Shanghai was the world’s largest container port in 2010, handling 29m TEU compared with Singapore’s 28.4m TEU. Singapore had been leading its rival until April, when Shanghai surged ahead on the back of a strong recovery in Chinese exports and some other specific factors such as hosting the World Expo.

Shanghai also eclipsed Singapore in terms of general cargo handled, processing 650m tonnes compared with the 502m tonnes handled by Singapore.

Singapore downplayed the significance of new ranking, saying that it was largely a transhipment port – around 80 per cent of its business is transhipment – whereas Shanghai principally serves importers and exporters in the rapidly growing Chinese economy.