Ports by Country: Major Seaports of the World (2026)
A curated directory of the world's seaports, organised by country and region — with port codes, cities, port types
and instant freight-quote links. Backed by the Ecer Freight database of 10,474 ports in 238 countries.
This directory details 71 countries — every major maritime trading nation — grouped into 8 world regions.
For each country you get its principal ports (name, code, city, type) plus a link to the complete national list.
Countries are ordered by indexed port count within each region.
Maritime infrastructure follows trade. The distribution below shows where the world's 10,474 indexed
ports sit — Europe and Asia hold nearly 70% of entries, while every region depends on a handful of gateway ports for the majority of
its volume. Jump to a region for its country-by-country port list.
World ports by region — Ecer Freight Ports Database, October 2026
Asia dominates world shipping: home to the busiest container ports on the planet — Shanghai, Singapore, Ningbo-Zhoushan and Shenzhen — and to six of the global top ten. The region's 2,914 indexed ports span China's manufacturing coastline, Japan's island network and the fast-growing gateways of India, Southeast Asia and the Gulf.
Europe's 4,234 indexed ports include the continent's two largest container gateways, Rotterdam and Antwerp-Bruges, plus dense ferry and short-sea networks across the Mediterranean, Baltic and North Sea. The United Kingdom (730) and Norway (616) lead the region by port count — a legacy of coastline, islands and fjords.
The United States and Canada together account for 866 indexed ports. The US leads the NGA World Port Index with 666 major seaports; its key gateways are Los Angeles/Long Beach, New York-New Jersey, Savannah and Houston, while Vancouver and Prince Rupert anchor Canada's Pacific trade.
The 506 indexed ports of Central America and the Caribbean sit on the world's most strategic transshipment lanes. The Panama Canal joins two oceans, and hubs like Kingston, Freeport and Caucedo relay containers between Asia, Europe and the Americas.
South America's 646 ports line two ocean coasts and the River Plate. Santos (Brazil) is Latin America's largest port; Valparaiso and San Antonio serve Chile, Buenos Aires and Rosario handle Argentina's grain exports, and Cartagena anchors the Caribbean coast.
The Middle East's 309 indexed ports ring the Arabian Peninsula and the eastern Mediterranean. Jebel Ali (Dubai) is the world's 9th-busiest container port, and the region's hubs refuel and relay cargo between Asia, Europe and Africa.
Africa's 551 indexed ports serve 56 countries and territories. Tanger Med (Morocco) is now the Mediterranean's largest container port; Port Said and Alexandria guard the Suez approaches; Lagos (Apapa/Tin Can) and Durban lead sub-Saharan trade.
Oceania's 448 indexed ports cover Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific islands. Australia's bulk trades (iron ore, coal, LNG) make Port Hedland one of the world's largest ports by tonnage, while Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland lead container volumes.
Every code in this directory follows the UN/LOCODE pattern: two letters for the country (ISO 3166-1 alpha-2) plus
three for the location. CN SHA Shanghai · US LGB Long Beach ·
NL RTM Rotterdam. The same code appears on bills of lading, letters of credit, customs declarations and
container-tracking systems.
Main ports vs regional ports
Rows tagged Main Port are the primary commercial gateways of their country — the ones ocean
carriers call directly on major routes. Regional ports handle feeder traffic, bulk commodities or
local trades, and are usually reached via transshipment from a main port.
Why one city can have several codes
Large port complexes are split across terminals and districts with distinct codes: New York–New Jersey spans several; Shanghai
includes the Yangshan deep-water island district; Los Angeles (USLAX area) and Long Beach (USLGB) are neighbouring but separate
ports. Always quote the terminal-level code your carrier uses.
How we source the data
Port entries come from the Ecer Freight Ports Database (10,474 ports, 238 countries), compiled from port
authority registries, nautical references and AIS data, and cross-checked against the NGA World Port Index and UN/LOCODE. Selection
for this directory: main ports first, then the largest regional ports, deduplicated by name and city.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country has the most seaports in the world?
