Shanghai Port set a new record by handling 5.135 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) in September 2026. This significant increase was due to the coordinated and efficient efforts of port managers to reduce backlog and improve loading and unloading operations.
Impact of Storms and Operational Challenges
Shanghai Port's operations were affected by three powerful storms since July, causing disruptions and increasing pressure on loading and unloading systems. This situation contributed to increased demand for exports and congestion on ships. For example, the Port of Los Angeles also recorded its best month in history in September with over 1 million TEUs.
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Improvement Efforts and Return to Normal Conditions
The Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG) worked to resolve temporary issues caused by the storms by optimizing loading and unloading operations and coordinating with shipping companies to consolidate shipments. As a result, Shanghai Port achieved a daily average of 171,000 TEUs in September. One of the terminals, Mingdong Terminal, set a new record by handling 30,056 TEUs in a 24-hour period.
Operations at Shanghai Port have fully returned to normal. SIPG reported that all docks and various sections continued their activities during the Chinese National Day holiday (from October 1 to 3), during which 1.15 million TEUs were handled, showing a 1.3 percent increase compared to last year.
These successes at Shanghai Port demonstrate a high capacity for automation and organization of production to manage large volumes of cargo. Despite these advancements, analysts still identified Shanghai Port as having the highest number of anchored ships in Asia, with 114 ships on October 10 and 82 more stationed at the docks.
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