Ports in India

Ports in India There are 12 major ports and about 200 non-major ports in India. A survey of 12 major ports in India and the goods traffic handled by them is given below.

On the West Coast Kandla (Gujarat); Mumbai (Maharashtra); Marmagao (Goa); New Mangalore (Karnataka); Co chin (Kerala); Jawaharlal Nehru Port near Mumbai (earlier called Nhava Sheva).

On the East Coast Tuticorin and Chennai (Tamil Nadu); Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh); Para deep (Orissa); and Kolkata-Haldia (West Bengal). Ennore in Tamil Nadu was notified as a major port in May 1999 and declared open In February 2001.

In 2008; the Krishnapatam Port in the Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh was dedicated to the nation. The port will playa key role in further envisaging trade betwecn India and the Gulf region, with its dedicated iron are handling units, coal jetties and general cargo handling facilities. The first phase of the port opened in July 2008 and is scheduled to be completed in 2011. It would be one of the most modernised port in the country.

Among major ports, Mlt1llbai handles the maximum traffic. It is a natural harbour. It handles over one-fifth of the total traffic of ports, mostly petroleum products and dry cargo. Kandla is a tidal port and a free trade zone has been set up here. Important traffic handled are crude oil, petroleum products, edible oil, foodgrains, salt, cotton, etc. Mannagao occupies the fifth position in terms of total quantum of traffic handled. From New Mansalorl', iron ore of Kundremukh is being exported. Other items are petro­leum products, fertilisers, molasses, etc. Cochin is a natural harbour dealing in fertilisers, petroleum and general cargn. Tuticorin handles mainly coal, saIt, edible oil, dry cdrgo and petroleum products. Chennai is the second largest port in the volume of traffic handled. Important items are petro­leum products, crude oil, fertilisers, iron ore and dry cargo. Visaklzapatnam is the deepest port. An outer h,ubour has been developed for exporting iron ore and a berth for crude oil is located here. Kolkata is a riverine port handling diversified commodities. Paradeep handles iron orc and some quantities of coal and dry cargo. lawalwrlnl Nelzm Port is equipped with modern facilities having mechanised container berths for handling dry bulk cargo and service berths.

The major ports handle about 90 per cent of the all­India port throughput and thus bear the brunt of sea-borne trade.