By major seaports, the United States — 666 in the NGA World Port Index 2024, ahead of Canada (284) and the United Kingdom (185). Counting every indexed port, terminal and harbour, Japan leads the Ecer Freight database with 1,330 entries, followed by the United Kingdom (730), Norway (616), China (475) and the United States (467).
How do I find the port code for a specific port?
Look it up in the country tables on this page — every port row shows its code (e.g. Shanghai = CNSHA, Rotterdam = NLRTM, Long Beach = USLGB). You can also search any port name or code on the port search page, or open the country list for the complete national inventory.
Are these codes official UN/LOCODE identifiers?
They follow the UN/LOCODE five-letter structure (2-letter ISO country code + 3-letter location code), the same format used on bills of lading and customs documents. A small number of entries reflect long-standing commercial variants used consistently in booking systems — for legally binding documents, verify against the current UNECE UN/LOCODE issuance (2026).
What is the difference between a seaport, a river port and a dry port?
A seaport sits on the coast and handles ocean-going vessels. A river port lies on a navigable river — often far inland, like ports on the Yangtze or the Rhine — and feeds seaports via barges. A dry port (inland port) has no water access at all: it is an inland intermodal terminal connected to a seaport by rail or road, used to relieve congestion and move customs clearance closer to cargo owners.
How many ports are listed for each country here?
Up to ten principal ports per country — main ports first, then the largest regional ports, deduplicated by name and city. 71 countries are detailed this way. The complete national inventory (all 10,474 indexed ports across 238 countries) is linked from every country heading.
Can I get freight quotes for the ports listed here?
Yes. Each country heading links to its full port list on Ecer Freight, where every port offers instant FCL/LCL ocean-freight, air and rail quotes from major origins. Individual port rows link to the port detail page with the same quote tools.
How often is this directory updated?
The underlying database is reviewed quarterly; this directory is regenerated whenever port entries, country counts or external references (NGA WPI, UN/LOCODE) change. Last verified: October 20, 2026.
Methodology & Sources
Selection. For each of the 71 detailed countries we list up to ten principal ports: entries flagged as main ports
come first, followed by the largest regional ports, deduplicated by name and city. All counts reference the full Ecer Freight database
(10,474 entries, 238 countries and territories, October 2026).
Sources (retrieved and verified October 20, 2026):
Ecer Freight Ports Database (first-party) — Index of 10,474 sea ports, river ports and terminals across 238 countries and territories, compiled from port authority registries, nautical references and AIS data; reviewed quarterly. http://test.56ok.com/port.html
U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) — World Port Index 2024 — 3,436 major seaports in 188 countries; the standard reference for navigable major ports. msi.nga.mil/Publications/WPI
UNECE — UN/LOCODE (2026 issuance) — United Nations Code for Trade and Transport Locations: 114,000+ locations in 249 countries. unece.org/trade/cefact/unlocode-code-list
Ministry of Transport of the People's Republic of China — 2025 Statistical Bulletin on Port Industry Development — cargo throughput 18.338 billion tonnes (+4.2%), containers 354 million TEU (+6.8%), 22,346 productive berths. www.mot.gov.cn/
About this data. Compiled and maintained by the Ecer Freight Logistics Research Team, practising
international freight forwarders handling FCL and LCL ocean shipments, air freight and rail cargo worldwide. Port counts, codes and
statistics on this page are cross-checked against the authoritative sources listed above and reviewed quarterly; the database was
last verified on October 20, 2026.
Spotted an error or a missing port? Use the search box above or contact Ecer Freight through the site contact page — corrections
are typically published within one review cycle.
Ecer Freight · Ports by Country: Major Seaports of the World · Data reviewed quarterly ·
Last updated October 20, 2026 · For global rankings and statistics see World Port Statistics
