Top 10 Major Ports in India: List, Key Features, and Latest Developments

Introduction

India’s ports form the backbone of its maritime economy, anchoring nearly 95% of the nation’s trade by volume and over two-thirds by value. Spread across the vast 7,500-kilometre coastline, these ports connect India to every major global shipping route while fuelling domestic industries, energy imports, and exports of manufactured goods. The network includes 12 major ports managed by the central government and over 200 non-major ports administered by coastal states and private operators.

In recent years, the sector has seen a wave of modernization—automation, green hydrogen projects, digital logistics corridors, and deep-water terminals—turning ports from cargo points into multimodal logistics hubs. Flagship initiatives like Sagarmala and Maritime India Vision 2030 are accelerating this transformation. From the long-established gateways of Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata to emerging powerhouses such as Vizhinjam and Deendayal, India’s ports are evolving to handle growing trade, larger ships, and cleaner energy demands. Together, they symbolize not just maritime progress but also India’s strategic rise as a global logistics and transshipment hub in the Indo-Pacific.

1. Deendayal Port (Kandla, Gujarat)

• Location & role: Major multi-cargo port on the Gulf of Kutch that handles petroleum, chemicals, dry bulk and containers.
• Recent developments: Commissioned India’s first “Make-in-India” 1 MW green-hydrogen plant at the port (pilot to scale to larger capacity), named as one of three national Green Hydrogen Hubs, and piloting advanced intra-port freight tech (MagRail) with DP World. The port is also moving ahead with large “smart port” expansion plans and additional oil jetties and terminals. 

2. Mumbai Port (Maharashtra)

• Location & role: Historic natural harbour serving Mumbai — important for general/break-bulk cargo, some liquid bulk and coastal traffic.
• Recent developments: The port authority is actively leasing large land parcels for commercial redevelopment (raising non-operational revenue), and terminals in the Mumbai region (PSA & others) have been expanding capacity and green/renewable initiatives; the trust is also re-orienting some land for waterfront, tourism and logistics uses.

3. Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust — JNPT / Nhava Sheva (Maharashtra)

• Location & role: India’s largest container gateway (serves the Mumbai–Pune hinterland).
• Recent developments: JNPA recorded record container throughput (reported ~7.3 million TEUs in FY 2024–25) and continues capacity upgrades, terminal consolidation and tenders for re-organisation of terminals to scale throughput and efficiency. Plans and PPP moves are targeting further berth & yard expansion to manage the hinterland surge.

4. Chennai Port (Tamil Nadu)

• Location & role: Key east-coast gateway (auto exports, containers, petroleum, bulk).
• Recent developments: Chennai Port Authority is studying reclamation and feasibility for about 200 acres behind the container berth to boost yard space and container capacity; weather/radar upgrades and dredging projects are in progress to improve draft and resilience to cyclonic conditions. Operational upgrades aim at reducing congestion and supporting Chennai’s manufacturing exports.

5. Visakhapatnam Port (Andhra Pradesh)

• Location & role: Deep-water all-weather port handling bulk (coal, ore), containers, and crude/petroleum; strategic for the east coast.
• Recent developments: Multiple infrastructure projects underway (cruise terminal, promenade, repairs, dredging and dredge-maintenance works); VPA is pursuing capacity doubling and asset monetisation to finance new facilities; active day-to-day milestones reported through 2025. 

6. Paradip Port (Odisha)

• Location & role: Major bulk-export port — heavy on iron ore, coal and mineral exports; important for eastern India’s industry.
• Recent developments: Paradip has signed new concession agreements for an iron-ore berth and recorded very strong cargo performance (recent reports indicate a milestone ~75 million metric tonnes throughput in the fiscal year), alongside ongoing BOT projects to raise iron-ore and dry bulk handling capacity.

