Ports Handle 855 MMT in 2024-25

·         India’s Major Ports Achieve Historic Milestones in FY 2024-25, Driving Growth and Global Competitiveness

·         FY 2024-25 Marks New Highs in Cargo Throughput and Operational Performance.

·         962 acres of Port Land valued at ₹7565 crore allocated for Port led Industrialisation with investment potential of ₹68,780 crore.

·         Cargo handled increased from 819 million tonnes in FY 2023-24 to ~855 million tonnes in FY 2024-25 with an annual growth of 4.3%.

·         Increase in traffic was driven by higher container throughput (10%), fertilizer cargo handling (13%), POL cargo handling (3%), and handling of miscellaneous commodities (31%).

·         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%).

·         Paradip Port Authority (PPA) Mahanadi, Orissa and Deendayal Port Authority (DPA) Kandla surpassed the 150-million-tonne cargo handling mark.

·         Meanwhile, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) set a record by handling 7.3 million TEUs, reflecting a 13.5% year-on-year growth.

·         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.

·         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.

·         Operating surplus grew 7% to ₹12,314 crore in FY 2024-25 from ₹11,512 crore in FY 2023-24.

·         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.

 

[ABS News Service/13.05.2025]

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) Mahanadi, Orissa and Deendayal Port Authority (DPA) Kandla 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.

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.