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Understanding cargo activity across India's major ports can help businesses make more informed decisions when planning shipments. Port selection can affect routing, available services, transit planning and how cargo moves through the wider logistics network. Looking at cargo volumes provides a useful starting point for understanding which ports handle the highest levels of activity.

According to the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, India's 12 operational Major Ports handled 915.17 million tonnes (MT) of cargo in FY 2025–26. Deendayal Port Authority handled the highest volume at 160.11 MT, followed by Paradip Port Authority at 156.45 MT and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) at 102.01 MT.

For this ranking, cargo volume refers to the total cargo handled in million tonnes (MT) during the financial year. This includes different types of cargo such as coal, crude oil, petroleum products, containers and other commodities. Container traffic is measured separately in TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units), so the busiest port by total cargo volume may differ from the busiest port by container traffic.

Busiest Ports in India: Quick Overview

The ranking below is based on total cargo handled in million tonnes (MMT) during FY 2025–26, from April 2025 to March 2026. Cargo throughput includes containerized cargo as well as bulk, liquid and other cargo, so this is different from a ranking based only on container traffic.

Rank	Port	Location	Cargo handled	Year	Key cargo types
1	Deendayal Port Authority	Kandla, Gujarat	160.11 MMT	FY 2025–26	Crude oil, petroleum products, coal, salt, food grains
2	Paradip Port Authority	Paradip, Odisha	156.45 MMT	FY 2025–26	Thermal coal, coking coal, iron ore, crude oil
3	Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA)	Nhava Sheva, Maharashtra	102.01 MMT	FY 2025–26	Containers, liquid cargo, break bulk
4	Visakhapatnam Port Authority	Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh	91.17 MMT	FY 2025–26	Petroleum, crude oil, iron ore, coal, fertilisers
5	Mumbai Port Authority	Mumbai, Maharashtra	75.15 MMT	FY 2025–26	Liquid bulk, iron & steel, general cargo
6	Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port Authority	Kolkata–Haldia, West Bengal	70.87 MMT	FY 2025–26	Containers, coal, fertilisers, project cargo
7	Chennai Port Authority	Chennai, Tamil Nadu	57.90 MMT	FY 2025–26	Containers, automobiles, crude, clean cargo
8	New Mangalore Port Authority	Mangaluru, Karnataka	50.04 MMT	FY 2025–26	Crude oil, petroleum products, fertilisers, iron ore
9	Kamarajar Port Limited	Ennore, Tamil Nadu	49.08 MMT	FY 2025–26	Coal, POL, containers, automobiles, LNG
10	V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority	Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu	43.30 MMT	FY 2025–26	Dry bulk, containers, liquid bulk

Note:

The data is based on the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Government of India, which reports that India's Major Ports handled 915.17 million tonnes (MT) of cargo in FY 2025–26. According to the Ministry's March 2026 summary, Deendayal Port Authority handled the highest volume at 160.11 MT, followed by Paradip Port Authority at 156.45 MT and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) at 102.01 MT.

Which Is the Busiest Port in India?

Deendayal Port Authority is the busiest among India's 12 Major Ports by total cargo volume, with 160.11 MMT handled in FY 2025–26. It narrowly exceeded Paradip Port Authority, which handled 156.45 MMT during the same financial year.

However, the answer changes when non-major and privately operated ports are included. Mundra Port, operated by Adani Ports, handled 192.0 MMT in FY 2025–26, compared with 200.7 MMT in FY 2024–25. It therefore handled more total cargo than Deendayal or Paradip in FY 2025–26.

For SEO purposes, this distinction is important because searches for “busiest port in India” can refer either to the country's overall commercial port landscape or to the government-defined group of Major Ports.

Top 10 Busiest Ports in India

1. Deendayal Port Authority – Kandla, Gujarat

Cargo handled: 160.11 MMT
Ranking: No. 1 among India's Major Ports
Financial year: FY 2025–26

Deendayal Port Authority, formerly known as Kandla Port, handled 160.11 million tonnes of cargo in FY 2025–26, making it the busiest of India's 12 Major Ports by total cargo throughput. It also recorded the highest cargo volume among the Major Ports for the year.

