China: Liner shipping connectivity index (maximum value in 2004 = 100)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2021, China's liner shipping connectivity index (maximum value in 2004 = 100) rose 8.81 on 2020 (from 162.37 to 171.18).

Across the 14 yearly changes before that (2007 to 2020), the average change was +3.98 and a typical year strayed about 4.14 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.2 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 11.19 in 2007 and the biggest yearly fall was 2.43 in 2016. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2012 to 2021 the straight-line trend is upward, about 4.09 a year. A straight line explains 93% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

A straight-line projection, tested first

Extending that straight line gives about 175.58 for 2024. We show this only because the same method, fitted on earlier years, predicted 2019 to 2021 better than "no change" would have: its average miss was 6.89, against 10.68 for assuming no change. Treat it as a continuation of the recent pattern, not a forecast of events: it cannot see a recession, a policy change or a revision to the data.

See how a linear trend forecast works and the guide on forecasting without fooling yourself.

How it compares

In 2021, China had the 1st highest value of the 164 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to China in the 2021 ranking

• Korea, Rep. — 2nd of 164: 111.25
• Singapore — 3rd of 164: 110.68
• United States — 4th of 164: 102.61

What this measures

The Liner Shipping Connectivity Index captures how well countries are connected to global shipping networks. It is computed by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) based on five components of the maritime transport sector: number of ships, their container-carrying capacity, maximum vessel size, number of services, and number of companies that deploy container ships in a country's ports. For each component a country's value is divided by the maximum value of each component in 2004, the five components are averaged for each country, and the average is divided by the maximum average for 2004 and multiplied by 100. The index generates a value of 100 for the country with the highest average index in 2004. . The underlying data come from Containerisation International Online.

Limitations: Data on trade facilitation are drawn from research by private and international agencies. Most data are perception-based evaluations by business executives and professionals. Because of different backgrounds, values, and personalities, those surveyed may evaluate the same situation differently. Caution should thus be used when interpreting perception- based indicators. Nevertheless, they convey much needed information on trade facilitation.

All 16 values

Liner shipping connectivity index (maximum value in 2004 = 100) in nearby economies

• American Samoa — 8.09 (2021)
• Australia — 35.74 (2021)
• Brunei Darussalam — 6.85 (2021)
• Cambodia — 8.13 (2021)
• Fiji — 10.31 (2021)
• French Polynesia — 14.33 (2021)
• Guam — 9.37 (2021)
• Hong Kong SAR, China — 90.56 (2021)
• Indonesia — 32.71 (2021)

More infrastructure data for China

• Mobile cellular subscriptions — 1.87 billion (2024)
• Mobile cellular subscriptions (per 100 people) — 131.75 (2024)
• Air transport, registered carrier departures worldwide — 4.91 million (2023)
• Air transport, freight (million ton-km) — 26,170 (2023)
• Air transport, passengers carried — 619.22 million (2023)
• Fixed telephone subscriptions — 166.51 million (2024)
• Fixed telephone subscriptions (per 100 people) — 11.73 (2024)
• ICT service exports (BoP, current US$) — US$73.61 billion (2025)
• ICT service exports (% of service exports, BoP) — 19.14% (2025)
• Industrial design applications, nonresident, by count

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
• Data analysis examples: 6 worked from one dataset — 3 min read
• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is China's liner shipping connectivity index (maximum value in 2004 = 100)?

171.18 in 2021, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 2006?

It is up 60.41% from 106.71 in 2006 (3.2% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 171.18 in 2021 and the lowest 106.71 in 2006.

How does China rank?

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator IS.SHP.GCNW.XQ, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Review of Maritime Transport 2010., UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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