India has a coastline spanning 7517 kilometres, forming one of the biggest peninsulas in the world. According to the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, around 95 per cent of India's trading by volume and 68 per cent by value is done through maritime transport. It is serviced by 13 major ports (12 Government-owned and one private) and 187 notified minor and intermediate ports. India's major ports handled highest ever cargo of 795 million tonne in FY23. [1] India has 13 major ports - Deendayal (Kandla), Mumbai, Mormugao, New Mangalore, Cochin, Chennai, Ennore (Kamarajar), Tuticorin (V O Chidambaranar), Visakhapatnam, Paradip and Kolkata (including Haldia) and Jawaharlal Nehru Port. Port Blair which was notified as major port in 2010 was removed of its status recently. The total 200 major and non-major ports are present in the following States: Maharashtra (53); Gujarat (40); Kerala (21); Tamil Nadu (15); Andhra Pradesh (13); Karnataka (10) and others (50). [2] Government of India plans to build new greenfield ports and also built associated infrastructure such as railway lines through the 2015 established Sagarmala project, [3] and National Maritime Development Programme. [4]
Indian government has a federal structure, and according to its constitution, maritime transport is to be administered by both the Central and the State governments. While the central government's shipping ministry administers the major ports, the minor and intermediate ports are administered by the relevant departments or ministries in the nine coastal states of Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. Several of these 187 minor and intermediate ports have been identified by the respective governments to be developed, in a phased manner, a good proportion of them involving public–private partnership.
The capacity of Indian ports currently stands at 2,604.99 mtpa. [5] The container throughput of Indian ports stood at 17 million TEUs for the period 2020. [6]
As of January 2020 [update] , India has 30% share of ship breaking with annual US$1.1 billion revenue. India is a signatory to Hong Kong International Convention for the safe and environmentally sound recycling of ships. India plans to pass the "Recycling of Ships Act, 2019" to ratify the Hong Kong treaty. This will allow India to capture its targeted 60% in the global ship breaking business while doubling the annual to US$2.3 billion target. [7] India's Alang-Sosiya Ship Breaking Yard is world's largest ships' graveyard. [7] Other ship graveyards in India is the Steel Industrials Kerala Limited breaking unit. [8]
The following table gives the detailed data about the 28 major & big ports of India. [9] (Source: Indian Ports Association and Indian Private Ports & Terminals Association )
No. | Name | Estb. Date/Year | Image | City | State | Cargo Handled (FY2022-23) | Container Traffic (FY2022-23) | Ownership | Coast | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
million tonnes | % Increase (over previous FY) | '000 TEUs | % Increase (over previous FY) | ||||||||
1 | Mundra Port | 1998 | Mundra | Gujarat | 150 | Adani Group | Western | ||||
2 | Deendayal Port Trust | 1965 | Kandla | Gujarat | 137.0 [10] | 4.42% ↑ | 117 | 95.73% ↑ | Government of India | Western | |
3 | Paradip Port Authority | 18 April 1966 | Paradeep | Odisha | 135 [11] | 14.68% ↑ | 7 | 71.43% ↑ | Government of India | Eastern | |
4 | Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust | 1988 | Navi Mumbai | Maharashtra | 75.94 | 6.20% ↑ | 4,833 | 6.89% ↑ | Government of India | Western | |
5 | Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata (Kolkata Dock System and Haldia Dock Complex) | 1870 (KDS) and 1967 (HDC) | Kolkata and Haldia | West Bengal | 65.66 | 18.61% ↑ | 675 | 3.45% ↑ | Government of India | Eastern | |
6 | Visakhapatnam Port Trust | 1933 | Visakhapatnam | Andhra Pradesh | 63.54 | 4.12% ↑ | 389 | 5.66% ↑ | Government of India | Eastern | |
7 | Mumbai Port Trust | 1873 | Mumbai | Maharashtra | 62.83 | -0.35% ↓ | 42 | -2.38% ↓ | Government of India | Western | |
9 | Karaikal Port | 2009 | Karaikal | Puducherry | 55 | Adani Group | Eastern | ||||
10 | Chennai Port Trust | 1881 | Chennai | Tamil Nadu | 51.88 | 3.32% ↑ | 1,549 | 3.49% ↑ | Government of India | Eastern | |