The port has a diversified cargo profile covering crude oil, petroleum products, coal, salt, food grains, fertilisers and containerized cargo. Its large volumes are therefore not driven by container traffic alone. The Ministry's FY2024–25 statistics show particularly significant volumes of crude oil, thermal coal and salt at Deendayal.

2. Paradip Port Authority – Paradip, Odisha

Cargo handled: 156.45 MMT
Ranking: No. 2
Financial year: FY 2025–26

Paradip Port handled 156.45 MMT in FY 2025–26, placing it just behind Deendayal Port. The Ministry confirmed Paradip as the second-highest Major Port by cargo volume for the year.

Paradip's cargo mix is strongly associated with coal, iron ore and petroleum cargo. In FY2024–25, the port handled substantial volumes of thermal coal, coking coal, iron ore/pellets and crude oil, illustrating why a bulk-oriented port can rank among India's busiest even without large container volumes.

3. Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority – Nhava Sheva, Maharashtra

Cargo handled: 102.01 MMT
Ranking: No. 3
Financial year: FY 2025–26

Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority, commonly known as JNPA or Nhava Sheva, handled 102.01 MMT of cargo in FY 2025–26.

JNPA is particularly important for container shipping. The port handled 8.17 million TEUs in FY 2025–26, representing about 53.93% of the container traffic handled by India's Major Ports. This makes JNPA the country's leading Major Port when container traffic is measured in TEUs, even though Deendayal and Paradip handle more total cargo by weight.

4. Visakhapatnam Port Authority – Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh

Cargo handled: 91.17 MMT
Ranking: No. 4
Financial year: FY 2025–26

Visakhapatnam Port Authority recorded its highest-ever annual cargo throughput of approximately 91.17 MMT in FY 2025–26, up from 82.62 MMT in FY 2024–25.

Its cargo base includes petroleum and crude oil, coal, iron ore, fertilisers and containerized cargo. The port's FY2024–25 cargo profile included 24.85 MMT of POL, 15.41 MMT of coal, 11.57 MMT of iron ore and 9.94 MMT of container cargo.

5. Mumbai Port Authority – Mumbai, Maharashtra

Cargo handled: 75.15 MMT
Ranking: No. 5
Financial year: FY 2025–26

Mumbai Port handled 75.15 MMT of cargo in FY 2025–26, its highest cargo throughput to date according to reporting on the port's annual performance review.

The port handles a broad mix of cargo, including liquid bulk and petroleum-related cargo, iron and steel, and other general and break-bulk cargo. Its cargo profile differs considerably from container-focused JNPA, despite both ports serving the Mumbai region.

6. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port Authority – Kolkata–Haldia, West Bengal

Cargo handled: 70.87 MMT
Ranking: No. 6
Financial year: FY 2025–26

Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port Authority, which includes the Kolkata Dock System and Haldia Dock Complex, handled 70.87 MMT in FY 2025–26. The figure was confirmed by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways in June 2026.

The port handles a diversified range of cargo, including containers, coal, petroleum products, fertilisers and project cargo. Its riverine location also makes its cargo movement and navigation characteristics different from deep-water ports such as Paradip or JNPA.

7. Chennai Port Authority – Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Cargo handled: 57.90 MMT
Ranking: No. 7
Financial year: FY 2025–26

Chennai Port recorded 57.9 MMT of cargo in FY 2025–26, representing a new annual throughput record.

The port has a diversified cargo base covering containers, automobiles, crude and other clean cargo. Container traffic is particularly significant: Chennai handled approximately 1.94 million TEUs in FY 2025–26, according to reporting based on the port's annual performance.

8. New Mangalore Port Authority – Mangaluru, Karnataka

Cargo handled: 50.04 MMT
Ranking: No. 8
Financial year: FY 2025–26

New Mangalore Port Authority handled a record 50.04 MMT of cargo in FY 2025–26, its highest annual throughput since the port began operations.

The port's cargo base includes crude oil and petroleum products, fertilisers, edible oils, coal and other industrial cargo. Its location makes it an important maritime gateway for Karnataka and parts of the wider southwestern hinterland.

9. Kamarajar Port – Ennore, Tamil Nadu

Cargo handled: 49.08 MMT
Ranking: No. 9
Financial year: FY 2025–26

Kamarajar Port, located at Ennore near Chennai, handled 49.08 MMT of cargo in FY 2025–26, according to the port's annual performance reporting.

