Cargo Traffic Surges at Major Ports Despite Mixed Results

Cargo traffic across 12 major ports rose by 3.75% in May year-on-year. The ports of Visakhapatnam, Chennai, Cochin, and Mumbai saw significant growth. However, some ports, like Kolkata, faced declines. Deendayal Port handled the highest traffic volume, with significant shares also seen in Paradip and Visakhapatnam ports.

Cargo traffic across 12 major Indian ports increased by 3.75% year-on-year in May, reaching 72.04 million tonnes (MT) from 69.43 MT in the same month of 2023, with nine ports showing positive growth, according to data from the Indian Ports Association (IPA).

Visakhapatnam Port led the way with a remarkable 22.05% growth in cargo handling, followed by Chennai Port at 9.10%, Cochin Port at 7.78%, and Mumbai Port at 5.89%. The major ports experiencing growth include Deendayal (Kandla), Mumbai, Mormugao, New Mangalore, Cochin, Chennai, Ennore (Kamarajar), Tuticorin (V O Chidambaranar), Visakhapatnam, Paradip, Kolkata (including Haldia), and Jawaharlal Nehru Port.

However, not all trends were positive. Kolkata’s Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port saw a sharp dip in cargo handling, down by 15.70%, with other declines reported at Kamarajar Port and Mormugao Port. Overall, Deendayal Port handled the highest volume of cargo at 12.71 MT, commanding a significant share of total traffic.