Source: Drewry Shipping Consultants.

Port TEU Movements, 1985-2008

The growth of containers handled by ports has been remarkable. The composition of this growth reveals an growing share of the function of transshipment and an enduring share of the movement of empty containers in the range of 20% of all containers handled. While the transshipment incidence was around 17% in 1990, it climbed to more than 28% in 2008. This reflects a growing complexity of the maritime network and the trade interactions it supports.