Recently, PortEconomics member Theo Notteboom released a new analysis report covering the of the top 15 EU container ports in the first nine months of 2025.

The report confirms the strong economic recovery in 2024 a difficult 2023, with a shift in the growth pattern.

Gdańsk, Gioia Tauro and Bremerhaven achieve double-digit

So far in 2025, only three ports have achieved double-digit growth.

Gdańsk leads the market with an impressive increase of 1.7%, thanks to the commissioning of a new terminal at the Baltic hub. Gioia Tauro continues to grow, due to the ongoing investment and-scale operations by Mediterranean Shipping. Bremerhaven is also ahead of a 10% increase, with its position in the annual ranking expected to rise from 7th to5th by the end of the year.

Hamburg performs strongly

Hamburg reports an 8.4% year-on-year increase, outperforming Rotdam and Antwerp-Bruges. This result appears as a significant improvement after several years of slower progress. The growth is supported by more port calls under the new all (especially Gemini) and the arrival of a foreign terminal operator.

This positive trend suggests a revitalization of the German port system. Wilhelmshaven welcomed its oneth TEU on 18 September 2025, and Bremerhaven is also doing well.

Southern European ports grow more slowly after record 224

Several ports in southern Europe struggle to repeat the excellent performance of 2024. Last year's achievements were supported by the redirection of vessels to the Red Sea crisis.

Valencia's container handling volume grew by only 3.7%. Algeciras and Barcelona both experienced a decline in their handling volumes. A decrease is also seen from the Portuguese Sines, which saw a peak in 2024.

French and Italian ports performance mixed

French Le Havre and Marseille grew more slowly in 2025 than in 2024. The port of Genoa performs better, with an increase from2.9% in 2024 to 5.4% in the first nine months of 2025.

Greece's Piraus remains in negative territory after a difficult 2024. The Red Sea situation continues to affect its performance.

Las Palmas climbs, Marseille top 15

Marseille is expected to exit the top 15 EU container ports, while Las Palmas advances one position. The Canary Islands hub reports robust 15.7% increase in its container volume in the first three quarters of 2025, with a total throughput of 1.32 million TE in 2024.

Other strong performers outside the top 15

Several EU ports outside the top 15 are expected to exceed 1 TEU in container volume in 2025. This includes Wilhelmshaven, La Spezia, Koper, Klaipeda, Gdynia, Constanţa. This trend highlights the more widespread nature of container shipping in Europe.