India’s maritime sector has achieved the significant milestone with major ports handling a record 915.17 million tonnes (MT) of cargo in FY 2025-26. According to the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways this performance exceeded the annual target of 904 MT but also recorded the 7.06% year-on-year growth. This achievement highlights the India’s growing trade capacity.
Key Highlights of Record Cargo Handling in FY26
The this strong performance in cargo handling highlights the growing importance of Indian ports in Global trade.
Top Performing Ports Are,
| Port Name | Total Cargo Handled |
| Deendayal Port Authority | 160.11 Metric Tonne |
| Paradip Port Authority | 156.45 MT Metric Tonne |
| Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority | 102.01 MT Metric Tonne |
Also the other ports such as the Visakhapatnam, Mumbai, Chennai and the New Mangalore have also contributed the significantly to the overall performance.
Fastest Growing Ports in FY26
Some ports led growth in volume and others ports stood out for their rapid growth rates.
Some of them are
| Port Name | Registered Growth |
| Mormugao Port Authority | Growth of 15.91% |
| Kolkata Dock System | Growth of 14.28% |
| JNPA | Growth of 10.74% |
This indicates the balanced development across both western and eastern coasts of India.
What Drove This Record Performance
The Ministry attributes this achievement to multiple strategic improvements in the maritime sector.
| Infrastructure Expansion | Several ports have undergone capacity upgrades and which enables them to handle larger volumes of cargo efficiently. |
| Better Connectivity | Also the improved road, rail and inland connectivity has strengthened the connections between ports and hinterland regions. |
| Digital Transformation | Digital systems adoption has also played important role and it has streamlined the operations and reduced the delays and improving transparency. |
| Faster Turnaround Time | With enhanced operational capacity the turnaround time between ships have significantly decreased which boost the performance. |
Government Push and Policy Support
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal highlighted that this milestone showcasing the government’s commitment to strengthening the India’s maritime infrastructure.
Several key initiatives by the government focus on,
- The development of modern port infrastructure
- Also the promotion of ease of doing business in logistics
- And integration with national initiatives like Sagarmala
India’s Port Sector: A Quick Overview
India has 12 major ports which are managed by the central government and over 200 non-major ports managed by states.
| Sr. No | Port Name | State |
| 1 | Deendayal Port (Kandla Port) | Gujarat |
| 2 | Mumbai Port Trust | Maharashtra |
| 3 | Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) | Maharashtra |
| 4 | Port of Mormugao | Goa |
| 5 | New Mangalore Port | Karnataka |
| 6 | Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port (Kolkata Port) | West Bengal |
| 7 | Kochi (Cochin) Port | Kerala |
| 8 | Chennai Port | Tamil Nadu |
| 9 | Kamarajar Port (Ennore Port) | Tamil Nadu |
| 10 | Paradip Port | Odisha |
| 11 | Visakhapatnam Port | Andhra Pradesh |
| 12 | Tuticorin Port (V.O. Chidambaranar Port) | Tamil Nadu |
This Major ports handle a significant share of the,
- Bulk cargo (coal, iron ore)
- Container traffic
- Petroleum and chemicals
Question
Q. Which of the following ports is India’s largest container port?
A. Mumbai Port
B. Chennai Port
C. Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT)
D. Kochi Port
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