-
The Middle East conflict takes major toll on sea ports in the region with container volumes plummeting in the first half of the year, according to preliminary data from AXS Marine’s Alphaliner
-
US tariff policy also influenced container traffic as shippers respond to the volatility
-
Container throughput at Dubai’s Jebel Ali port dropped by over 90% to just 374,000 TEU in the second quarter of the year while first first six months total was less than half of the 7.77 million TEU in the first six months of 2025
-
Abu Dhabi’s Khalifa Seaport also saw a major contraction of at least 50%
-
China ports continued to hold six places in the top 10, including Shanghai at first spot
-
Other major rank movements involved Colombo in Sri Lanka, which rose to 20th place from 26; Nhava Sheva in India, climbing to 21 from 28; and Jakarta in Indonesia to 23 from 27
The continuing Middle East crisis, triggered by the United States-Israel attack on Iran in end-February, has taken a major toll on sea ports in the region with container volumes plummeting in the first half of the year, according to preliminary data from AXS Marine’s Alphaliner.
US tariff policy also influenced container traffic as shippers respond to the volatility.
“A review of the top-30 ports at the half-year mark shows the widespread impact of geopolitical trends on the global container market, as carriers adjusted their networks in reaction to the Middle East conflict and shippers responded to the US tariff policy,” Alphaliner wrote in a LinkedIn post giving highlights to its latest report in Liner shipping.
READ: Global logistics face major disruption as Middle East crisis escalates
With the closure and erratic reopening of the Strait of Hormuz since March, container throughput at Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port dropped by over 90% to just 374,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) in the second quarter of the year.
Combining the April-June volume with the first quarter’s 3.14 million TEU, which was 23% lower year on year, Dubai’s flagship port handled less than half of the 7.77 million TEU recorded in the first six months of 2025.
As such, Jebel Ali, which was the 10th busiest port in the world as of end-2025, fell to 32nd place as of end-June 2026.
READ: DP World revenue up 13.1% in H1 despite Middle East disruption
Abu Dhabi’s Khalifa Seaport also saw a major contraction, according to Alphaliner.
“Operator AD Ports did not release official figures, but based on wider group results, it is thought volumes fell at least 50%, pushing Khalifa out of the top-50 from its previous position at 32nd,” it said.
In 2025, Khalifa Seaport saw a year-on-year growth of 21.4%, challenging Lianyungang in China for a top-30 place.
Other ports
China ports continued to hold six places in the top 10, including Shanghai at first spot, handling 28.7 million TEU in the first half this year, a 6.2% growth from 27.1 million TEU in the same period 2025.
Singapore dropped to third from second place despite a 4.7% growth in throughput. Ningbo-Zhoushan took the second spot with an 8.8% increase.
South Korea’s Busan also dropped one spot to eighth, switching ranks with Tianjin.
Other major rank movements involved Colombo in Sri Lanka, which rose to 20th place from 26, and Nhava Sheva in India, climbing to 21 from 28. Jakarta in Indonesia also rose to 23 from 27.
Drops were seen In Hamburg, Germany to 27 from 23; Kaohsiung in Taiwan to 24 from 22; and Mundra, India to 26 from 24.
