Key Highlights
- Total cargo throughput rose to 855 MMT, up 4.3% from 819 MMT in FY 2023‑24.
- The five largest ports—Paradip, Kandla, JNPT, Visakhapatnam, MPK—handled almost two‑thirds of the nation’s maritime traffic.
- All ten leading ports registered year‑on‑year growth, underscoring continuous infrastructure upgrades.
Detailed Insights
Across the country, twenty‑five major terminals recorded a cumulative rise in cargo volumes, with the top ten ports alone contributing 63.2% of total movements. Paradip Port Authority in Odisha emerged as the flagship hand‑ler with 13.14 MMT in June 2025, a gain of 180,000 tonnes from the same month a year earlier. The Kandla Port Authority in Gujarat followed closely with 12.03 MMT, benefitting from its status as a bulk and liquid hub. Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPT) maintained its position as India’s pre‑eminent container gateway, moving 7.56 MMT, while Visakhapatnam Port Authority in Andhra Pradesh handled 7.33 MMT, supporting local steel and fertilizer sectors.
Other key players—Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port (SMP Kolkata), Mumbai Port Authority, Chennai Port Authority, and Kamarajar Port Limited (KAM)—each surpassed 4 MMT, illustrating the spread of cargo across geographic zones. V. O. Chidambaranar Port Authority and Cochin Port Authority continued to grow modestly, handling 3.57 MMT and 3.40 MMT respectively.
Collectively, the decade‑long trajectory of India’s maritime sector shows sustained expansion driven by enhanced infrastructure, strategic placement, and efficient logistics. The dominance of the top five ports confirms a shift toward a more concentrated yet robust trade corridor, essential for meeting the nation’s growing export and import demands.
Key Concepts
- Cargo Tonnage – The measurement of goods transported, expressed in million metric tonnes (MMT).
- Major Port – A harbor that handles a significant proportion of national maritime traffic.
- Growth Rate – Percentage increase in cargo volume or capacity over a specified period.
- Container Port – A terminal primarily dealing with standardized shipping containers.
- Bulk Cargo – Unpackaged goods such as coal, iron ore, and chemicals moved in large volumes.