IN Brief:
- India’s major ports handled 915.17Mt of cargo in FY26, exceeding the 904Mt target.
- Deendayal, Paradip, and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority led cargo volumes across the network.
- Higher throughput is increasing pressure on port capacity, inland logistics, and multimodal freight planning.
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has reported record cargo handling across India’s major ports, with throughput reaching 915.17 million tonnes in FY 2025–26.
The total surpassed the government’s 904 million tonne target and represented 7.06% year-on-year growth, extending India’s recent run of port expansion as maritime gateways take on a larger role in industrial logistics, import flows, and export movement.
Deendayal Port handled 160.11 million tonnes, making it the largest contributor by volume. Paradip Port followed with 156.45 million tonnes, while Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority handled 102.01 million tonnes. The strongest percentage growth was recorded at Mormugao Port, where traffic rose 15.91%, followed by Kolkata Dock System at 14.28% and JNPA at 10.74%.
The increase was supported by higher volumes across coal, crude oil, containerised cargo, fertilisers, petroleum, oil and lubricants, and other industrial cargo categories. Capacity expansion, faster turnaround, digital processes, and stronger multimodal links have helped the port system absorb higher volumes across a wider range of freight types.
The figures show a port network moving closer to the one billion tonne threshold, with India’s maritime infrastructure carrying more of the weight for manufacturing, energy, agriculture, and consumer goods supply chains. Growth at both bulk and container gateways points to rising demand across raw materials, intermediate goods, export cargo, and finished products.
Higher throughput increases the value of coordinated inland movement. Port performance is no longer measured only at the quay. Rail connections, road corridors, container yards, customs processes, storage, and last-mile industrial links determine whether extra cargo can move through the system without creating delay elsewhere.
JNPA’s growth reflects the continuing importance of containerised trade, while Deendayal and Paradip underline the scale of bulk and energy-related cargo in the national logistics base. That mix places different demands on equipment, berth planning, storage, and onward transport capacity. Bulk cargo requires high-capacity handling and storage, while containers depend on reliable yard flow, documentation, and intermodal transfer.
India’s wider infrastructure programme, including port-led development, logistics parks, freight corridors, and digital cargo management, is designed to reduce friction between maritime gateways and inland markets. The record performance shows progress, but sustained growth will depend on the weakest links beyond the port boundary.
A port system handling more than 915 million tonnes a year has crossed from capacity-building into network discipline. The next phase will be judged by the ability to move cargo predictably from vessel to factory, warehouse, distributor, and export customer without allowing headline volume growth to become congestion in another part of the chain.
