Selecting the right port for shipping your imports can be a challenging task. It involves finding a port that is both convenient for your supplier and less prone to congestion, particularly during holiday seasons and peak shipping times. When considering China for your import needs, you're in luck, as the country boasts 34 major ports and over 2,000 smaller ones. Additionally, most of China's major cities either have their own port or are within easy reach of one.

To assist you in identifying the best port for your shipping needs, and to optimize for search engine visibility, here is a list of the top 10 ports in China that are ideal for the shipping process in 2025:

shanghai Port

Shanghai Port, renowned as one of the world's busiest and largest cargo handling ports, stands at the convergence of the Yangtze River and the East China Sea. Covering an expansive area of approximately 3,619 square kilometers, this port is a vital hub managed by the Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG). Strategically positioned at the crossroads of the "Golden Waterway" and the "Golden Coast," Shanghai Port serves as a critical link connecting the Bohai Sea in the north, the Yangtze River Delta to the west, the Pearl River Delta to the south, and key ports in South Korea, such as Busan and Incheon, to the east.

The port consists of 125 berths, with a total berth length of 18 kilometers, and serves more than 2,000 ship containers per month, accounting for a quarter of China’s total foreign trade.

Container productivity at the Shanghai port was about 47 million TEUs in 2021.

The port is a key outlet for processing the following:

• Coal.
• Mineral ore.
• Petroleum and petroleum products.
• Crucifixion.
• Machinery and equipment.

Ningbo-Zhoushan Port

Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, located 250 kilometers south of Shanghai, is one of China’s main shipping ports.

Ningbo-Zhoushan Port boasts an extensive global network, connecting to 90 countries and 560 ports worldwide. This versatile port complex features nearly 200 berths, with close to 40 of these equipped to handle vessels exceeding 10,000 Deadweight Tonnage (DWT). The port includes a specialized crude oil terminal designed for supertankers with capacities over 250,000 tons, as well as for Ore Bulk Carriers (OBOs) over 200,000 tons. Additionally, Ningbo-Zhoushan Port has a liquid chemical terminal with the capacity to manage 50,000-ton shipments and a dedicated terminal for the latest sixth-generation container ships.

In the latest tally of container freight through Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, which was from January 1 to January 3, the average daily container transport was more than 97,000 containers, an increase of 108.5% over the same period last year.

The port is mainly engaged in loading, unloading, storage and transportation of imported iron ores, domestic and foreign trade containers, crude oil, oils, liquid chemical products, coal and other goods.

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Shenzhen Port (Shenzhen)

Shenzhen Port, located in Shenzhen, holds the prestigious position as the third-largest container port globally when measured by "TEU" (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit). This metric, widely used in the shipping industry, quantifies the cargo capacity of vessels and is instrumental in determining the type of containers needed to assess a port's operational activity.

The port is located south of the Pearl River Delta in China’s Guangdong Province. It is the collective name of many ports along the Shenzhen coast, which stretches 260 km of coastline and has an annual transshipment capacity of about 194.9 million tons.

The port is home to about 40 shipping companies, which have launched about 130 international container lines, and is a corridor for 230 international container shipping routes.

Guangzhou Port

It is the main seaport of Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, China, and is the fifth largest container port in the world.

Guangzhou Port consists of 45 berths, 133 buoys and 2,359 berths, each in a 1,000-ton category. Nansha Port (Guangzhou Port’s deep-water port) contributes more than 70% of the total cargo volume at China’s Guangzhou Port.

Guangzhou Port offers a comprehensive array of services such as loading, unloading, storage, and container shipping. It is actively involved in the transportation of a diverse range of goods, including agricultural products, industrial materials, and processed items. The port's cargo handling capabilities span across various commodities like oil, coal, grains, chemical fertilizers, steel, crude oil, and automobiles.

Port of Hong Kong

Located on the Kowloon Peninsula off the South China Sea, Hong Kong Port is one of the busiest and most efficient international container ports in the world, handling around 18 million TEUs in 2020.

The port handles 89% of Hong Kong’s total freight transport, offers 400 container services per week to more than 500 destinations around the world, and is home to around 795 vessels from 14 government departments.

The Port of Hong Kong has 9 container terminals with a total area of 24 berths with a 7,694-metre deep-water façade, and a total handling capacity of more than 19 million TEUs.

Qingdao Port

Qingdao Port is one of the ten busiest ports in the world, and the port is located on the Yellow Sea near the city of Qingdao, Shandong Province, China.