7. V.O. Chidambaranar Port / Tuticorin (Tamil Nadu) — (VOC Port)

• Location & role: Southern hub handling containers, bulk, liquid and general cargo; strategically close to east-west shipping lanes.
• Recent developments: VOC / Tuticorin reports steady growth in cargo and container traffic; the port is redesigning and reprioritising major harbour expansion projects (including inner harbour/channel dredging, ship-repair, and offshore wind/renewables pilots) while investigating funding models for a large outer-harbour plan. 

Also Read: Top 15 Major Ports of the World in 2025: Updated Rankings, Insights & Emerging Hubs

8. Cochin Port (Kochi, Kerala)

• Location & role: Natural harbour serving Kerala; contains Vallarpadam transshipment terminal and handles containers, petroleum, break-bulk and cruise traffic.
• Recent developments: Cochin shows steady cargo growth (official reporting of year-on-year increases), and the Vallarpadam terminal is slated for capacity improvements to remain competitive in transshipment. The port is also in the spotlight for administrative and governance updates from the central ministry.

9. Kolkata / Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port Trust (Kolkata & Haldia, West Bengal)

• Location & role: India’s principal riverine gateway (Hooghly River) covering Kolkata Dock System and Haldia Dock Complex — serves eastern & northeastern India and neighbouring landlocked countries.
• Recent developments: The port has accelerated mechanisation and modernisation (major contracts for Haldia berth mechanisation to boost dry bulk handling), and ongoing dredging projects aim to improve drafts and reduce vessel turnaround time. Public–private projects are being used to improve efficiency at both Kolkata and Haldia.

10. Vizhinjam International Seaport (Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala)

• Location & role: India’s new deep-water automated transshipment port (natural depth ≈24 m), located ~10 nmi from the east-west shipping lane — purpose-built to capture transshipment traffic.
• Recent developments: Commercial operations began in late 2024/early 2025; the port handled ultra-large container vessels including MSC Irina and has crossed the 1-million TEU milestone in under a year of operations. Phase-2 investment (₹10,000–15,000 crore) is set to start and port-led industrialization plans and hinterland connectivity (road/rail) are being fast-tracked. Vizhinjam is now actively shifting regional transshipment dynamics.

India’s Maritime Vision 2030

India’s Maritime India Vision 2030 (MIV 2030) is a comprehensive blueprint to modernize the country’s maritime sector and align it with global standards of efficiency and sustainability. Launched by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, it outlines over 150 initiatives across major and non-major ports, shipping, logistics, and coastal infrastructure.

Key goals include:

• Capacity Expansion: Increasing total cargo handling capacity to more than 3,300 million tonnes per annum by 2030.
• Port-led Industrialization: Developing Port-Linked Industrial Clusters (PLICs) and multimodal logistics parks to integrate manufacturing and exports.
• Digital & Green Transformation: Adoption of smart port technologies, digital tracking, and blockchain-based cargo systems; promotion of green hydrogen, LNG bunkering, and shore power to cut emissions.
• Global Transshipment Hubs: Positioning India as a regional hub through world-class deep-water ports like Vizhinjam, Vadhavan, and Paradip.
• Employment & Investment: Attracting over ₹3 lakh crore in investments and generating more than two million jobs in the maritime ecosystem.

MIV 2030, paired with the Sagarmala Programme, signals India’s commitment to becoming a leading maritime nation. The vision is clear: to transform Indian ports into gateways of prosperity—efficient, sustainable, and globally competitive—driving the country’s trade ambitions well into the next decade.

Conclusion

India’s ports stand at the crossroads of geography, commerce, and ambition. From legacy gateways like Mumbai and Kolkata to new entrants such as Vizhinjam and Deendayal, the nation’s maritime network has matured into a dynamic system connecting Asia, Africa, and Europe. Together, these ports not only handle bulk cargo, containers, and energy imports but also power millions of livelihoods and regional supply chains. The recent shift toward automation, cleaner fuels, and smart logistics signals a deeper transformation—ports are no longer mere transit points, but engines of national growth. As connectivity improves through coastal corridors and inland waterways, India’s ports are poised to become central nodes in global trade routes, reinforcing the country’s strategic and economic presence across the Indo-Pacific.