India’s Paradip Port Achieves Record Freight Handling and Plans for Major Expansion

In the 2023-24 financial year, Paradip Port in India achieved a significant milestone by handling 145.38 million tons of freight, surpassing DEENDAYAL Port to become the country’s highest major port. This growth of 7.4% highlights the port’s increasing importance in the Indian maritime sector. The port also saw its highest coastal traffic of 59.19 MMT, with thermal coal shipments reaching 43.97 MMT, a 4.02% increase from the previous year.

To meet growing demand and enhance its capabilities, Paradip Port has embarked on expansion projects, including the development of the Western Dock to increase port capacity by 25 MMT. This initiative, undertaken in partnership with Jindal Steel and Power Limited, aims to enhance operational efficiency and enable the port to handle CAP size fully by 2026.

In addition to the Western Dock project, Paradip Port Authority (PPA) plans to fully mechanize all berths by 2030, upgrading existing berths and adding new ones to improve efficiency and productivity. The port also reported robust financial growth, with sales exceeding INR 2300 crore, reflecting a 14.3% increase from the previous year.

Looking ahead, PPA has outlined future projects to further expand capacity and infrastructure, including the development of the North Dock Complex-3 and a river harbor in Kendrapara district. These initiatives, alongside sustainability efforts such as a solar power plant and green energy facilities, align with national initiatives like the Sagarmala program and Maritime India Vision 2030 to enhance India’s maritime trade capabilities.

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