11 | JSW Jaigad Port | 2006 | Ratnagiri district | Maharashtra | 50 | JSW Group | Western | ||||
12 | Krishnapatnam Port | 2008 | Krishnapatnam | Andhra Pradesh | 45 | Adani Group | Eastern | ||||
13 | New Mangaluru Port Trust | 1974 | Mangaluru | Karnataka | 42.06 | 5.28% ↑ | 115 | 17.39% ↑ | Government of India | Western | |
14 | Kamarajar Port | 2001 | Ennore | Tamil Nadu | 38 | Adani Group | Eastern | ||||
15 | V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority | 1974 | Thoothukkudi | Tamil Nadu | 36.58 | -4.91% ↓ | 698 | 8.02% ↑ | Government of India | Eastern | |
16 | JSW Dharamtar Port | 2012 | Alibag | Maharastra | 34 | JSW Group | Western | ||||
17 | Cochin Port Trust | 1928 | Kochi | Kerala | 32.02 | 16.52% ↑ | 735 | 11.69% ↑ | Government of India | Western | |
18 | Hazira Port | 2013 | Hazira | Gujarat | 30 | Adani Group | Western | ||||
19 | Dighi Port | 2000 | Raigad district | Maharashtra | 30 | Adani Group | Eastern | ||||
20 | Mormugao Port Trust | 1985 | Mormugao | Goa | 26.90 | -18.94% ↓ | 32 | 6.25% ↑ | Government of India | Western | |
21 | Dhamra Port | 2011 | Bhadrak district | Odisha | 25 | Adani Group | Eastern | ||||
22 | Gopalpur port | 2013 | Chhatrapur | Odisha | 25 | Shapoorji Pallonji Group | Eastern | ||||
23 | Gangavaram Port | 2009 | Visakhapatnam | Andhra Pradesh | 18.04 | Adani Group | Eastern | ||||
24 | Kattupalli Port | 2012 | Kattupalli | Tamil Nadu | 18 | Adani Group | Eastern | ||||
25 | Dahej Port | 2010 | Bharuch district | Gujarat | 17.5 | Adani Group | Western | ||||
26 | Kakinada Port | 1999 | East Godavari | Andhra Pradesh | 14 | Aurobindo Group | Eastern | ||||
27 | Tuna Port | 2022 [12] | Tuna | Gujarat | 14 | Adani Group | Western | ||||
28 | APM Terminals Pipavav | 2002 | Pipavav | Gujarat | 2 | -46% ↓ | 1.35 | Maersk | Western | ||
All Ports | India | 1,234.1 | 4.77% ↑ | 9,138 | 7.62% ↑ | - | |||||
There are maritime boards that port operates minor ports under the ownership of state governments.In 2018–19, minor ports of Gujarat alone handled total 542 MMT of cargo. [13] Maharashtra Maritime Board sets record of handling 71 mn tons of cargo in 2022–23. [14]
There are multiple regional minor ports in India under the maritime boards as given below:-
India has multiple port machinery companies such as Elecon Engg., TRF, Yellowstone Engineers India Pvt Ltd, McNally Bharat Engineering etc.
These type of ports are partially constructed or undergoing mass expansion due to which they are operating without full capacity.
Name | Location | Type | Ownership |
---|---|---|---|
Angré Port | Jaigad, Maharashtra | Dry/Bulk | Chowgule Group |
Agardanda Shipyard & Terminals | Agardanda, Maharashtra | Container/Bulk | Adani Group |
New Bedi Port | Bedi, Gujarat | Container/Bulk | Gujarat Maritime Board |
Bhavnagar Port | Bhavnagar, Gujarat | CNG/Bulk | Government of Gujarat |
Karanja Port [15] | Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra | Container/Bulk | Mercantile Ports and Logistics (MPL) |
JSW Salav Port | Salav, Maharashtra | Dry/Bulk | JSW Infrastructure |
Mulapeta Port | Bhavanapadu, Srikakulam district, Andhra Pradesh | Container/Bulk | AP Government |
Machilipatnam Port | Machilipatnam, Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh | Container/Bulk | AP Government |
Ramayapatnam Port | Ramayapatnam, Andhra Pradesh | Container/Bulk | AP Government |
Rohini Yard | Rohini, Maharashtra | Dry/Bulk | DAS Offshore Ltd. |
Kakinada Gateway Port | Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh | Container/Bulk | AP Government |
Konkan Terminal | Dabhol, Maharashtra | LNG | GAIL |
Vizhinjam International Seaport Thiruvananthapuram | Vizhinjam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala | Container | Government Of Kerala |
These are classified as terminals not ports, these can be easily upgraded to container ports
Name | Location | Status | Type | Ownership |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bhavnagar Port | Bhavnagar, Gujarat | under-construction | CNG/Bulk | Government of Gujarat |
Konkan Terminal | Dabhol, Maharashtra | Completed in 2018 | LNG | GAIL |
Chhara LNG Terminal | Chhara, Gujarat | under-construction | LNG | HPCL |
Kochi LNG Terminal | Kochi, Kerala | Completed in 2013 | LNG | Petronet LNG |
