COSCO SHIPPING Ports records stronger container throughput growth
COSCO SHIPPING Ports Limited reported an 8.5% year-on-year increase in container throughput during the first nine months of 2026, with total volumes reaching approximately 93.91 million TEU.
The company’s latest operating statistics show that container throughput in September reached 11.04 million TEU, representing a 15.7% increase compared with the same month last year.
The third quarter recorded total throughput of 32.60 million TEU, up 9.2% year on year, compared with 31.61 million TEU in the second quarter.
Overseas terminals support growth
COSCO SHIPPING Ports’ overseas terminal portfolio, excluding Container Terminal Tollerort in Hamburg, handled approximately 31.48 million TEU during the first nine months, an increase of 18.9% year on year.
September throughput at overseas terminals reached 3.56 million TEU, up 20.7%.
Piraeus Container Terminal handled approximately 3.09 million TEU between January and September, representing an increase of 1.7% compared with the corresponding period in 2025.
The terminal recorded particularly strong growth in September, with throughput rising 15.3% year on year to approximately 366,600 TEU.
Suez Canal Container Terminal handled approximately 4.70 million TEU during the nine-month period, an increase of 17.3%.
Meanwhile, Antwerp Gateway recorded throughput of approximately 2.02 million TEU, up 7.7%, while COSCO SHIPPING Ports’ Spanish terminals handled approximately 2.93 million TEU, an increase of 4.6%.
Chinese terminal performance remains mixed
In China, the Pearl River Delta remained the company’s largest regional operating segment, handling approximately 23.88 million TEU during the first nine months, up 6.9% year on year.
Yantian International Container Terminals contributed approximately 12.93 million TEU, representing an increase of 9.6%.
The Bohai Rim region, excluding Qingdao Port International, handled approximately 14.06 million TEU, up 3.9%.
Throughput in the Yangtze River Delta reached approximately 13.02 million TEU, an increase of 2.3%.
However, performance varied across individual terminals, reflecting differences in local cargo flows and operating conditions.
September volumes accelerate
The September figures showed stronger growth across several operating regions.
The Pearl River Delta recorded a 22.6% year-on-year increase, while the Southwest Coast region reported growth of 24.9%.
Overseas terminals continued to contribute significantly to the overall increase.
The reported figures cover the company’s disclosed terminal portfolio and exclude Qingdao Port International and Container Terminal Tollerort, which do not publish comparable monthly throughput figures.
