First port in Europe · CPPI score
121.9 points
First Spanish port · world rank
12th
Ports in Europe assessed
102 ports
Edition
2025
What the data say · CPPI 2025
In the 2025 edition of the World Bank’s port efficiency index, Algeciras (Spain), 12th in the world, is the best-placed port in Europe. It is followed by Aarhus (Denmark), 33rd in the world, and Barcelona (Spain), 34th in the world.
The index assesses 102 ports in Europe in this edition; the table shows the top 50. It measures the total time a container ship spends in port, adjusted for ship size and the moves per call: it is a ranking of efficiency, not of cargo volume.
By country, the top twenty positions break down as follows: Türkiye (10), Spain (4) and United Kingdom (2); the remaining 4 positions go to 4 different countries.
The best-placed Spanish ports are Algeciras (1st in Europe and 12th in the world), Barcelona (3rd in Europe and 34th in the world), Santa Cruz de Tenerife (9th in Europe and 86th in the world) and Las Palmas (20th in Europe and 139th in the world). The index assesses 17 Spanish ports.
Of the 100 ports in Europe that were already in the previous edition, 31 improve their world rank and 68 drop.
Among the top 50, the ports that gain the most places on the previous edition are Santa Cruz de Tenerife (+134), Gijón (+97) and Nemrut Bay (+93); those that lose the most, Piraeus (−135), Nantes (−106) and Limassol (−74).
Top 10 · Ports in Europe in the CPPI 2025
What this indicator measures
The Container Port Performance Index (CPPI), produced by the World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence, measures every year the time a container ship spends in each port, from arrival at the anchorage to departure, adjusted for ship size and the number of moves per call. The less time, the better the position. It is a ranking of operational efficiency, not of volume: a mid-sized port that turns ships around quickly can rank above a much larger one that suffers congestion.
Full table · 50 ports
Context
The large ports of northern Europe have ranked modestly in recent editions because of terminal congestion, while several ports in the south and the Baltic are better placed. The list brings together ports in the continent’s coastal states, Türkiye and the United Kingdom, ordered by their world rank.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the most efficient port in Europe?
Algeciras (Spain), 12th in the world, in the CPPI 2025.
Which three ports hold the top positions?
Algeciras (Spain), Aarhus (Denmark) and Barcelona (Spain), in the CPPI 2025.
Where do Spanish ports rank?
The best-placed Spanish ports are Algeciras (1st in Europe and 12th in the world), Barcelona (3rd in Europe and 34th in the world), Santa Cruz de Tenerife (9th in Europe and 86th in the world) and Las Palmas (20th in Europe and 139th in the world).
When is this data updated?
World Bank and S&P Global (CPPI) publish one edition a year. Latest data available: CPPI 2025.
Source
World Bank and S&P Global (CPPI). To explore the data in detail, use Port Efficiency or see the original source.