When it comes round to the Indian peninsula, the country has more than what meets the eye. Surrounded by the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal, the range of coastlines and ports in India is quite abundant. But, while people do have general knowledge about that, not many are familiar with all the seaports in India. There are several that many of us didn’t even know to exist. But, we are here to clarify just that doubts for you. To help you enhance your knowledge about the ports a little better and maybe even plan vacations around it, we have sorted through some of the major seaports in India.
Visiting these seaports will make your travel experience worthwhile, as this is where your will get to observe both the aspect of tourism as well as local culture of a place. However, to make the most of your trip, you must have the best ones shortlisted.
14 Important Seaports In India
Before we list down the available options of ports that you can visit and explore in India, let us clarify that the majority of these seaports in India have several other tourist sites around that you can explore too. So, planning a whole holiday around visiting a port is quite an amazing idea.
Let us look at some of the best options, shall we?
- Kandla port, Gujarat – The Bustling One
- Nhava Sheva, Maharashtra – The King Port
- Mumbai Port, Maharashtra – Largest Indian Sea Port
- Visakhapatnam Port, Andhra Pradesh – Port With A History
- Marmagao Port, Goa – Witness Serenity
- New Mangalore Port, Karnataka – At The North Of Gurpur
- Chennai Port, Tamil Nadu – Third Oldest In Country
- Cochin Port, Kerala – One Of The Largest
- Haldia Port, Kolkata – Biggest In The State
- Port Blair Port, Andaman And Nicobar Islands – The 13th Best In India
- Tuticorin Port, Tamil Nadu – Built On Artificial Sea
- Paradip, Orissa – Famous In The East
- Ennore Port, Chennai – One Of The Most Easily Accessible
- Vizag Port, Visakhapatnam – Counted Amongst The Oldest
1. Kandla port, Gujarat – The Bustling One
The very first and possibly the busiest of all the ports in India has to be the Kandla port in Gujarat. It is also considered as the major seaport in India and is located around 90 km away from Kutch. It is located in Kandla creek and hence the name. The port is quite old and dates back to the 1950s when it was constructed following the India-Pakistan partition. Owing to the bulk of cargo that is transported through this port, there is no doubt why it is considered one of the largest as well as important ports in India.
Some of the common goods that are transported via this port include steel, iron machinery, petroleum, salt, textiles, grains, chemicals, etc.
Location: Kandla Port, Kachchh, Gujarat
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2. Nhava Sheva, Maharashtra – The King Port
As unique as the name of the port is, it is also often referred to as the Jawaharlal Nehru Port and is the largest container port in India. It is situated in Konkan in Maharashtra and is one of the busiest ports across the country. It is also often referred to as the king port across the Arabian Sea and is responsible for handling several goods for export and import. This port was built back in 1989 and is under complete control of the government at the moment. It is responsible for handling 56% of the total containers.
Some of the common goods that are transported via this port include textiles, carpets, boneless meat, machinery, vegetable oils, chemicals, etc.
Location: Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra 400702
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3. Mumbai Port, Maharashtra – Largest Indian Sea Port
If you wish to know about the largest sea port in India, it is possibly the Mumbai port. The availability of the 10-12 mtr sea surrounding the port does make it a lot easier for the ships to enter the port with ease. It is believed that this port is responsible for taking care of around 1/5th of India’s total foreign exports. It is mainly responsible for handling trade along with the western countries along with the east African countries. The port is undergoing development as the demands arise.
Some of the common goods that are transported via this port include dry cargo and mineral oil from the Gulf countries.
Location: Mumbai, Maharashtra
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4. Visakhapatnam Port, Andhra Pradesh – Port With A History
From the west of the country, let us move down south. The Visakhapatnam Port is one of the most prominent ports available around in south India. The port does date back to the year 1933 when it was inaugurated by Lord Willingdon. It has a very picturesque view of the creek surrounding it, making visiting the post-experience in itself. The port alone does handle over 1.2 tonnes of cargo every single year which is pretty impressive. It is also subdivided into three harbors – the outer, inner and the fishing harbor.
Some of the common goods that are transported via this port include iron ore, alumina, oil, pellets, etc.
Location: Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
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5. Marmagao Port, Goa – Witness Serenity
It isn’t surprising that Goa is known for its beaches but did you know that it is known for one of the major seaports in India? The Marmagao Port is located in south Goa and is one of the most serene and laidback ports in India. This port is one of the most popular tourist sites across India that many people like to visit and witness the operation with their own eyes. This is one of the earliest modern ports in India and all for the right reasons. The start of the Konkan railway has hyped up the popularity of this port even more because of how accessible it has become now.
Some of the common goods that are transported via this port include iron ores, coconut, manganese, cotton, and other nuts.
