Largest Ports in India: A Comprehensive List of 13 Major Ports

Key Highlights:

• India has 13 major seaports and over 180 minor ports.
• The Mumbai Port Trust is one of India's greatest natural ports or India's major ports.
• Chennai Port, in Tamil Nadu, is India's largest marine port.
• Sea trade makes up 70% of India's total trade volume.
• The 13 largest ports in India are classified based on their strengths. The List of Major Ports in India include JNPT, Mundra Port, Chennai Port, Kolkata Port, Kandla Port, Visakhapatnam Port, and Mumbai Port, etc.
• These Major Ports in India handle a variety of exports and imports, such as iron ore, textiles, chemicals, petroleum, and coal.
• Mumbai Port is known as India's biggest port in terms of size and maritime traffic.
• Connect with Eximpedia.app for more information and market research on India's trade statistics.

As we know, India has 13 main sea ports and around 180 lesser ports that handle a large volume of traffic. Mumbai Port Trust (previously Bombay Port Trust) is one of India's largest natural ports. Additionally, various ports in India are important to the country. These largest sea ports in India are vital to the economy and help keep the country connected with the rest of the world. In this blog post, we'll look at the largest ports in India for export and import merchandise. We also talk about India's major ports, which manage import and export trade.

Let’s discuss an overview of Largest Ports in India.

An Overview of Major Ports in India

India boasts a huge 7,500-kilometer coastline and one of the world's largest exclusive economic zones. As a result, sea trade has always been very important to the Indian economy. Even today, seaborne trade accounts for 70% of India's overall trade volume. This trade takes place through 13 major and 205 minor ports scattered across the Indian mainland and its oceanic regions.

Like many of the world's dynamic and rapidly growing economies, India is looking closely at how it might improve and expand its ports to meet rising demand. Congestion and capacity issues at some of India's important gateways have prompted the shipping industry and customers to call on the Indian government to open up the sector and provide appropriate infrastructure for the world's third largest economy.

However, the Indian government is already attempting to coordinate new port construction in key strategic centers and promote private investment in order to ensure that these critical pieces of infrastructure allow the country to keep up with the demands of its economic expansion.

List of 13 Largest Ports in India

India has 13 primary sea ports, with the Mumbai Port Trust (previously known as the Bombay Port Trust) being one of the country's largest natural ports. 

Here are the list of Major Ports in India or largest sea ports in India:

• Kolkata Port
• Paradip Port
• Visakhapatnam Port
• Kamarajar Port
• Chennai Port
• Tuticorin Port
• Cochin Port
• New Mangalore Port
• Mormugao Port
• Mumbai Port
• Jawaharlal Nehru Port
• Kandla Port
• Port Blair Port

Now, explore the table for biggest sea ports in India briefly:

13 Major ports in India: Market Size and Growth Opportunity

As stated by the Ministry of Shipping, maritime transport accounts for around 95% of India's trade volume and 70% of its value. In November 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi renamed the Ministry of Shipping as the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways.

From April to January 2023, India's major ports had an annual capacity of 646.10 million metric tons per year (MTPA). From April to October 2022, the major ports in India processed 446.50 million metric tons (MT) of cargo traffic.

India's merchandise exports in FY22 were US$417.8 billion, an increase of 40% from the previous year. In FY23, merchandise exports reached $447.46 billion.  However, the government has implemented many initiatives to enhance operating efficiency, including mechanization, strengthening the draft, and expedited evacuations.

Under the Neighbourhood First Policy, India has signed international treaties with Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, and Bhutan to boost maritime trade, shorten travel times, and enhance access to India's North Eastern states. Let's take a look at all of India's largest ports.

Major Ports in India: A complete overview

India has 13 major ports that contribute significantly to the country's maritime trade and economy. These largest Ports in India are strategically located along the Indian coastline and handle a high volume of freight traffic. Here's a map showing India's major ports:

Now, let's explore both west and east coast port in detail:

Now, explore the largest sea ports in India!

What are the 13 major ports of India?

India has a huge maritime network, with numerous critical ports that all play important roles in the country's economy. Here's a list of the 13 biggest ports in India, classified by their respective strengths:

1. The largest ports in India (Chennai port):

• Chennai Port, originally Madras Port, is India's second biggest container port and the largest port in the Bay of Bengal. 
• This artificial port has a long history, having been opened in 1881 and becoming the country's third oldest port. 
• Chennai Port ranked third among India's major ports in 2023, with more than 1.28 million TEUs. 
• This port is India's third oldest port, which is exciting! The Port of Chennai, the largest port on the eastern side of the Bay of Bengal, is also known as the Gateway of South India
   

2. The largest ports in India (Kolkata port):

• The only riverine port in India. Known for its twin dock systems: 
• The Kolkata Dock System (KDS) on the eastern bank and the Haldia Dock Complex (HDC) on the western bank of the Hooghly River. 
• It is the busiest port in India and a major exporter of steel, iron ore, copper, leather, tea, and coal. 
• Its long history and strategic position make it a major factor in India's largest ports. 
• According to India Export Import Data, imported goods include heavy machinery, paper, fertilizers, chemical products, and crude oil. 
• A natural river port can accommodate ships as long as 500 feet. It normally takes about 0.6 million TEUs each year, placing it fourth.
   

