Singapore has been ranked the world's leading container port in the first edition of the Leading Container Ports of the World (LCP) report, produced by DNV and Menon Economics, reports Singapore's Splash 247.

The new index provides a rival to the World Bank and S&P Global's benchmark, with Shanghai and Ningbo-Zhoushan placed second and third, followed by Rotterdam and Busan in the top five.

The LCP report assessed 160 ports against 35 indicators grouped into five pillars: enablers, connectivity and customer value, productivity, sustainability and overall impact. Metrics included throughput volumes, berth productivity, emissions per TEU and alternative fuel availability.

Erik Jakobsen, chairman of Menon Economics, said leading ports are expanding capacity while embedding automation and digital tools into daily operations. He noted investments in cleaner energy and integrated transport links are helping ports adapt to new demands.

Regional leaders highlighted in the report include New York & New Jersey, Hamburg, Tanger Med, Jebel Ali and Sydney.

The World Bank's Container Port Performance Index, published in September, ranked Shanghai first among 403 ports worldwide, with Singapore absent from the top 10.