Major Ports of India on Eastern Coast
The major ports on the Eastern Coast of India play a critical role in the country’s maritime trade, handling a significant volume of cargo and facilitating international commerce. Here are the major ports located on the Eastern Coast:
Kolkata Port
Kolkata Port, now called Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, is India’s oldest major river port situated in Kolkata, West Bengal. It was built by the British East India Company. Unlike most ports, Kolkata is freshwater with no salt content. It has two main sections: Kolkata Dock in the city and a deep water dock at Haldia Dock Complex, located around 203 kilometers away from the sea.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Kolkata Port (officially Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port Trust) |
| Location | Kolkata, West Bengal, India |
| Established | 1870 |
| Type | Riverine Port |
| Primary Cargo | Bulk and break bulk cargo, containers, minerals, tea, textiles |
| Significance | India’s oldest operating port and major riverine port, playing a critical role in the trade network of eastern and northeastern India and the Himalayan region. |
Paradip Port
Paradip Port is a natural, deep-water harbor on the East coast of India in Paradip, just 53 km (33 mi) from Jagatsinghpur city in Jagatsinghpur district of Odisha, India. It is where the Mahanadi river meets the Bay of Bengal, around 210 nmi (390 km; 240 mi) south of Kolkata and 260 nmi (480 km; 300 mi) north of Visakhapatnam. The port is managed by the Paradip Port Authority (PPA) (previously Paradip Port Trust), which is an independent corporation fully owned by the Government of India.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Paradip Port |
| Location | Paradip, Odisha, India |
| Established | 1966 |
| Type | Deep-Water, All-Weather Port |
| Primary Cargo | Coal, Iron Ore, Crude Oil, Fertilizers, Containers, and Dry Bulk |
| Significance | One of the largest ports in India, playing a key role in the country’s international maritime trade, especially in the eastern region. |
Visakhapatnam Port
Visakhapatnam Port is one of India’s twelve big ports and the main port of Andhra Pradesh. It’s the third largest state-owned port in India in terms of cargo volume, and the biggest on the Eastern Coast. Positioned about halfway between Kolkata Port and Chennai Port, it’s around 880 km from Kolkata and 780 km from Chennai, making it a strategic location along the Bay of Bengal coast.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Visakhapatnam Port |
| Location | Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India |
| Established | 1933 |
| Type | Deep-Water, All-Weather Port |
| Primary Cargo | Iron Ore, Coal, Crude Oil, General Cargo, Containers |
| Significance | One of the major ports of India, serving as a key hub for maritime trade in the eastern region, with strategic importance due to its location and facilities. |
Kamarajar Port
Kamarajar Port Limited, previously known as Ennore Port, sits on the Coromandel Coast, around 18 km north of Chennai Port. It’s India’s 12th major port and the first to be a public company. It’s the only major port organized as a company. Chennai Port Trust took over about 67% ownership of Kamarajar Port Limited from the government on March 27, 2020, while it already held 23 percent earlier.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Kamarajar Port |
| Location | Ennore, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Established | 2001 |
| Type | Deep-Water, All-Weather Port |
| Primary Cargo | Coal, Petroleum, Petroleum Products, and Containers |
| Significance | India’s first corporatized port; plays a vital role in handling automotive and coal cargoes, serving the industrial and economic zones of southern India. |
Chennai Port
Chennai Port, previously called Madras Port, is India’s second-largest container port, after Mumbai’s Jawaharlal Nehru Port, also known as Nhava Sheva. It’s the biggest port in the Bay of Bengal and the third-oldest among India’s 13 major ports, starting official operations in 1881, though maritime trade began much earlier in 1639 on the undeveloped coast.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Chennai Port |
| Location | Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Established | 1881 |
| Type | Major Maritime Port |
| Primary Cargo | Containers, Automobiles, Coal, Petroleum Products |
| Significance | One of the oldest and largest maritime ports in India, crucial for maritime trade in the southern region, especially in handling automotive exports and imports. |
Tuticorin Port
The V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority is located in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, and is one of India’s 13 major ports. It was designated as a major port on July 11, 1974. It ranks as the second-largest port in Tamil Nadu and the third-largest container terminal in India. The V.O. Chidambaranar Port is man-made. It’s the third international port in Tamil Nadu and the second all-weather port.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | V.O. Chidambaranar Port (Tuticorin Port) |
| Location | Thoothukudi (Tuticorin), Tamil Nadu, India |
| Established | 1974 |
| Type | Deep-Water, All-Weather Port |
| Primary Cargo | Coal, General Cargo, Containers |
| Significance | Key maritime gateway for southern Tamil Nadu and inland regions, supporting economic and industrial development. |
Major Ports in India
Major Ports in India: The Republic of India has a total of 13 major ports, of which 12 ports are Government-owned and 1 is private. The country has 7517 kilometres of coastline and its major ports handled 795 million tonnes of cargo in FY23.
In this article, we are going to discuss the major ports in India in detail.