Press Information Bureau

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% 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%), fertilizer cargo handling (13%), POL cargo handling (3%), and handling of miscellaneous commodities (31%) 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%), 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, 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% 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 ₹7,565 crore in FY 2024-25. Furthermore, lessees are expected to make future investments of ₹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 ₹1,329 crore in FY 2022-23 to ₹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% compared to FY 2023-24. Financially, Major Ports witnessed an 8% increase in total income in FY 2024-25, rising to ₹24,203 crore from ₹22,468 crore in FY 2023-24. Similarly, operating surplus grew 7% to ₹12,314 crore in FY 2024-25 from ₹11,512 crore in FY 2023-24.

Expressing his joy and pride, the Hon’ble Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal stated:

"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.

These milestones would not have been possible without the collaborative efforts of the Ministry, port authorities, officials, and employees, whose dedication and commitment have been instrumental in driving this decade of progress. From record-breaking cargo handling to significant improvements in operational parameters and financial performance, the achievements of FY 2024-25 reflect the resilience and readiness of our ports to support India's growing trade ambitions.

As we continue to scale new heights, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all stakeholders for their unwavering support and contributions. Together, we are building globally competitive, sustainable, and future-ready ports that will power India's economic growth and global trade footprint in the years to come."

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%. Containerized cargo saw a remarkable 70% 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%, 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%, decreasing from 5.02 hours in FY 2014-15 to 3.8 hours in FY 2024-25.
• Idle Time (%) dropped by ~29%, from 23.1% in FY 2014-15 to 16.3% 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 ₹11,760 crore in FY 2014-15 to ₹24,203 crore in FY 2024-25, registering a 7.5% 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% in FY 2014-15 to 42.3% in FY 2024-25, reinforcing the ports’ financial sustainability.

India’s Major Ports are now poised to take their competitiveness to the next level, supported by continuous investment in mechanisation, process reengineering, port community systems, and multi-modal logistics integration. These initiatives have resulted in higher cargo volumes, reduced vessel wait times, optimized capacity utilization, and increased investor confidence.

As India expands its global trade footprint and modernises logistics infrastructure, FY 2024-25 stands as a testament to the Ministry’s strategic vision and collaborative efforts of public authorities and private stakeholders. The Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways remains dedicated to sustaining this momentum and developing globally competitive, digitally enabled, and environmentally sustainable ports that will drive India’s trade and economic ambitions into the future.

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GDH/HR