India’s 12 major ports recorded strong growth in Q1 FY26, handling 220 million tonnes (MT) of cargo — a 6% year-on-year (YoY) rise, with container traffic leading the surge.
Key Highlights:
- Total traffic handled: 220 MT in Q1 FY26 vs. 208.5 MT in Q1 FY25
- Container cargo: Up 11% YoY to 51.4 MT
- Raw fertiliser imports: Jumped 19% to 2.6 MT
- POL cargo: Grew by 8% to 65.5 MT
- Thermal coal: Increased 3% to 35 MT
- Iron ore: Remained stable at 13.7 MT
Top Performing Ports
- Paradip Port (Odisha): Highest traffic at 40 MT (+5% YoY)
- Deendayal Port (Gujarat): Second highest at 38 MT (+5% YoY)
- Kolkata Port: Highest YoY growth at 21%, reaching 17.2 MT
- Chennai Port: Up 16% to 15 MT
- JNPT (Maharashtra): Largest container handler, 22 MT, making up 43% of total container volume
Container Traffic Performance
- Overall container volume: Up 10% YoY
- Total TEUs handled: 3,852 TEUs in Q1 FY26
- JNPT alone handled 55% of this, with 1,950 TEUs (+16%)
- Kolkata Dock System: Volume up 21% to 4.2 MT; TEUs up 30% to 234
- Global Container Market Trends
According to Drewry’s July 17 report:
- World Container Index (WCI): Fell 2.6%
- Trans-Pacific spot rates drop:
- Shanghai–Los Angeles: Down 4% to $2,817/FEU
- Shanghai–New York: Down 6% to $4,539/FEU
This decline reverses the upward rate trend seen in May-June, indicating a short-lived impact of earlier US tariff hikes.
Other Cargo Insights
- Coking coal: Fell Up 2% to 16 MT
- Fertilizer shipments: Dropped 12% to 1.5 MT
- Other liquids: Down 1% to 8 MT
Quick Facts: India's Major Ports
- Governed by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways
- Regulated under the Major Port Authorities Act, 2021
- Includes key ports such as Kolkata, Paradip, Visakhapatnam, Chennai, JNPT, Mumbai, Deendayal, and others
