Cargo traffic at India's 12 major ports increased by 5.92 per cent to 70.08 million tonnes in July, compared to 66.17 million tonnes during the same period last year, according to data from the Indian Ports Association (IPA).
The IPA reported that 10 out of the 12 major ports experienced an increase in cargo traffic, while the remaining two saw a decline. The major ports include Deendayal (Kandla), Mumbai, Mormugao, New Mangalore, Cochin, Chennai, Ennore (Kamarajar), Tuticorin (VO Chidambaranar), Visakhapatnam, Paradip, Kolkata (including Haldia), and Jawaharlal Nehru Port.
Cochin Port led the growth with a 24.77 per cent increase in cargo traffic, followed by Visakhapatnam Port at 10.80 per cent and Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JN Port) at 9.07 per cent. Chennai Port saw an 8.89 per cent increase in traffic from July 2023, while Deendayal Port and VO Chidambaranar Port experienced growth of 7.13 per cent and 6.74 per cent, respectively.
Paradip Port reported a cargo handling growth of 3.60 per cent, SMP at Kolkata Port grew by 2.26 per cent, and Kamarajar Port saw a growth of 0.69 per cent. New Mangalore Port had a marginal increase of 0.18 per cent in cargo traffic during the analysed month. In contrast, Mumbai Port experienced a decline of 1.23 per cent, and Mormugao Port saw a decrease of 1 per cent, according to the IPA.
The overall growth in cargo traffic at these major ports highlights the ongoing recovery and expansion in India's port infrastructure and capacity, driven by increased trade activities and improved operational efficiencies.