Kukrahati LNG Terminal | Kukrahati,West Bengal | under-construction | LNG | H-Energy |
Jaigad Terminal | Jaigad, Maharashtra | Completed in 2022 | LNG | H-Energy |
Jafrabad Terminal | Jafrabad,Gujarat | under-construction | LNG | Swan Energy |
Sikka Port | Sikka, Gujarat | Completed in 1997 | Oil | Reliance Industries |
Vadinar Port | Vadinar,Gujarat | Completed in 1978 | Oil | Indian Oil, Nayara Energy |
Apart from this there are also LNG Terminals in ports such as Dahej, GAIL Kakinada FSRU, Hazira LNG Terminal, Krishnapatnam FSRU, Mumbai FSRU, Ennore LNG Terminal, Dhamra LNG Terminal, Chennai LNG Terminal etc.
Chennai Port, formerly known as Madras Port, is the second largest container port of India, behind Mumbai's Jawaharlal Nehru Port also known as Nhava Sheva. The port is the largest one in the Bay of Bengal. It is the third-oldest port among the 13 major ports of India with official port operations beginning in 1881, although maritime trade started much earlier in 1639 on the undeveloped shore. It is an artificial and all-weather port with wet docks. Once a major travel port, it became a major container port in the post-Independence era. An established port of trade of British India since the 1600s, the port remains a primary reason for the economic growth of Tamil Nadu, especially for the manufacturing boom in South India, and has contributed greatly to the development of the city of Chennai. It is due to the existence of the port that the city of Chennai eventually became known as the Gateway of South India.
Kamarajar Port Limited, formerly Ennore Port, is located on the Coromandel Coast, Chennai about 18 km north of Chennai Port. It is the 12th major port of India, and the first port in India which is a public company. The Kamarajar Port Limited is the only corporatised major port and is registered as a company. Chennai Port Trust acquired around 67% stake of Centre in the Kamarajar Port Limited on 27 March 2020. The remaining 23 percent was already held by the Chennai Port Trust.
Paradeep, also spelled Paradip, is a major industrial seaport city and municipality, 53 km (33 mi) from Jagatsinghpur city, in Jagatsinghpur district of Odisha, India. Paradeep was constituted as an NAC on 27 September 1979 and converted into a municipality on 12 December 2002. The nearest commercial airport is Biju Patnaik International Airport.
Petronet LNG Limited is an Indian oil and gas company formed by the Government of India to import liquefied natural gas (LNG) and set up LNG terminals in the country. It is a joint venture company promoted by the Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL), Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC), Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOC) and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL). Petronet LNG Limited, one of the companies in the Indian energy sector, has set up the country's first LNG receiving and regasification terminal in Dahej, Gujarat, and another terminal in Kochi, Kerala. While the Dahej terminal has a nominal capacity of 17.5 million tonnes per year, the Kochi terminal has a capacity of 5 million tonnes per year. Plans to build a third LNG terminal in Gangavaram, Andhra Pradesh were dropped in October 2019.
Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited is an Indian multinational port operator and logistics company, based in Ahmedabad, India. A subsidiary of Adani Group, APSEZ is India's largest private port operator with a network of 12 ports and terminals, including India's first deep water Transshipment Port Vizhinjam International Seaport Thiruvananthapuram and India's first port-based SEZ at Mundra.
In civilian and maritime law in India, a Port Trust Board is the statutory authority responsible for managing shipping and trade through a commercial seaport. India's first Port Trust Board was established for Calcutta Port in 1870, following passage of the Bombay Port Trust Act in 1879. Similar Boards were set up in Madras in 1905. The administration of Port Trust Boards were brought under national government in 1963 with legislation to enable the declaration of "major ports" with ownership of adjacent public land on the foreshore and seabed All ports previously established under different Acts were brought within the purview of this newly enacted law.
