The Xinhua-Baltic International Shipping Centre Development Index, published by Chinese news agency, Xinhua, and global maritime data provider, the Baltic Exchange, has ranked Singapore as the top global shipping center for the eighth year running.
The index is an independent ranking of the performance of locations around the world that provide port and professional services to the shipping industry. Overall, 43 locations were rated with Singapore achieving a score of 97.2. The average score for a location was 58.8 points.
Singapore has been rated as the top location due to the size of its port, number of internationally-focused shipbrokers, financiers, lawyers and insurers based there and its supportive government policies.
Despite a significant drop in global trade and business disruptions in 2020 due to the pandemic, the relative positions of the world’s leading maritime centers have remained unchanged. London, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Dubai were the next four strongest centers, as they were the prior year.
The rankings take in port factors including cargo throughput, number of cranes, length of container berths and port draught; number of players in maritime support businesses such as shipbroking, ship management, ship financing, insurance and law as well as hull underwriting premiums; and general business environment factors such as customs tariffs, extent of electronic government services and administration, ease of doing business and logistics performance.
Chief Executive of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, Quah Ley Hoon, said: “Singapore is honored to once again top this prestigious index of global maritime locations. It is an effort of not one but an eco-system of many strong partners. The strong support from our port operators, industry partners, associations and unions has enabled Maritime Singapore to serve the needs of the sector and play its part to keep the global supply chain running amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We will continue to work closely with our partners to provide a comprehensive suite of marine services, as well as a supportive business environment for shipping and maritime services. This includes supporting the industry on its immediate challenges facing seacrew, and its transformation along digitalization, decarbonization and capability development.”
