PERFORMANCE at Australian container ports mostly improved last year, according to the third edition of the global Container Port Performance Index (CPPI).
The CPPI is a data-based comparable index that ranked 348 global container ports – including ports of Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, Botany and Fremantle – according to their efficiency.
The index measures efficiency by the elapsed time between when a ship reaches a port to its departure from the berth having completed its cargo exchange.
World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence, which developed the index, intend the ranking as a way to identify gaps and opportunities for improvement.
Australian industry has in some cases challenged the report’s methodology and conclusions and criticised its use in other industry reports.
The most recent index ranked Port of Melbourne 273, up from 308 in the 2021 report.
Adelaide’s was the only Australian port ranking to have fallen in the latest index, coming in at 277, down from 264 in the previous report.
Port of Brisbane climbed one rank, from 288 in 2021 to 287 last year.
Port Botany’s rank also increased, to 299 in 2022 from 324 in the previous year.
And the port of Fremantle was ranked 310 in the latest report, up from 335 in 3021.
Worldwide, the top three rankings for performance in 2022 were the ports of Yangshan, Salalah and Khalifa, respectively.
“The Yangshan Deep-Water Port enjoyed the greatest year-over-year improvement in performance of the top ports in the CPPI,” S&P Global Market Intelligence director Turlock Mooney said.
“Yangshan managed to reduce ship waiting time by a sizeable three hours per call in 2022 compared with 2021, and berth hours also improved over most call size ranges despite the challenging operating conditions in the first half of the year.
“Yangshan continues to build for the future with ongoing heavy investment in automation and rail connectivity.”
Middle East and North Africa ports performed well again this year, with three ports from the region finishing in the top five: Port of Salalah in Oman ranked second, Khalifa Port in Abu Dhabi came third and Tanger Med ranked fourth.
Ports in Latin America showed improved performance over 2022 with the Colombian Port of Cartagena taking fifth place overall and Ecuador’s Port of Posorja ranking 19th.
In Southeast Asia, the Port of Tanjung Pelepas in Malaysia rose to sixth place this year, with Vietnam’s Cai Mep coming 12th and Singapore port 18th.
In 16th place, the Port of Algeciras in Spain was the highest ranked port in Europe for 2022.
Wilmington, North Carolina (44th) and the Port of Virginia (52nd) are the top ranked ports in North America.
The Port of Berbera, which ranked 144th, was the highest-ranking port in Sub-Saharan Africa.
World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence said many ports in Sub-Saharan Africa continue to experience excessive vessel turnaround time, a persistent risk for supply chain disruption.
“Improving port efficiency is essential for unlocking Africa’s growth and development,” World Bank lead transport economist Martin Humphreys said.
“Africa’s ports are vital gateways for trade and commerce. Their efficient operation is a key determinant in whether Africa achieves its economic potential.”
