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30 busiest ports in the world

Last updated on: April 19, 2012 12:27 IST
Visitors walk through the Lujiazui Financial Area in Shanghai.

Global consumer demand dictates the flow of container shipping, so if you want to know where trade is heaviest, follow the container.

Let's us have a look at the world's busiest ports measured in terms of total number of actual twenty-foot equivalent units transported through the port.

Shanghai

Country: China

Container traffic (in thousand TEUs): 29,069

Global rank: 1

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30 busiest ports in the world

Last updated on: April 19, 2012 12:27 IST
The Marina Bay Sands Hotel and ArtScience Museum is seen before Earth Hour in Singapore.

Singapore

Country: Singapore

Container traffic (in thousand TEUs): 28,431

Global rank: 2

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30 busiest ports in the world

Last updated on: April 19, 2012 12:27 IST
A cityscape of Hong Kong is see from the Peak, moments after sunset.

Hong Kong

Country: Hong Kong

Container traffic (in thousand TEUs): 23,699

Global rank: 3

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30 busiest ports in the world

Last updated on: April 19, 2012 12:27 IST
High rise commercial and residential buildings are seen in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen.

Shenzhen

Country: China

Container traffic (in thousand TEUs): 22,510

Global rank: 4

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30 busiest ports in the world

Last updated on: April 19, 2012 12:27 IST
A tractor trailer hauls a cargo container at a yard in Busan port.

Busan

Country: South Korea

Container traffic (in thousand TEUs): 14,194

Global rank: 5

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30 busiest ports in the world

Last updated on: April 19, 2012 12:27 IST
A general view shows the Hangzhou Bay Bridge in Ningbo.

Ningbo

Country: China

Container traffic (in thousand TEUs): 13,144

Global rank: 6

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30 busiest ports in the world

Last updated on: April 19, 2012 12:27 IST
A woman pushes her bicycle on Haizhu Bridge, a landmark of China's southern city of Guangzhou.

Guangzhou

Country: China

Container traffic (in thousand TEUs): 12,550

Global rank: 7

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30 busiest ports in the world

Last updated on: April 19, 2012 12:27 IST
General view shows Qingdao Jiaozhou Bay Bridge in Qingdao.

Qingdao

Country: China

Container traffic (in thousand TEUs): 12,012

Global rank: 8

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30 busiest ports in the world

Last updated on: April 19, 2012 12:27 IST
People stand near the fashion dome in Mall of the Emirates, Dubai.

Dubai

Country: The United Arab Emirates

Container traffic (in thousand TEUs): 11,600

Global rank: 9

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30 busiest ports in the world

Last updated on: April 19, 2012 12:27 IST
The Distilleerketel, a windmill built in 1727 and used to grind rye, can be seen at Delfshaven, an area of Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Rotterdam

Country: The Netherlands

Container traffic (in thousand TEUs): 11,140

Global rank: 10

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30 busiest ports in the world

Last updated on: April 19, 2012 12:27 IST
Visitors look at the 'China House' in Tianjin. The house is decorated with hundreds of millions of ancient porcelain flakes, ancient bowls, dishes and vases, inlaid everywhere in the architecture.

Tianjin

Country: China

Container traffic (in thousand TEUs): 10,080

Global rank: 11

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30 busiest ports in the world

Last updated on: April 19, 2012 12:27 IST
A man looks out of a shopping mall decorated with lights in Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan.

Kaohsiung

Country: Taiwan

Container traffic (in thousand TEUs): 9,180

Global rank: 12

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30 busiest ports in the world

Last updated on: April 19, 2012 12:27 IST
The world's largest ocean liner Queen Mary 2 arrives at a jetty in Port Klang, outside Kuala Lumpur.

Port Klang

Country: Malaysia

Container traffic (in thousand TEUs): 8,870

Global rank: 13

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30 busiest ports in the world

Last updated on: April 19, 2012 12:27 IST
A vendor inspects 0.20 carat diamonds during the 3rd Antwerp Diamond Trade Fair in Antwerp.

Antwerp

Country: Belgium

Container traffic (in thousand TEUs): 8,470

Global rank: 14

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30 busiest ports in the world

Last updated on: April 19, 2012 12:27 IST
General view of inner city town hall and Christmas market in Hamburg.

