China further extended its dominant position in global liner-shipping connectivity in September 2026, according to the latest data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
China’s Liner Shipping Connectivity Index (LSCI) reached 1,347.6 in September, more than double the scores recorded by South Korea (633.0) and Singapore (626.7), which ranked second and third, respectively.
The UNCTAD index measures how deeply a country is integrated into global container-shipping networks. It takes into account several factors, including vessel calls, port capacity, the availability of carriers and services, the largest ship size handled and the number of countries accessible through direct shipping services.
The latest figures once again highlight the central role played by Asia in global liner shipping. China remained the region’s leading market, while eight Asian economies South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, India, Hong Kong and Taiwan ranked among the world’s 15 best-connected economies in the third quarter, UNCTAD reported.
China’s connectivity advantage remains firmly established
China’s lead in liner-shipping connectivity has proven durable since 2023 and continued to widen through September, UNCTAD said.
South Korea and Singapore maintained their strong positions despite modest month-to-month declines. Both countries, however, still recorded connectivity levels above those seen one year earlier.
The United States and Malaysia occupied fourth and fifth place, respectively. Their September index readings increased compared with August, although both remained below their September 2025 levels. The figures therefore point to an improvement over the immediate month without a complete year-over-year recovery.
Regional leaders also remained broadly unchanged. The United States recorded the highest connectivity in North America, while Spain led Europe, Egypt led Africa and Panama ranked first in Latin America and the Caribbean.
China and Panama recorded improvements compared with the same period a year earlier. The United States, Spain and Egypt retained their respective regional leadership positions despite declines in their index values.
Smaller markets experience the sharpest swings
The third-quarter figures also show a significant difference between major shipping hubs and smaller, less-connected markets.
According to UNCTAD, major hub economies generally experienced relatively limited year-over-year changes, while smaller markets recorded the largest percentage movements in liner-shipping connectivity.
Venezuela posted the strongest increase compared with the third quarter of 2025, with connectivity rising 91.4%. Saint Pierre and Miquelon followed with an 89.3% increase, while Syria recorded a 79.7% rise.
The sharpest declines were concentrated in the Persian Gulf region amid hostilities. Qatar recorded the largest fall, at 65.3%, followed by Bahrain, down 60.6%, and Iraq, down 56%.
Overall, UNCTAD said that connectivity losses outnumbered gains during the third quarter, reflecting uneven changes across national shipping networks.
The agency also cautioned that percentage changes should be interpreted in context. A large percentage increase or decrease does not necessarily correspond to a similarly large absolute change, particularly in countries whose connectivity starts from a relatively low base.
Asian shipping links remain heavily China-centered
The strongest bilateral liner-shipping relationships recorded in the first quarter of 2026 were largely concentrated among geographically close trading economies, with Asia accounting for a particularly important share.
China’s connections with South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia were among the five strongest bilateral liner-shipping relationships worldwide, according to UNCTAD.
The agency noted that China-related shipping connections across Asia have strengthened considerably over the past two decades. These links now exceed many other bilateral liner-shipping corridors in terms of connectivity.
Two European short-sea routes also remained among the global top five: United Kingdom-Belgium and United Kingdom-Netherlands.
UNCTAD noted that these European connections once ranked as the strongest bilateral liner-shipping relationships in the world, underlining the long-term evolution of global container-shipping networks and the growing weight of China-centered Asian trade links.
