India’s major ports handled 855 million tonnes of cargo in FY25, 4.3% more than the 819 million tonnes they handled in FY24, and hit new milestones in operational efficiency and infrastructure modernisation, the ministry of ports, shipping and waterways (MoPSW) said on Tuesday.
This growth highlights the resilience and capacity of major ports in accommodating rising trade volumes, the ministry added. The increase in traffic was driven by higher container throughput (10%), fertilisers (13%), petrol, oil and lubricants (3%), and miscellaneous commodities (31%) than in the previous fiscal year.
Petroleum, oil, and lubricants-including crude, petroleum products, and LPG/LNG-led the charts with a volume of 254.5 million tonnes (29.8%) in FY25. It was followed by container traffic at 193.5 million tonnes (22.6%), coal at 186.6 million tonnes (21.8%), and other cargo categories such as iron ore, pellets and fertilisers.
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For the first time in the history of major ports, the Paradip Port Authority (PPA) and Deendayal Port Authority (DPA) handled more than 150 million tonnes of cargo, reinforcing their status as key hubs of maritime trade and operational excellence, the ministry said.
Meanwhile, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) set a record by handling 7.3 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), reflecting 13.5% year-on-year growth.
Port-led industrial development
In FY25, Indian ports collectively allocated 962 acres of land for industrialisation, which is expected to have generated income of ₹7,565 crore over the fiscal year, the ministry said. Lessees are expected to investment ₹68,780 crore on the allotted land in future, reaffirming investor confidence in port-led development, it added.
Private-sector participation has been instrumental in this transformation, with investments in public-private-partnership (PPP) projects at major ports increasing threefold from ₹1,329 crore in FY23 to ₹3,986 crore in FY25, the ministry said. Operational performance continued to improve in FY25, with pre-berthing detention time (on port account) up around 36% from FY24.
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Major ports saw an 8% increase in total income to ₹24,203 crore in FY25 from ₹22,468 crore in FY24. Operating surplus grew 7% to ₹12,314 crore in FY25 from ₹11,512 crore in FY24.
Sarbananda Sonowal, minister of ports, shipping and waterways, said, “I am immensely proud of the remarkable achievements of India’s major ports in FY25… the ministry has worked tirelessly to modernise port infrastructure, enhance operational efficiency, and foster private sector participation, paving the way for unprecedented growth in India’s maritime sector.
“From record-breaking cargo handling to significant improvements in operational parameters and financial performance, the achievements of FY25 reflect the resilience and readiness of our ports to support India’s growing trade ambitions.”
A decade of growth
From FY15 to FY25, cargo volumes surged from 581 million tonnes to about 855 million tonnes, clocking a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4%. Containerised cargo saw a remarkable 70% increase over the decade-from 7.9 million TEUs in FY15 to 13.5 million in FY25. Conventional commodities such as coal, fertilisers, iron ore and POL also saw significant growth over the past decade.
Productivity indicators also point to a 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%, from 96 hours in FY15 to 49.5 hours in FY25.
- Pre-berthing detention time (on port account) improved by 24%, from 5.02 hours in FY15 to 3.8 hours in FY25.
- Idle time (%) fell by 29%, from 23.1% in FY15 to 16.3% in FY25.
Major ports’ financial performance has been equally impressive over the past decade, with total income more than doubling from ₹11,760 crore in FY15 to ₹24,203 crore in FY25 at 7.5% CAGR. Operating surplus nearly tripled to ₹12,314 crore at a 13% CAGR over the same period. Operational efficiency also improved significantly, with the operating ratio falling from 64.7% in FY15 to 42.3% in FY25, reinforcing the ports’ financial sustainability.