Shanghai, October 8 — China’s dominance in the global liner shipping sector continues to grow, with the country’s Liner Shipping Connectivity Index reaching 1,347.6 in September 2026, according to data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). China’s lead over second-ranked South Korea (633.0) and Singapore (626.7) has persisted since 2023, with UNCTAD noting that China’s connectivity advantage remained durable and increased over the period. South Korea and Singapore, despite modest month-to-month declines, remained above their levels from a year earlier.
In the regional ranking, eight Asian economies — South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, India, Hong Kong, and Taiwan — were among the world’s 15 best-connected economies in the third quarter of 2026. The United States ranked fourth and Malaysia fifth globally in September 2026, with both showing index increases from August 2026 but remaining below their September 2025 levels.
At the regional level, the United States led North America, Spain led Europe, Egypt led Africa, and Panama led Latin America and the Caribbean. China and Panama improved their connectivity from a year earlier, while the United States, Spain, and Egypt remained regional leaders despite declines in their index values. Smaller and less-connected economies exhibited the sharpest percentage swings in the third quarter of 2026, with Venezuela posting the largest increase at 91.4%, followed by Saint Pierre and Miquelon at 89.3% and Syria at 79.7%.
In contrast, Qatar recorded the steepest decline at 65.3% due to Persian Gulf hostilities, followed by Bahrain at 60.6% and Iraq at 56%. UNCTAD observed that connectivity losses outnumbered gains in the quarter, reflecting uneven changes across national shipping networks, and cautioned that percentage movements can be more pronounced for countries starting from low connectivity levels.
In terms of bilateral links, China’s connections with South Korea, Singapore, and Malaysia were among the five strongest globally in the first quarter of 2026, underscoring the dominance of China-centered Asian links in liner shipping. Two European short-sea links — United Kingdom-Belgium and United Kingdom-Netherlands — also remained in the global top five, having once been the world’s strongest bilateral liner-shipping connections.