Hamburg

Country: Germany

Container traffic (in thousand TEUs): 7,910

Global rank: 15

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30 busiest ports in the world

Last updated on: April 19, 2012 12:27 IST
A crane unloads a container from a vessel in Malaysia's Port of Tanjung Pelepas in the southern state of Johor.

Tanjung Pelepas

Country: Malaysia

Container traffic (in thousand TEUs): 6,540

Global rank: 16

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30 busiest ports in the world

Last updated on: April 19, 2012 12:27 IST
A general view of the downtown area is pictured in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles

Country: The United States

Container traffic (in thousand TEUs): 6,540

Global rank: 17

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30 busiest ports in the world

Last updated on: April 19, 2012 12:27 IST
A view of the clock tower in downtown Long Beach, California.

Long Beach

Country: The United States

Container traffic (in thousand TEUs): 6,260

Global rank: 18

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30 busiest ports in the world

Last updated on: April 19, 2012 12:27 IST
A tourist rides a cable car above old buildings which date back to the 1920s and 1930s, in the southeastern Chinese city of Xiamen.

Xiamen

Country: China

Container traffic (in thousand TEUs): 5,820

Global rank: 19

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30 busiest ports in the world

Last updated on: April 19, 2012 12:27 IST
The Intrepid Museum rests in the foreground as the Empire State Building rises from the cityscape in New York.

New York/New Jersey

Country: The United States

Container traffic (in thousand TEUs): 5,290

Global rank: 20

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30 busiest ports in the world

Last updated on: April 19, 2012 12:27 IST
Chinese workers take a break at a shipyard in the port city of Dalian, in Liaoning province.

Dalian

Country: China

Container traffic (in thousand TEUs): 5,260

Global rank: 21

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30 busiest ports in the world

Last updated on: April 19, 2012 12:27 IST
Toyota Hilux Tiger mini-trucks board a Panama-registered cargo ship at the deep-sea port of Laem Chabang on the Eastern seaboard of Thailand.

Laem Chabang

Country: Thailand

Container traffic (in thousand TEUs): 5,190

Global rank: 22

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30 busiest ports in the world

Last updated on: April 19, 2012 12:27 IST
Woman walks with her dog on a dyke along the Weser river in Bremen.

Bremen/Bremerhaven

Country: Germany

Container traffic (in thousand TEUs): 4,890

Global rank: 23

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30 busiest ports in the world

Last updated on: April 19, 2012 12:27 IST
An aerial view of Indonesia's capital city of Jakarta.

Jakarta

Country: Indonesia

Container traffic (in thousand TEUs): 4,720

Global rank: 24

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30 busiest ports in the world

Last updated on: April 19, 2012 12:27 IST
Japan's Mt Fuji, covered with snow, is seen through Shinjuku skyscrapers in Tokyo.

Tokyo

Country: Japan

Container traffic (in thousand TEUs): 4,280

Global rank: 25

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30 busiest ports in the world

Last updated on: April 19, 2012 12:27 IST
A devotee enters a Parsi fire temple in Mumbai.

Mumbai

Country: India

Container traffic (in thousand TEUs): 4,280

Global rank: 26

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30 busiest ports in the world

Last updated on: April 19, 2012 12:27 IST
Buildings line up at the beach of Cullera near Valencia.

Valencia

Country: Spain

Container traffic (in thousand TEUs): 4,210

Global rank: 27

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30 busiest ports in the world

Last updated on: April 19, 2012 12:27 IST
A motorbike taxi driver takes a rest in front of an advertising billboard in Ho Chi Minh City.

Ho Chi Minh City

Country: Vietnam

Container traffic (in thousand TEUs): 4,110

Global rank: 28

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30 busiest ports in the world

Last updated on: April 19, 2012 12:27 IST
Fishermen sit on sticks while fishing in the traditional way in Koggala, south of Colombo.

Colombo

Country: Sri Lanka

Container traffic (in thousand TEUs): 4,080

Global rank: 29

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30 busiest ports in the world

Last updated on: April 19, 2012 12:27 IST
People run away from big waves affected by Typhoon Krosa at a levee in Lianyungang, China.

Lianyungang

Country: China

Container traffic (in thousand TEUs): 3,870

Global rank: 30