India’s major ports are upgrading to accommodate larger vessels under a government initiative aimed at establishing the country as a regional transshipment hub. Shipping Secretary T.K. Ramachandran highlighted advancements towards an 18-meter draft at key ports, enhancing their capacity for Panamax and cape-size ships and reducing reliance on foreign transshipment routes.
India’s major ports recorded a 4.3% increase in cargo handling, reaching 855 million tonnes in 2024-25. Key contributors included a 10% rise in container throughput and a notable 31% surge in miscellaneous commodities. Noteworthy milestones were achieved by Paradip and Deendayal ports, each surpassing 150 million tonnes for the first time.
The 12 major ports owned by the Indian government experienced a 4.34% increase in cargo handling in the fiscal year 2024-2025, totaling 854.858 million tonnes. Strong performances in containers, finished fertiliser, and miscellaneous cargo drove this growth, with Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority leading in container volumes.
India’s major ports have experienced a significant increase in cargo handling, reaching 819.23 million tonnes in 2023-24. The growth aligns with global standards, with liquid bulk accounting for 33.80%, dry bulk 44.04%, and container cargo 22.16%. Infrastructure development, including new berths and terminals, aims to enhance connectivity and streamline logistics for export-oriented industries.
In the 2023 global port rankings, Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA) placed 20th with an index of 62.29 and 19th in Container Port Performance. Moving up from 122nd in 2022, VPA aims for 90 MTPA of cargo this year. May 2024 saw a record throughput of 8,582,000 tons from 221 vessels, surpassing previous peaks.
Deendayal port led in cargo volume, followed by Paradip and Visakhapatnam ports. Visakhapatnam saw a growth of 22.05%, with Chennai, Cochin, and Mumbai ports following. In May 2024, various ports experienced cargo growth, while Kolkata, Kamarajar, and Mormugao ports faced declines in handling.
Team PPA’s persistence led to Paradip Port Authority achieving record monthly cargo throughput of 14.32 MMT, surpassing the previous record. Chairman PL Haranadh thanked the Union Minister and anticipates further growth, aiming to become the top port in handling cargo volume. Notable improvements in key parameters were also recorded.
