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Top-15 EU container ports in H1 2026
By Theo Notteboom Mixed growth performance among the top 15 EU container ports in the first half of 2026: The combined container throughput of the three largest EU ports declined by 1.5% in H1 2026. While Hamburg recorded a robust 7.3% year-on-year increase in 2025, it was unable to sustain this growth momentum during the first half of 2026. Container volumes in Rotterdam and Antwerp-Bruges proved relatively resilient and were less affected by the slowdown. The revival of other ports in the German port system continues. Bremerhaven...
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Geopolitical leverage through the international activities of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) in ports and maritime logistics
In their latest port study, PortEconomics co-directors Peter de Langen and Thanos Pallis examine the leverage that countries develop over others through international investments of their State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) in ports and maritime logistics. Seaports serving international trade are pivotal connections between national economies and the world, and critical nodes in global logistics networks. Influence in a foreign port is a potential source of geopolitical leverage. SOEs have long been active in ports, shipping, and...
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European ports: The need to avoid the great divide
By Thanos Pallis European ports have recently been at the centre of attention. Serving 3.4 billion tonnes of goods and 395 million passengers per year, they handle around 74% of Europe’s external trade via three million port calls. Their strategic importance as essential interfaces between the European economy and international markets, and as lifelines for islands, coastal, and outermost regions, is undeniable. Recognising this importance, the European Commission published a document in March 2026 aimed at developing a...
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Maritime and port strategies as state policies: an introductory approach
By Ricardo Sánchez (Universidad de los Andes, Colombia, Kühne Professorial Chair in Logistics, School of Management) and Martín Sánchez-Salvá (Universidad Nacional de San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina) Core concepts and distinctions A national maritime strategy is a high-level policy set out primarily by a conceptual framework document, designed to guide action towards a long-term vision for the maritime sector; it sets priorities and organizes goals and instruments aimed at competitiveness, efficiency, security,...
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Global port integrity platform: A data-driven Assessment of Port Integrity Worldwide
What is the relevance of port integrity to fighting corruption in ports and shipping? What is the current situation of port integrity? Corruption in ports remains one of the most persistent and least visible disruptions to global maritime trade. It creates delays, increases costs, and erodes trust between authorities and operators. PortEconomics members Thanos Pallis and Gordon Wilmsmeier invite you to read the 2nd GPIP White Paper: Global Port Integrity Platform (GPIP) - A Data-Driven Assessment of Port Integrity...
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IAPH World Ports Tracker 2026 reveals state of global port sustainability
Feedback from global ports handling more than 8.6 billion tons of maritime cargo gives a clear picture of a sector committed to steady sustainability attainment but wary of growing security threats Despite regulatory uncertainty and political headwinds, decarbonisation plans by the world’s leading ports do not appear materially changed in 2026, IAPH’s World Ports Tracker 2026 reveals. The status of IMO’s Net Zero Framework has been in doubt since October last year, yet more than half of world ports are ‘going the extra...
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