3. Major Ports in India (Ennore Port):

• Kamarajar Port Limited, originally Ennore Port, is located on the Coromandel Coast in Chennai, approximately 18 kilometers north of Chennai Port. 
• The port was designated as a significant port under the Indian Ports Act of 1908 in March 1999 and established as Ennore Port Limited under the Companies Act of 1956 in October 1999. Kamarajar Port is the only major port that has been corporatized and registered as a company. 
• It is also India's major port and the first to be operated by a public business. 
• Kamarajar Port Limited is India's major ports that has been corporatized and registered as a business.
   

4. Jawaharlal Nehru Port (Largest container port in India):

• Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) at Navi Mumbai: JNPT is India's largest container port, handling more than 55% of the nation's overall container traffic. 
• Nhava Sheva, commonly known as Jawaharlal Nehru Port, is the biggest port in Maharashtra. 
• Its strategic location near Mumbai and excellent infrastructure make it an important player in international trade. 
• The Jawaharlal Nehru Port is one of India's largest and busiest ports. 
• Mumbai is a major import and export hub with a vast population and all of the essential infrastructure to facilitate trade. 
• JNPT remains India's largest container port, handling more than 7.14 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) in 2023.
   

5. Largest Ports in India (Kandla Port):

• The Kandla Port, located 90 km from the Gulf of Kutch, was established in the 1950s as India's largest port in the Kandla Creek area. 
• It is India's major port in terms of revenue and cargo volume handled annually. 
• The port exports a huge amount of salt and textiles, and it has a cargo capacity of 122.5 million metric tonnes and 0.17 million TEUs. 
• The port is currently undergoing renovations to improve its handling capacity and surrounding environment.
   

6. Major Ports in India (Kochi Port):

• Cochin Port, also known as Kochi Port, is a major port on the Arabian Water-Laccadive Sea-Indian Ocean water route in the city of Kochi, Ernakulam district, Kerala, and one of the largest ports in India. 
• Additionally, it is India's first transshipment port. 
• The Cochin Port is thought to have been formed in AD 1341 as a result of catastrophic flooding in the Periyar River. 
• During the floods, the then-harboring Muziris silted up, resulting in a new opening in Cochin. Following that, Cochin became a trading hub that attracted a number of international visitors.
   

7. Largest Ports in India (Port Blair):

• Port Blair Trust operates a sea port in Andaman and Nicobar. 
• Located on the Andaman Sea, it is one of India's major ports. 
• The Port Blair Port Trust runs the port. 
• With this, Port Blair becomes India's 13th major port and the only significant port in Andaman and Nicobar. Port Blair is well-known for its beautiful beaches, which have crystal-clear waters and a white sandy shoreline. 
• Corbyn's Cove Beach, located just a few kilometers from the city center, is popular with both locals and tourists.
   

8. Major Ports in India (New Mangalore Port):

• The New Mangalore Port is the west coast's deepest inner harbor. 
• It is the only significant port in Karnataka and the sixth-largest port in India. 
• It is operated by the New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA). 
• These major ports in India serve the Karnataka and Kerala hinterlands to some extent. 
• In addition to iron ore, this port exports manganese, granite, coffee, and cashews. Imported commodities include crude and petroleum products, LPG, wood pulp, lumber logs, and other liquid chemicals.
   

9. Major ports in India (Visakhapatnam Port):

• Visakhapatnam Port, often known as Vizag Port, is located in Visakhapatnam City, Andhra Pradesh. 
• It is located between the Chennai and Kolkata ports and is one of India's largest ports, making it an important maritime center. 
• This port is one of the busiest in India or India's largest ports. It handles around 60 million metric tonnes of goods every year. 
• Furthermore, Visakhapatnam Port is undergoing a significant expansion to increase cargo handling capacity to 100 million metric tonnes by 2025.
   

