Port of Ningbo Hits All-Time Peak with 2.67 Trillion Yuan in Import and Export Volume for 2025

 

 

Introduction

In 2025, the Port of Ningbo-Zhoushan handled cargo throughput exceeding 1.4 billion tonnes, maintaining its position as the world's busiest port for 17 consecutive years, while container throughput surpassed 43 million TEUs, firmly holding the third-largest ranking globally. These robust figures reflect the tireless dedication and continuous improvement efforts of the Port of Ningbo's foreign trade professionals, as well as the efficient collaboration and smart operations of all port entities.

Port of Ningbo's 2025 Import-Export Results

 

 

Port of Ningbo-Zhoushan Port Operations. Photo by Wu Mengkai

 

 

According to statistics from Ningbo Customs, the Port of Ningbo's declared import and export volume reached 2.67 trillion yuan in 2025, up 5% year-on-year, establishing a new all-time record following the 2.5 trillion yuan breakthrough in 2024. Export volume surpassed 2 trillion yuan for the first time, reaching 2.02 trillion yuan with 8.1% growth, while imports totaled 650.66 billion yuan, declining 3.4%. In December alone, imports, exports, and total trade all registered year-on-year increases.

1. Operating Enterprises

Private enterprises have emerged as the mainstay of the Port of Ningbo's foreign trade, with their principal position further consolidated. In 2025, private enterprises at the Port of Ningbo achieved import and export volume of 2.06 trillion yuan, growing 8%, outpacing the port's overall growth rate by 3 percentage points. Their share of total port trade rose 2.1 percentage points to 77%, driving 6 percentage points of the port's overall trade growth.

2. Enterprise Location

The port's regional influence on surrounding regions has further strengthened. In 2025, enterprises from other locations within Zhejiang Province achieved import and export volume of 1.02 trillion yuan through the Port of Ningbo, reaching the trillion-yuan threshold for the first time with 7.3% growth, contributing over half—53.7%—of the port's overall trade expansion. Exports from these enterprises totaled 955.54 billion yuan, up 8%. Meanwhile, Ningbo-based enterprises recorded import-export volume of 972.93 billion yuan through the port, growing 2.3% and accounting for 36.4% of total trade. Enterprises from outside the province achieved import-export volume of 680.53 billion yuan, expanding 5.8% and marking 25.5% of the total.

3. Key Markets

The consolidation and expansion of both traditional and emerging markets have driven sustained growth at the Port of Ningbo. In 2025, the Port of Ningbo's import and export trade with the European Union and ASEAN amounted to 479.53 billion yuan and 313.69 billion yuan respectively, each rising 11% and 19.3%. Combined, they accounted for nearly 30% of the port's total foreign trade and contributed 76.6% to overall trade growth. During the same period, trade with the United States came in at 367.49 billion yuan, declining 17.1%—a drop of nearly one-fifth—with its share falling 3.7 percentage points to 13.7% year-on-year. In 2025, import and export trade with countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) reached 1.43 trillion yuan, up 11.5%, while trade with emerging markets including Latin America and Africa registered growth of 10.8% and 14.7% respectively.

4. Export Products

Electromechanical and labor-intensive products form the primary pillars of the Port of Ningbo's exports. In 2025, the Port of Ningbo exported 1.09 trillion yuan of electromechanical products, up 10.6%, and 569.33 billion yuan of labor-intensive products, up 6.5%. Combined, these two categories accounted for over 90% of export growth at the port. Particularly noteworthy is the performance of "new three" products—electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries, and photovoltaic products: electric vehicle exports surged 305.8% while lithium-ion battery exports jumped 129.1% in 2025.

5. Import Products

Multiple product categories achieved counter-cyclical growth in imports. In 2025, the Port of Ningbo imported 57.4 billion yuan of electromechanical products, up 5.2%, with computers and components, audio and video equipment and components, and flat-panel display modules expanding 40.9%, 40.3%, and 12.1% respectively. Over the same period, imports of unwrought copper and copper materials were 638,000 tonnes valued at 43.24 billion yuan, up 6.1%. Furthermore, imports of bulk commodities including iron ore and concentrates, coal and lignite, natural gas, and crude oil declined to varying degrees, falling 6%, 41.1%, 28%, and 2.1% respectively.

 

 

Ningbo Customs Officers Conduct Research Visit at an Enterprise. Photo by Hong Ying

 

 

In 2026, Ningbo Customs will continue advancing the Smart Customs operations and the "Smart Customs for Stronger Nation" initiative, further deepening the "Pro-Business Direct Access: Enterprise-Demand-Oriented Response" enterprise development mechanism. The authority will optimize services to help foreign trade enterprises achieve sustained growth, injecting continuous momentum into high-quality foreign trade development through concrete action, laying a solid foundation for the Port of Ningbo's foreign trade advancement, and ensuring a good start to the 15th Five-Year Plan period.

 

 

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Disclaimer：The above content is translated from Chinese version of Ningbo Customs. The Ningbo Customs version shall prevail.