In India, ports are categorised into major ports and non-major ports (informally called minor ports). As of 2024, there are 13 major ports and 217 non-major ports across the country. Major ports are under the administrative control of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways of the Government of India, while non-major ports fall under the jurisdiction of State Maritime Boards of respective state governments—this also includes private ports running under the public–private partnership (PPP) model. Among the 217 non-major ports, cargo is handled only at 68 ports, others are used by fishing vessels and ferries.[1] India has a coastline of 7517 kilometres, forming one of the largest peninsulas in the world. According to the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, around 95 percent of India's trading by volume and 70 percent by value is done through maritime transport. India's major ports handled highest ever cargo of 795 million tonne in FY23.[2]
Port Blair which was notified as major port in 2010 was removed later. The ports are spread across Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal.[3] Government of India plans to build new greenfield ports and also built associated infrastructure such as railway lines through the 2015 established Sagar Mala project,[4] and National Maritime Development Program.[5]
According to Constitution of India, 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 maritime boards of state governments administer control of minor ports owned by state governments. In 2018–19, minor ports of Gujarat alone handled total 542 MMT of cargo.[6] Maharashtra Maritime Board sets record of handling 71 mn tons of cargo in 2022–23.[7]
The capacity of Indian ports currently stands at 2,604.99 mtpa.[8] The container throughput of Indian ports stood at 17 million TEUs for the period 2020.[9]
India has been building large ships after the independence using public sector companies like Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers estb in 1884, Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders, Hindustan Shipyard, Goa Shipyard and Cochin Shipyard. SS Jala Usha, a steamship built by Hindustan Shipyard in 1948 and the first of its kind to be built within the Indian subcontinent after WW-II.The first oil tanker built by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) was the MV Rani Padmini, which was delivered in July 1981.[10] India launched 93,000 DWT oil tanker in 2002 under Third Vajpayee ministry, The ship named Maharshi Parashuram built by Cochin Shipyard was 237 meter long double vessel was fitted with 14,300 HP engine.[11] Abul Kalam Azad is another similar-size oil tanker ship built by Cochin Shipyard in 1999 which has been scrapped.[12]
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.[13] India's Alang-Sosiya Ship Breaking Yard is world's largest ships' graveyard.[13] Other ship graveyards in India is the Steel Industrials Kerala Limited breaking unit.[14]
The port's under central Government of india are known as Major port and other ports in India are classified as minor ports.The following are the major ports of India:[15][16]
No. | Name | Estb. Year | Image | Area(km^2) | City | State | Cargo handled in MTPA (FY2022-23) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Chennai Port | 1881 | Chennai | Tamil Nadu | 51.88 | ||
2 | Cochin Port | 1928 | Kochi | Kerala | 37.34 | ||
3 | Deendayal Port | 1965 | 900.83km2[17] | Kandla | Gujarat | 129.10[18] | |
4 | Jawaharlal Nehru Port | 1988 | 33.7 km2 | Navi Mumbai | Maharashtra | 78.06 | |
5 | Kamarajar Port | 2001 | Ennore | Tamil Nadu | 11.08 | ||
6 | Mormugao Port | 1985 | Mormugao | Goa | 19.5 | ||
7 | Mumbai Port | 1873 | Mumbai | Maharashtra | 62.08 | ||
8 | New Mangalore Port | 1974 | 8.22 km2 | Mangaluru | Karnataka | 36.65 | |
9 | Paradip Port | 1966 | 25.44 km2 | Paradeep | Odisha | 148.75[19] | |
10 | Kolkata Port Trust | 1977 | 25.77 km2 | Haldia | West Bengal | 107.77 | |
11 | Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port | 1870 | Kolkata | West Bengal | 66.4 | ||
12 | Visakhapatnam Port | 1933 | Visakhapatnam | Andhra Pradesh | 67.43 | ||
13 | V. O. Chidambaranar Port | 1974 | 2.428 km2 | Thoothukkudi | Tamil Nadu | 52.33 |