List of Major Ports in India

India has 13 major ports, which are critical to the country's maritime trade and economic activities. These ports are managed by the central government and are strategically located along the eastern and western coasts, handling the majority of India’s sea cargo traffic.

The 13 Major Ports of India

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Port Blair was declared a major port in 2010, but its status has been subject to revision and is occasionally left out of the official list because of comparatively low cargo traffic.

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Key Highlights

• Busiest Major Port by Volume: Paradip Port (Odisha) recently overtook Deendayal Port (Kandla) in cargo volume, becoming the busiest major port in India.
• Largest Container Port: Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), also Nhava Sheva, is responsible for more than half of India's container traffic.
• Oldest Major Port: Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port (Kolkata), formed in 1870, is India's oldest functioning port and the sole major riverine port.
• Deepest Port: Visakhapatnam Port (Andhra Pradesh) is the deepest natural port in India.

Geographic Distribution

• West Coast: Deendayal (Kandla), Mumbai, JNPT, Mormugao, New Mangalore, Cochin
• East Coast: Chennai, Kamarajar (Ennore), V.O. Chidambaranar (Tuticorin), Visakhapatnam, Paradip, Kolkata (Syama Prasad Mookerjee)
• Islands: Port Blair (Andaman & Nicobar Islands)

Together, these ports account for most of India's maritime trade and are critical for import-export operations, handling a variety of commodities ranging from petroleum and coal to iron ore, fertilizers, and container cargo

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