Cargo handled increased from 819 million tonnes in FY 2023-24 to 855 million tonnes in FY 2024-25 with an annual growth of 4.3 per cent.

India’s Major Ports have consistently demonstrated remarkable progress over the past decade, with FY 2024-25 emerging as a milestone year in terms of cargo handling, operational efficiency, and infrastructure modernisation.

In FY 2024-25, Major Ports registered an impressive annual growth rate of 4.3 per cent in cargo handling, increasing from 819 million tonnes in FY 2023-24 to 855 million tonnes in FY 2024-25. This growth highlights the resilience and capacity of Major Ports in accommodating rising trade volumes. The increase in traffic was driven by higher container throughput (10 per cent), fertilizer cargo handling (13 per cent), POL cargo handling (3 per cent), and handling of miscellaneous commodities (31 per cent) compared to the previous fiscal year.

Among commodities handled at Major Ports, Petroleum, Oil, and Lubricants (POL)—including crude, petroleum products, and LPG/LNG—led the charts with a volume of 254.5 million tonnes (29.8 per cent), followed by container traffic at 193.5 million tonnes (22.6 per cent), coal at 186.6 million tonnes (21.8 per cent), and other cargo categories such as iron ore, pellets, fertilizers, and more in FY 2024-25.

For the first time in the history of Major Ports, the Paradip Port Authority (PPA) and Deendayal Port Authority (DPA) surpassed the 150-million-tonne cargo handling mark, reinforcing their status as key hubs of maritime trade and operational excellence. Meanwhile, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) set a record by handling 7.3 million TEUs, reflecting a 13.5 per cent year-on-year growth.

In FY 2024-25, Indian ports collectively allocated 962 acres of land for port-led industrialization, projected to generate an income of Rs 7,565 crore in FY 2024-25. Furthermore, lessees are expected to make future investments of Rs 68,780 crore on the allotted land, reaffirming investor confidence in port-led development. Private sector participation has been instrumental in this transformation, with investments in PPP projects at Major Ports increasing threefold, from Rs 1,329 crore in FY 2022-23 to Rs 3,986 crore in FY 2024-25, highlighting strong investor confidence.

Operational performance continued to improve in FY 2024-25, with Pre-Berthing Detention (PBD) Time (on port account) improving by 36 per cent compared to FY 2023-24. Financially, Major Ports witnessed an 8 per cent increase in total income in FY 2024-25, rising to Rs 24,203 crore from Rs 22,468 crore in FY 2023-24. Similarly, operating surplus grew 7 per cent to Rs 12,314 crore in FY 2024-25 from Rs 11,512 crore in FY 2023-24.

Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal said, “I am immensely proud of the remarkable achievements of India’s Major Ports in FY 2024-25, a year that stands as a testament to the transformative vision and leadership of our Hon’ble Prime Minister. Under his guidance, the Ministry has worked tirelessly to modernize port infrastructure, enhance operational efficiency, and foster private sector participation, paving the way for unprecedented growth in India’s maritime sector.”

Between FY 2014-15 and FY 2024-25, cargo volumes surged from 581 million tonnes to approximately 855 million tonnes, reflecting a robust Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 4 per cent. Containerised cargo saw a remarkable 70 per cent increase over the decade—from 7.9 million TEUs in FY 2014-15 to 13.5 million TEUs in FY 2024-25. Conventional commodities such as coal, fertilizers, iron ore, and POL also witnessed significant growth over the last 10 years.

Productivity indicators have also shown significant improvement:

Output per Ship Berth Day (OSBD) rose from 12,458 tonnes to 18,304 tonnes over the decade.

Average Turnaround Time (TRT) improved by 48 per cent, reducing from 96 hours in FY 2014-15 to 49.5 hours in FY 2024-25.

Pre-Berthing Detention (PBD) Time (on port account) improved by 24 per cent, decreasing from 5.02 hours in FY 2014-15 to 3.8 hours in FY 2024-25.

Idle Time (percentage) dropped by 29 per cent, from 23.1 per cent in FY 2014-15 to 16.3 per cent in FY 2024-25.

These advancements reflect the Ministry’s commitment to enhancing cargo handling processes, upgrading infrastructure, and introducing mechanisation initiatives.

Major Ports’ financial performance has been equally impressive, with total income more than doubling over the past decade from Rs 11,760 crore in FY 2014-15 to Rs 24,203 crore in FY 2024-25, registering a 7.5 per cent CAGR over 10 years. Operating surplus nearly tripled to ₹12,314 crore, driven by a 13% CAGR over the same period. Operational efficiency also improved significantly, with the operating ratio declining from 64.7 per cent in FY 2014-15 to 42.3 per cent in FY 2024-25, reinforcing the ports’ financial sustainability.