Dahej is a cargo port situated on the South-west coast of Gujarat, India in Bharuch district. There is 17.5 million tonnes per year capacity LNG terminal operated by Petronet in Dahej.
The Kattupalli Shipyard, officially Adani Katupalli Port Private Limited is a large shipyard project at Kattupalli village near Ennore in Chennai, being built by L&T Shipbuilding Ltd. It is being set up jointly by TIDCO and Larsen & Toubro (L&T) in two phases. L&T shipbuilding Kattupalli is a minor port. Adani ports and special economic zone (APSEZ) acquired Kattupalli Port from L&T in June 2018 and renamed it as Adani Katupalli Port Private Limited (AKPPL).
Tuna Port formerly known as Tuna Tekra Kandla Port is a newly constructed all-weather working port in Tuna Village, Gujarat, India with capacity of 14 MMTPA. The port is located 15 KM from existing Kandla Port on South West direction, Gujarat.
The Maharashtra Maritime Board is governmental organisation in the state of Maharashtra, India. The board is tasked with the administration of ports and harbours, conservancy, licensing of crafts, levying of fees, regulation and control of traffic. Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) came into existence in 1996 and Commissioner, Water Transport was re-designated as chief executive officer, MMB.
Paradip Port is a natural, deep-water port on the East coast of India in Paradip, just 53 km (33 mi) from Jagatsinghpur city in Jagatsinghpur district of Odisha, India. It is at the confluence of the Mahanadi river and the Bay of Bengal, 210 nmi south of Kolkata and 260 nmi north of Visakhapatnam.
Mundra Port is India's first private port, largest container port and largest commercial port, located on the northern shores of the Gulf of Kutch near Mundra, Kutch district, Gujarat. Formerly operated by Mundra Port and Special Economic Zone Limited (MPSEZ) owned by Adani Group, it was later expanded into Adani Ports & SEZ Limited (APSEZ) managing several ports. In FY 2020–21, Mundra Port handled 144.4 million tonnes of cargo. The port currently handles over 155 MT, which constitutes nearly 11 per cent of India’s maritime cargo. The port also handles nearly 33 per cent of India’s container traffic.
Kollam Port is one of the historic ports situated 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) away from Downtown Kollam It is the second largest port in Kerala by volume of cargo handled and facilities. Located on the south-west coast of India, under the name of Quilon Port it became one of the country's most important trade hubs from the ninth to the seventeenth centuries. Kollam was one of the five Indian ports visited by Ibn Battuta.
The Sagarmala Programme is an initiative by the Government of India to enhance the performance of the country's logistics sector. The programme envisages unlocking the potential of waterways and the coastline to minimize infrastructural investments required to meet these targets.
The National Shipping Board is an Advisory Body on matters related to shipping and shipping infrastructure (ports). As India gained its independence in 1947 shipping had become very important for the growth of India as the Shipping Laws were created by old British law it had to be revised and in 1958 when the Merchant Shipping Law was consolidated and the opportunity was taken to provide for the formation of a Permanent statutory body called the National Shipping Board. The National Shipping Board was established on 1 March 1959.The Body was established by a recommendation to the Reconstruction Policy Sub-Committee as early as 1947. It comes under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (India), it looks into matters related to Indian Shipping.The National Shipping Board members are elected/nominated by Parliament, Lok Sabha (lower house of parliament and Rajya Sabha. The National Maritime Agenda 2010-2020 is an initiative of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways & The National Shipping Board to outline the framework for the development of the port sector. The agenda also suggests policy-related initiatives to improve the operating efficiency and competitiveness of the Ports in India.
The South Indian state of Kerala has a coastline of around 590 km. The state is home to 1 mother port, 1 major port, 8 intermediate ports and 11 minor ports.
Water transport in India has played a significant role in the country's economy and is indispensable to foreign trade. India is endowed with an extensive network of waterways in the form of rivers, canals, backwaters, creeks and a long coastline accessible through the seas and oceans. It has the largest carrying capacity of any form of transport and is most suitable for carrying bulky goods over long distances.
Mormugao Port Authority (MPA) is a port on the western coast of India, in the coastal state of Goa. Commissioned in 1885 on the site of a natural harbour, it is one of India's oldest ports. The port employs around 2,600 employees and has about 4,000 pensioners.
Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) is a government agency of the Government of Gujarat, a state of India. It was founded in 1982 to control, manage and operate the minor ports of Gujarat.