10. The largest port in India (Mumbai Port):

• Mumbai Port is regarded as one of India's biggest ports. 
• Also considered as the Bombay Port Trust. 
• It was constructed by the British in the 17th century and covers around 400 square kilometers of India. 
• It is a natural deep-water sea port on the Arabian Sea. 
• The Mumbai port can handle any form of cargo. As a result, it is widely known as a multi-purpose fund. 
• This major port has 32 berths and a refueling facility. 
• The port has rail links to the Central and Western Railways. 
   

11. Largest Ports in India (Mormugao port):

• Mormugao Port, a major port on India's west coast, has served the country's marine trade for 125 years. 
• It is situated at latitude 15° 25' N and longitude 73° 47' E, between the major ports of New Mangalore and Mumbai. 
• It became one of the country's major ports in 1964 and has consistently served the nation's economic development. 
• Mormugao Port, maintained by the Mormugao Port Trust (MPT), now has 11 berths.
   

12. Major ports in India (Paradip Port):

• Paradip is one of the biggest sea ports in India and the only major port in Odisha. 
• Biju Patnaik, Odisha's then-chief minister, is credited with creating Paradip Port. 
• It is located 210 nautical miles south of Kolkata and 260 nautical miles north of Vishakhapatnam on the eastern coast of the Bay of Bengal.
   

13. Mundra Port, Gujarat (International sea port in India):

• Mundra Port maintains its remarkable record, handling over 4.49 million TEUs in 2023, cementing its status as India's second largest port. 
• The Mundra port has a huge advantage over other ports because it is well connected to train routes across India. 
• In addition, Mundra Airport is undergoing extensive improvements to become an international air freight center.  
• The port handles 5 million TEUs and 338 million metric tons of cargo.
   

So, these are the major 13 largest sea ports in India, and they play an important role in transporting significant goods like iron ore, oil, coal, alumina, and pellets. Notably, it handles a significant portion of the country's iron exports, making it a vital hub for trade and commerce.

Also Read:
Look into India Top 10 Exports: Trends and Opportunities

Comprehensive Guide for India Top 10 Imports Products

Soda Ash Import Trends: Key Insights for Indian Suppliers

Wind-Up

In India, sea ports serve as export and import hubs, shifting product delivery from the ocean to truck, railway, and river transport. The above list of the 13 largest sea ports in India includes information about the International sea port in India,  India's largest sea port as well as its major export and import ports.

If you want to learn more about the list of Major Ports in India or largest ports in India, please contact Eximpedia.app.  We also give export and import data for the largest ports in India or total ports in India. So, if you need market insights on the largest ports in India, our skilled professionals will assist you in growing your firm in the international trade industry. To book a free live demo, connect with our professionals right now and expand your trade business in the global market.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What are the 13 major ports in India?

The 13 largest ports in India are: Deendayal (Kandla), Mumbai, Mormugao, New Mangalore, Cochin, Chennai, Ennore (Kamarajar), Tuticorin (V O Chidambaranar), Visakhapatnam, Paradip, Kolkata (including Haldia), and Jawaharlal Nehru Port.

Q2. Which is the No 1 port in India?

Mumbai Port is India's largest port in terms of both size and maritime traffic. Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) in Navi Mumbai: JNPT is India's largest container port, accounting for more than 55% of the country's container traffic. Nhava Sheva, also known as Jawaharlal Nehru Port, is the largest port in Maharashtra.

Q3. How many major ports in India have?

India has 13 major ports and 205 notified minor and intermediate ports. The Sagarmala Project will include the development of six new megaports.

Q4. Which is the most famous port in India?

Mumbai Port is considered the most famous port in India. The Mumbai Port is located in west Mumbai on India's western coast, in a natural harbor.

Q5. Which is the smallest sea port in India?

The smallest port in India is Port Blair, which is located in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Port Blair, located in the Bay of Bengal, serves as the island's capital and primary port.

Q6. Is Kandla the largest port of India?

The Kandla Port, located 90 kilometers from the Gulf of Kutch, was developed in the 1950s as India's largest export processing port in the Kandla Creek region. It is India's largest port in terms of revenue and cargo volume handled per year. 

Q7. Which is the busiest port in India 2023?

Deendayal Port (previously Kandla Port) is a large port in Gujarat, approximately 430 nautical miles northwest. It was designated a significant port in 1955. Today, Deendayal Port is India's largest ports or busiest port in India, with the biggest cargo tonnage. However, the top 5 busiest ports in India or list of Major Ports in India are:

1. Mumbai Port in Maharashtra
2. The port of Visakhapatnam
3. Mundra Port, Gujarat
4. Deendayal Port (Kandla), Gujarat
5. Chennai Port, Tamil Nadu

Q8. Which is the newest major port in India?

Vadhavan Port, in Maharashtra, is India’s largest ports or India's newest major port. The Union Cabinet approved the establishment of Vadhavan Port as India's 13th major port.