The world’s 19 global terminal operators lifted their equity-adjusted share of container throughput to 49.9% in 2025 and raised capital spending 23% as their volumes outpaced the global market, according to Drewry’s Global Container Terminal Operators Annual Review and Forecast 2026/27.
Global port throughput increased 6.5% year on year to 994m TEU, while GTO volumes rose by an average 8.9%, taking their share up from 48.8% in 2024. PSA International retained first place with 69.9m TEU, up 5.3%, and eight operators achieved double-digit growth.
Recent entrants AD Ports and Adani and hybrid operators CMA CGM, MSC Group, APM Terminals and Hanseatic Global Terminals continued expanding. Spending focused on portfolio growth, infrastructure upgrades, automation and digital capabilities.
The operators are forecast to add 186m TEU of capacity between 2025 and 2030, although joint ownership creates some double counting.
Greenfield projects account for 23% of the projected net increase. MSC Group, CMA CGM, Adani and HGT are each expected to add at least 4m TEU by 2030, with MSC Group and CMA CGM each exceeding 8m TEU.
Concessions awarded during privatisation in the late 1990s and early 2000s are nearing the end of their initial terms. Regulatory barriers have delayed the TiL-BlackRock bid for Hutchison Ports’ international portfolio. Macquarie is taking a 50% stake in Patrick Stevedores through its acquisition of Qube, while Stonepeak and CMA CGM have formed United Ports LLC to acquire CMA Terminal assets.
“While monetisation of terminal assets is not a new strategy, CMA CGM’s deal with Stonepeak demonstrates further that partnership can generate win-win outcomes for investors and operators,” said Eleanor Hadland, Drewry’s senior analyst for ports and terminals.
DP World and MSC Group have investments in all 10 world regions. APM Terminals, Hutchison Ports, CMA CGM and ICTSI operate in nine; PSA International in eight, with no terminal assets in Africa or Oceania; and China Cosco Shipping and Evergreen in seven. No operator widened its geographic reach between 2024 and 2025.
All 19 operators have net-zero commitments dated between 2040 and 2060. Their plans initially focus on energy efficiency and later on lower-carbon fuel, primarily renewable electricity.
PSA International, AD Ports, Adani, APM Terminals, Hanseatic Global Terminals, DP World, Hutchison Ports, ICTSI, China Cosco Shipping and Evergreen are terminal investors or operators in Drewry’s GTO ranking. CMA CGM and MSC Group combine carrier ownership with terminal operations. TiL and BlackRock are bidders for the Hutchison Ports portfolio. Macquarie and Stonepeak are financial investors; Patrick Stevedores is an Australian terminal business linked to Qube; United Ports LLC is the Stonepeak-CMA CGM platform; CMA Terminal is its planned asset portfolio.