Top 10 Most Tracked Shipping Routes in H1 2026: Insights from Shipsgo Data
Discover the Top 10 most tracked ocean trade routes in H1 2026 based on aggregated Shipsgo shipment tracking data. Explore transit times, direct service ratios, and regional shipping trends from the first half of the year.
Every day, thousands of container shipments are tracked through the Shipsgo platform, providing valuable insights into global shipping activity.
To better understand shipping patterns in the first half of 2026, we analyzed aggregated and anonymized shipment tracking data between January 1 and June 30, 2026. This report highlights the 10 most tracked trade routes, the balance between direct and transshipment services, average transit times, and the carriers most frequently used across all tracked shipments.
Methodology: Rankings are based on aggregated shipment tracking activity on the Shipsgo platform and do not represent global container throughput.
H1 2026 Dataset Overview
- Analysis Period: January 1 – June 30, 2026
- Data Source: Aggregated Shipsgo Ocean Tracking data
- Scope: Global container shipment tracking activity
- Metrics Analyzed: Route popularity, direct vs. transshipment services, average transit time, and carrier distribution
Top 10 Most Tracked Shipping Routes
| Rank | Route | Share | Direct | Transshipment | Avg. Transit Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ningbo → Valencia | 0.5% | 89.6% | 10.4% | 42 days |
| 2 | Aliaga (Izmir) → Felixstowe | 0.4% | 99.6% | 0.4% | 12 days |
| 3 | Shekou (Shenzhen) → Valencia | 0.4% | 88.9% | 11.1% | 38 days |
| 4 | Valparaiso → Hong Kong | 0.3% | 100.0% | 0.0% | 25 days |
| 5 | Aliaga (Izmir) → Antwerp | 0.3% | 98.5% | 1.5% | 20 days |
| 6 | Shanghai → Istanbul (Ambarlı) | 0.3% | 66.5% | 33.5% | 52 days |
| 7 | Aliaga (Izmir) → New York | 0.3% | 91.7% | 8.3% | 21 days |
| 8 | Istanbul (Ambarlı) → Felixstowe | 0.3% | 100.0% | 0.0% | 15 days |
| 9 | Shanghai → Barcelona | 0.3% | 91.6% | 8.4% | 50 days |
| 10 | Shanghai → Valencia | 0.3% | 90.0% | 10.0% | 46 days |
Key Findings
Türkiye Origin Shipments Stand Out
Three of the ten most tracked routes originated from Aliaga (Izmir), while another began from Istanbul (Ambarlı). Together, these routes accounted for a significant share of tracked shipments, reflecting strong export activity from Türkiye to Europe and North America.
Notably:
- Aliaga → Felixstowe was almost entirely served by direct services (99.6%) with an average transit time of just 12 days.
- Aliaga → Antwerp maintained a similarly high direct service ratio (98.5%), averaging 20 days.
- Aliaga → New York also relied primarily on direct sailings (91.7%), with an average transit time of 21 days.
China–Mediterranean Routes Continue to Lead
Chinese export ports remained highly represented in the rankings.
Routes from Ningbo, Shanghai, and Shekou (Shenzhen) to Mediterranean destinations such as Valencia, Barcelona, and Istanbul accounted for multiple entries in the Top 10.
These routes generally showed:
- Transit times ranging from 38 to 52 days
- High reliance on direct services (around 90%) for European destinations
- Longer transit times on routes involving additional operational complexity, such as Shanghai to Istanbul
Direct Services Dominate
One of the most notable findings from the dataset is the high proportion of direct services across the leading trade lanes.
Among the Top 10 routes:
- Two routes operated with 100% direct services
- Four additional routes exceeded 90% direct sailings
- Only one route, Shanghai → Istanbul (Ambarlı), recorded transshipment above 30%
This indicates that many of the most frequently tracked routes on the Shipsgo platform benefit from relatively straightforward service structures.
Transit Times Vary by Trade Lane
Average transit times ranged from 12 days to 52 days, reflecting the diversity of regional and intercontinental shipping networks.
The shortest average transit time was recorded on Aliaga (Izmir) → Felixstowe at 12 days, while Shanghai → Istanbul (Ambarlı) had the longest average transit time at 52 days.
These differences highlight how origin, destination, and service structure can significantly influence shipment duration.
Key Takeaways
The H1 2026 shipment tracking data reveals several noteworthy patterns:
- Türkiye accounted for four of the ten most tracked routes, emphasizing its strong export connectivity with Europe and North America.
- China remained the leading origin for long-haul shipments, with four routes connecting to Mediterranean destinations.
- Direct services dominated the rankings, with most routes operating almost entirely without transshipment.
- Transit times ranged from 12 to 52 days, depending on route length and service configuration.
These findings are based exclusively on shipment tracking activity observed on the Shipsgo platform during the first half of 2026 and provide a data-driven snapshot of shipping patterns across key trade lanes.
About This Report
This report is based exclusively on aggregated and anonymized shipment tracking activity processed through the Shipsgo platform between January 1 and June 30, 2026.
The rankings reflect the most tracked trade routes within the Shipsgo dataset and should be interpreted as platform-specific insights rather than global container throughput rankings.
Ready to Track Your Shipments?
Whether you're managing a few containers or thousands of shipments, Shipsgo helps you stay informed with accurate and automated tracking.
Real-Time Shipment Tracking