Qingdao Port is a well-known international transshipment and refrigerated professional port. It is located in the Yellow River Basin in Shandong Province in eastern China. The city is also well-known and developing as a trading and fishing port.

Qingdao Port is a primary hub for vessels originating from eastern China, with a focus on serving the Pacific region, including key destinations like Japan, South Korea, the United States, and Russia. The port's extensive trade network encompasses 130 countries and over 450 ports worldwide. Additionally, Qingdao Port has made strategic investments, including an ownership stake in the Vado Gateway terminal in Italy.

Qingdao Port handles a range of general, bulk and project-specific cargo, with the main cargoes handled including iron ore, coal, crude oil and grains.

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Tianjin Port

Tianjin Port stands as the preeminent port in northern China, encompassing an area of over 120 square kilometers. It is equipped with 151 operational berths and boasts 31.9 kilometers of quay walls. Serving as the primary seaport gateway to Beijing, Tianjin Port is strategically positioned approximately 160 kilometers to the southeast of the capital city.

The port enjoys trade relations with around 500 ports in more than 180 countries and regions around the world, with more than 500 scheduled vessels linked to major ports internationally every month.

The port handles agricultural products, automobiles and crude oil, and has seen natural gas imports increase 1.7 times year-on-year, to 2.37 billion Chinese yuan.

Dalian Port

Located on the Liadong Peninsula in Liaoning Province, the port is the ninth largest in the world.

The port’s infrastructure included 160 kilometers of specialized railway lines, 300,000 square meters of warehouses, 1.8 million square meters of stacking yards, and more than 1,000 units of various types of loading and unloading machinery and equipment.

The port clears approximately 70% of the province’s goods, 90% of transport containers, features about 80 berths and is connected to about 99 shipping lines worldwide.

Rizhao Port

It is a natural deep-water port on the coast of Rizhao City, located on the southern shore of the Shandong Peninsula, and has 46 deep-water berths in two major port areas, the Lanzhao Port Area, and the Shijiu Port Area.

The port covers an area of 1,034 hectares, a water area of 300 square kilometers, and berths of 4,000 meters, and the port is divided into 3 main areas, namely coal stations and the eastern and western loading and unloading section. The port mainly handles coal, iron ores, containers, grains, liquid chemicals and petroleum products.

Xiamen Port

Located on the island of Xiamen, the port is ranked fifth among the top 10 container ports in the world, one of the main line ports in the Asia-Pacific region, and is the fourth port in China to have the capacity to handle sixth-generation container ships.

In 2019, the port provided 74 berths, one of which handled vessels of more than 100,000 tons, 23 berths handled 10,000 tons or more, while in 2018 the port handled about 10.7 tons.

The port’s main shipments include iron, cement, chemical fertilizers, grains, granite, containers and general cargo. The port is currently targeting the expansion of a huge berth for container and LNG cargo.

Indeed, the ports mentioned are just a few of the many vibrant and bustling ports that dot China's extensive coastline. The complexity and scale of China's port infrastructure and the variety of goods handled are vast, offering a wide range of options for shipping goods both domestically and internationally.

When selecting a port for shipping, it's crucial to consider several factors to ensure the optimal, closest, and most flexible port is chosen for your shipping needs:

• Location Proximity: Choose a port that is geographically close to the origin of the goods to reduce inland transportation costs and time.
• Cargo Type: Some ports specialize in certain types of cargo, such as containerized goods, bulk commodities, or liquid chemicals. It's important to align the port's capabilities with your cargo requirements.
• Destination Network: Consider the port's connectivity to your target markets. A port with direct routes to your intended destinations can save time and costs.
• Handling Capacity: Ensure the port can handle the volume of goods you wish to ship, especially if you are dealing with large-scale shipments.
• Berthing Facilities: The availability of suitable berths for your type of vessel is essential to avoid delays.
• Logistics Support: A port with robust logistics support, including warehousing, distribution, and customs clearance services, can streamline the shipping process.
• Cost Efficiency: Compare the costs associated with using different ports, including port fees, handling charges, and access to transportation networks.
• Flexibility and Diversification: A port that offers multiple shipping options and has a diverse range of services can provide a buffer against potential disruptions.
• Environmental and Safety Standards: Consider the port's compliance with environmental regulations and safety standards, which can impact your company's reputation and operational risks.
• Future Growth and Expansion: Look for a port that is investing in infrastructure improvements and has plans for future expansion to accommodate growing trade demands.

By carefully evaluating these factors, shippers can make an informed decision that maximizes efficiency, reduces costs, and ensures the smooth flow of goods from origin to destination.