping hub, ranking first in
minal development, remains on sched- three of the five pillars: Attractiveness
ule for completion by 2026. Meanwhile, and Competitiveness, Shipping, and
upgrades to automated gate systems Ports and Logistics, surpassing both
at Kwai Tsing are expected to increase Athens and Shanghai in their respective
throughput efficiency by up to 20%. categories.
Dubai ranked fifth, with a score of 75.97. Rotterdam and London continue to hold
Dubai’s resilience is underscored by the second and third place, respectively.
fact that the UAE’s seaports experienced Rotterdam scores highly in most pillars,
exceptional traffic volumes in 2024, particularly in the Ports and Logistics

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