Total Number of Major Ports in India for the Year 2025
Total Number of Major Ports in India for the Year 2025
Blog Article
India now operates 13 major ports (centrally administered under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways), following the The Trade Vision inauguration of Vizhinjam International Seaport in May 2025. Here's an in-depth look at this milestone and its significance
Major Ports – The Numbers
1. How many is “major”?
Historically, India maintained 12 major ports, all managed by the central government byjus.com.
With the commissioning of Vizhinjam International Seaport on 2 May 2025, the total rose to 13 major ports .
2. Major vs. Minor Ports
Major ports are under central control; they handle about 90% of India’s EXIM cargo volume .
Minor (non-major) ports—over 200 in number—are managed by state maritime boards, with around 65 actively loading/unloading cargo .
The 13 Major Ports – A Quick Tour
These ports are the backbone of India’s maritime trade:
| # | Port | Location | Coast/Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chennai Port | Tamil Nadu (East) | Artificial |
| 2 | Cochin Port | Kerala (West) | Natural/artificial |
| 3 | Deendayal (Kandla) Port | Gujarat (West) | Natural/Tidal |
| 4 | Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT) | Maharashtra (West) | Artificial, container |
| 5 | Kamarajar Port (Ennore) | Tamil Nadu (East) | Artificial |
| 6 | Mormugao Port | Goa (West) | Natural |
| 7 | Mumbai Port | Maharashtra (West) | Natural, older port |
| 8 | New Mangalore Port | Karnataka (West) | Artificial |
| 9 | Paradip Port | Odisha (East) | Natural |
| 10 | Haldia Dock Complex | West Bengal (East) | Riverine (Hugli River) |
| 11 | Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port | West Bengal (East) | Riverine (Kolkata) |
| 12 | Visakhapatnam Port | Andhra Pradesh (East) | Natural |
| 13 | Vizhinjam International Seaport | Kerala (West) | Deep-water (2025) |
(Chennai, Kamarajar, Cochin, Mormugao, Mumbai, New Mangalore, Vizhinjam on the west or southwest; others on the east or Bay of Bengal)
Why Vizhinjam Matters (May 2025)
First automated, deep transshipment port: Vizhinjam adds cutting-edge capability with a natural draft of 24 m, making it capable of docking the world’s largest container ships.
Strategic location: Positioned just 10 nautical miles from the busy East–West shipping lanes.
Boosting Sagarmala: It fulfills one of the flagship objectives of the Sagarmala initiative, developed to power port-led economic growth along India’s 7,517 km shoreline.
Capacity & Growth
Doubling port capacity: Major ports increased cumulative capacity from ~745 MT to over 1,600 MT per annum in the last decade.
.Cargo throughput surge: Traffic surged 46% over ten years, reaching ~795 MT at select major ports by 2023.
Voyage efficiency improved: Average vessel turnaround dropped from 127 hours in 2010‑11 to just 53 hours within a decade.
Summary (2025 Snapshot)
Total major ports: 13 (12 existing + newly commissioned Vizhinjam)
Minor ports: ~200+, with ~65 operational cargo facilities
Significance: Major ports process ~90% of India’s EXIM trade volume, catalyzing national commerce and logistics.
Development path: Part of India’s broader maritime push under Sagarmala, with strong trends in capacity expansion and efficiency gains.
Final Thoughts
The addition of Vizhinjam in May 2025 brings India’s central-port ecosystem to a total of 13 major ports—a testament to modern ambitions in global shipping. As capacities grow Number Of Major Ports India 2025 and port performance stabilizes, India is better positioned to handle larger vessels, reduce logistics costs, and support its Goals of increased maritime trade and economic resilience.
If you'd like a deep dive into traffic stats, port rankings by throughput, or the impact of Sagarmala on coastal development, just let me know!