By Theo Notteboom
Following a strong recovery in 2024 after a challenging 2023, the first nine months of 2025 reveal a shift in growth dynamics across the top 15 EU container ports:
- Only three ports achieved double-digit growth: Gdansk leads with an impressive 21.7% increase, largely driven by the launch of its newest terminal at the Baltic Hub. Gioia Tauro continues its upward trajectory, fueled by MSC’s sustained investment and operations. Bremerhaven tops 10% growth and is expected to move from the seventh place in 2024 to the fifth place in the ranking by the end of the year.
- Hamburg stands out among the leading trio, posting a robust 8.4% year-on-year growth, well ahead of Rotterdam and Antwerp-Bruges. Hamburg’s resurgence follows years of modest performance and is attributed to increased port calls linked to new alliance structures (notably Gemini) and the entry of foreign terminal operators. The figures suggest a German port system revival as also Wilhelmshaven (handled its 1 millionth TEU of the year on 18 September 2025) and Bremerhaven experienced healthy growth.
- In Southern Europe, Spanish ports struggled to maintain their exceptional 2024 momentum, which had been boosted by vessel rerouting due to the Red Sea crisis. Valencia recorded a modest 3.7% increase, while Algeciras and Barcelona saw declines in TEU volumes. Sines in Portugal also saw a drop from its 2024 highs.
- French ports HAROPA and Marseille posted significantly lower growth compared to their strong 2024 performance. Ports of Genoa improved its year-on-year growth from 2.9% in 2024 to 5.4% in the first nine months of 2025. Piraeus in Greece remained in negative territory after a subdued 2024, also impacted by the Red Sea crisis.
- Marseille is expected to slip from its 15th position, overtaken by Las Palmas. The Canary Islands port posted a robust 15.7% increase in container traffic during the first nine months of 2025, following a throughput of 1.32 million TEU in 2024.
- Several EU ports not listed in the top 15 are projected to handle over 1 million TEU in 2025, including Wilhelmshaven, La Spezia, Koper, Klaipeda, Gdynia, and Constanza.