It is a multi-cargo port handling coal, petroleum products, LNG, containers, automobiles and other cargo. The port also plays an important role alongside Chennai Port in serving the industrial and automotive ecosystem around northern Tamil Nadu.

10. V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority – Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu

Cargo handled: 43.30 MMT
Ranking: No. 10
Financial year: FY 2025–26

V.O. Chidambaranar Port, commonly known as VOC Port or Tuticorin Port, handled approximately 43.3 MMT in FY 2025–26, its highest annual cargo throughput at the time of the port authority's latest reported performance.

The port has a diversified cargo profile, with dry bulk and containerized cargo forming important parts of its traffic, along with liquid and break-bulk cargo. Its location in southern Tamil Nadu makes it an important gateway for cargo moving through the southern Indian peninsula.

Busiest Port in India by Cargo Volume vs Container Traffic

“Busiest” can mean different things in the shipping industry.

Cargo volume is generally measured in tonnes or million tonnes (MMT). It includes commodities such as crude oil, petroleum products, coal, iron ore, fertilisers, containers and other cargo. A port handling large quantities of heavy bulk commodities can therefore rank very high by tonnage without being a leading container port.

Container traffic, on the other hand, is commonly measured in TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units). One 20-foot container represents one TEU, while a 40-foot container generally represents two TEUs.

This distinction explains why Deendayal Port ranks first among the Major Ports by total cargo volume, while JNPA is the leading Major Port by container traffic. JNPA handled 8.17 million TEUs in FY2025–26, while its total cargo volume was 102.01 MMT.

There is also a broader all-port comparison. Mundra Port handled 8.5 million TEUs and 192.0 MMT in FY2025–26, making it significant under both cargo-tonnage and container-volume measures.

Why Cargo Volume Alone Does Not Tell the Whole Story

For shippers, the busiest port is not automatically the right port for every shipment. Cargo type, origin and destination, available shipping services, inland connectivity, transit time, customs requirements and container availability can all influence port selection.

For example, a containerized export shipment may be routed through a port with strong container services even if another port handles more total tonnes because of bulk commodities such as coal or crude oil.

For businesses moving international cargo, understanding the difference between port throughput, container throughput and available shipping services can therefore provide a more useful picture than looking at cargo tonnage alone.

Vanguard Logistics' ocean freight services can be naturally linked here when discussing how shipments move through Indian gateways, including its FCL ocean freight services and LCL consolidation services.

FAQs About the Busiest Ports in India

Which is the busiest port in India?

Deendayal Port Authority was the busiest among India's 12 Major Ports in FY 2025–26, handling 160.11 million tonnes of cargo. However, when privately operated and non-major ports are included, Mundra Port handled 192.0 MMT in FY2025–26.

Which is the busiest sea port in India by cargo volume?

The answer depends on the definition used. Mundra Port handled 192.0 MMT in FY2025–26, while Deendayal Port handled 160.11 MMT and ranked first among the 12 Major Ports.

Which is the busiest container port in India?

Mundra Port handled about 8.5 million TEUs in FY2025–26, while JNPA handled 8.17 million TEUs. Therefore, when all commercial ports are considered, Mundra handled more containers by TEU in FY2025–26. JNPA remained the largest container port within the government-defined Major Port group.

Which port handles the most cargo in India?

For FY2025–26, Mundra Port recorded 192.0 MMT, while Deendayal Port recorded 160.11 MMT and Paradip Port 156.45 MMT. The latter two are both Major Ports under MoPSW.

Is Kandla Port the same as Deendayal Port?

Yes. Deendayal Port Authority is the present name of the port historically known as Kandla Port. It is located in Gujarat's Kutch region.

What is the difference between cargo volume and container traffic?

Cargo volume is measured mainly in tonnes, while container traffic is measured in TEUs. Cargo tonnage includes bulk commodities such as coal and crude oil, which can significantly increase a port's total throughput without producing an equivalent increase in container TEUs.

How often should this ranking be updated?

The ranking should ideally be refreshed after the publication of each full-year port traffic dataset, normally covering April to March. For an SEO page targeting “busiest ports in India,” the financial year should always be displayed beside the cargo figures so readers can distinguish current data from previous rankings.