Spain’s maritime connectivity index (monthly LSCI)
402.4 points
Change on the previous month
-0.9%
Spain’s world ranking
8th
Best-connected economy
1,347.6 points
What the data say · September 2026
Spain has a maritime connectivity index of 402.4 points in September 2026, 3.6% less than a year earlier, making it the 8th best-connected economy in the world. Compared with the previous month, the index is down 0.9%.
The index uses a base of 100 for the average of all economies in Q1 2023: the higher it is, the more services, carriers, capacity and direct connections.
China ranks first among economies with 1,347.6 points in September 2026 (3.1% more than a year earlier). It is followed by South Korea (633 points) and Singapore (626.7 points).
The largest increases were recorded by Hong Kong (+9.1%), Indonesia (+7.7%) and Panama (+7.2%); the steepest falls by the United Arab Emirates (−38.3%), Egypt (−5.5%) and Türkiye (−5.3%).
The rest of the top ten are the United States of America (4th, 513.6 points, −2.7%), Malaysia (5th, 507.2 points, −3.0%), Vietnam (6th, 492 points, +6.4%), Japan (7th, 411.5 points, −4.5%), Spain (8th, 402.4 points, −3.6%), India (9th, 383.1 points, −5.2%) and the United Kingdom (10th, 383 points, −2.2%).
At the bottom of the table are the United Arab Emirates (195.9 points), the Philippines (187.4 points) and Greece (173 points), out of a total of 30 economies with data.
The highest point in the series was January 2026, at 421.2, and the lowest September 2026, at 402.4.
Top 10 · Best-connected economies by sea in September 2026 (monthly LSCI)
Spain’s connectivity index, month by month
Full table · 30 economies
| # | Economies | LSCI index | YoY change | Monthly change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 1,347.6 | +3.1% | +0.4% |
| 2 | South Korea | 633 | +1.2% | −0.4% |
| 3 | Singapore | 626.7 | +1.2% | −0.4% |
| 4 | United States of America | 513.6 | −2.7% | +2.6% |
| 5 | Malaysia | 507.2 | −3.0% | +0.6% |
| 6 | Vietnam | 492 | +6.4% | +1.0% |
| 7 | Japan | 411.5 | −4.5% | −0.4% |
| 8 | Spain | 402.4 | −3.6% | −0.9% |
| 9 | India | 383.1 | −5.2% | +0.6% |
| 10 | United Kingdom | 383 | −2.2% | +0.5% |
| 11 | Netherlands | 376.5 | −1.1% | +1.4% |
| 12 | Hong Kong | 371.5 | +9.1% | +1.0% |
| 13 | Belgium | 348.1 | +2.8% | +0.8% |
| 14 | Germany | 325.6 | +1.1% | +0.1% |
| 15 | Taiwan | 325 | −2.9% | +1.6% |
| 16 | Türkiye | 297.5 | −5.3% | −0.1% |
| 17 | Italy | 282.8 | −3.3% | −2.5% |
| 18 | Thailand | 282.7 | +2.2% | +5.7% |
| 19 | Sri Lanka | 272.2 | +2.9% | +1.6% |
| 20 | Egypt | 268.6 | −5.5% | +3.3% |
| 21 | France | 265.7 | +2.8% | +1.6% |
| 22 | Morocco | 263.5 | +5.5% | +0.9% |
| 23 | Indonesia | 257.9 | +7.7% | −0.8% |
| 24 | Saudi Arabia | 232.4 | −3.6% | +16.7% |
| 25 | Panama | 224.8 | +7.2% | +2.8% |
| 26 | Colombia | 211.5 | +3.5% | −0.1% |
| 27 | Mexico | 203.7 | +5.9% | +1.7% |
| 28 | United Arab Emirates | 195.9 | −38.3% | +1.8% |
| 29 | Philippines | 187.4 | +2.8% | 0.0% |
| 30 | Greece | 173 | 0.0% | +0.9% |
What this indicator measures
UNCTAD’s monthly Liner Shipping Connectivity Index (monthly LSCI) measures each month how integrated an economy is in the global network of container services: calls, deployed capacity, number of services and carriers, size of the largest ship and countries with a direct connection. It uses the same scale as the quarterly index (average of all economies in Q1 2023 = 100), so both can be read together. Being monthly, it picks up changes in routes and calls earlier.
Context
Spain is among the world’s ten best-connected economies and first in the European Union, thanks to Algeciras, Valencia and Barcelona, which concentrate transhipment services between Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas. Ahead of it are China, South Korea, Singapore, the United States and Malaysia. The series is monthly from January 2023; from 2006 to 2022 UNCTAD only provides quarterly data. There is no monthly version by port.
Frequently asked questions
What is Spain’s maritime connectivity index this month?
402.4 points in September 2026, 8th in the world, 3.6% less than a year earlier.
Which country has the best maritime connectivity in the world?
China, with 1,347.6 points in September 2026.
Which three countries are best connected by sea?
China (1,347.6 points), South Korea (633 points) and Singapore (626.7 points) in September 2026.
When is this data updated?
UNCTAD publishes the data every month. Latest data available: September 2026.
Source
UNCTAD. To explore the data in detail, use Connectivity month by month or see the original source.