The World Bank places the Port of Algeciras among the 10 most efficient in the world and the first in Europe according to the Container Performance Index. This index rates ports based on different metrics, taking into account the ranges of ship sizes and container movements by scale and port. The ranking is led by Yokohama (Japan), ahead of King Abdullah (Saudi Arabia) and Qingdao (China).

East Asian ports, according to the World Bank, "are the most efficient in the world and dominate the top 50." The one in Yokohama, for example, takes just 1.1 minutes on average to load or unload a container on a standard port scale, while the average for equivalent workloads at African ports is more than three times higher, 3.6 minutes.

The CPPI is based on total port hours per ship call, defined as the time elapsed between the moment a ship arrives at a port and its departure from the berth after completing its cargo exchange.

Therefore, the development of an efficient and high-quality container port infrastructure is a key factor in the success of export-led growth strategies in both developed and developing countries.

Efficient ports also ensure business continuity and improve the resilience of gateways as crucial nodes in the global logistics system.

The methodology takes into account five different groups of vessel sizes, given the potential for greater fuel and emissions savings on larger vessels.

Other ports:

In the case of South Asia, the port of Colombo, in Sri Lanka, is the best classified, in position 17, while the Mexican enclave of Lazaro Cárdenas leads in America in position 25. Halifax, in Canada, is the North America´s only port in the top 50, while the top African port is Djibouti at 61st.

The index is intended to serve as benchmarks for key players in the global economy such as governments, port authorities, development agencies, trade, logistics and supply chain operators.