Location: Alto Desterro, Mormugao, Goa
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6. New Mangalore Port, Karnataka – At The North Of Gurpur
Located in the southern province of Karnataka, the New Mangalore port is yet another one of the popular posts in India. It is located north of the Gurpur River. The port did start on a small scale, constructed targeting the small ships but the same did change following the Fourth Five Year plan which upgraded the port to now accommodate bigger ships as well. There has also been constructed harbor around which further helps manage the business around the port.
Some of the common goods that are transported via this port include tea, coffee, rice, fish, rubber, cashew nuts, crude oil, fertilisers, edible oil, etc.
Location: Indian Oil Tank Farm, Kasba Bengre, Panambur, Mangalore, Karnataka 575010
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7. Chennai Port, Tamil Nadu – Third Oldest In Country
When it comes to the second biggest sea port in India, the Chennai port takes the show away. It is also the third oldest port in the country, dating back to 1881. It is situated around the Coromandel coast and is the main port for export and import in Tamil Nadu. This port is also one of the major reasons behind the stability of the state which does have a lot to say about this, right? The port now handles around 100 million cargo, as per the census around in 2015-16.
Apart from the port being of such amazing significance, the tourists can also explore the spots around which include quite a bunch of lighthouses and other spots that are too good to pass up on.
Location: E Kal Mandapam Rd, Chennai Port Trust, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600001
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8. Cochin Port, Kerala – One Of The Largest
Even God’s own country has its port which is known as the Cochin port, located in Kerala. It is one of the largest ports in the country and has a very well connecting significance for both the Arabian sea as well as the Indian ocean. It is situated between two of the most popular islands of Willingdon and Vallarpadam. It also does process the largest transshipment facility in the country. Some of the other attractions around this site include the Cochin shipyard, Kochi refineries, Kochi Marina, etc.
While you are there exploring the port, make sure to check out the whole city because it’s too good to pass up on.
Location: Willingdon Island, Kochi, Kerala 682003
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9. Haldia Port, Kolkata – Biggest In The State
The Haldia port is the biggest one in the state of West Bengal and is located around 128 km inland from the Bay of Bengal. The port is quite a busy one and handles the shipments coming in from some of the most popular export destinations including southeast Asian countries, New Zealand and Australia. The port has experienced quite a lot of setbacks because of how old it is and sometimes even because of the lack of maintenance that it experiences. The depth of the water around the port is also consistently declining which is further causing an alarm.
Some of the common goods that are transported via this port include jute products, iron ore, steel, copper, leather, manganese, textile, etc.
Location: Haldia, West Bengal
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10. Port Blair Port, Andaman And Nicobar Islands – The 13th Best In India
The capital city of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands does have its port which is not as massive as many tell it is but does play a very significant role in India’s overall economy. It is one of the youngest seaports in India. The port is not necessarily the one with the maximum experience but it does come with quite a good bunch of significance that contributes to the country’s economy, hence it is considered the 13th best ports in India.
Location: Port Blair
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11. Tuticorin Port, Tamil Nadu – Built On Artificial Sea
When it comes to the major seaports in India, Tuticorin port is one of them. It is an artificial deep-sea harbor and also one of the 12 major seaports in India. It follows as the second largest option in the state following the major Chennai port. It is also one of the largest container terminals when it comes to the ports in India. It does receive some of the most important international traffic and is a predominant weather port. Some parts of the port priorly used to be dedicated to maritime trade and pearl fishery.
Location: 3b, World Trade Ave, Harbour Estate, Tuticorin Beach Road Salt Pans, Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu 628004
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12. Paradip, Orissa – Famous In The East
For those wondering about other seaports on the eastern side of India, Paradip port is one of them. The port is a weather port and is situated around 100 km east of Cuttack. The port is surrounded by a depth of 12 meters which is pretty amazing to hold around bulk carriers that weight over 60,000 DWT. It was constructed with the Second Five Year Plan period and has gradually gained a lot of importance over time.
The main component that this port is responsible for transporting around includes the iron ore, coal and some of the other dry cargo.
Location: Paradeep, Odisha
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13. Ennore Port, Chennai – One Of The Most Easily Accessible
Another popular seaport in India that has gained quite a lot of popularity over the years is the Ennore port. It is situated around 24 km away from the Chennai port. The port is also very easily accessible as it is connected via road and railways. The main component that this port is mainly responsible for handling is the coal and transports around 16 million coal every year.
Location: No 17, Jawahar building, 2nd (north wing & 3rd Floor, Rajaji Rd, Tamil Nadu 600001
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14. Vizag Port, Visakhapatnam – Counted Amongst The Oldest
Last but not least on the list is the Vizag airport which is situated in Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. It is also one of the oldest shipyards in the country. It is followed a close second by the Kakinada port.It is also the second-largest seaport in the country in terms of the cargo handled. It has Dolphin Nose hill situated on the east coast which further protects the port from any natural calamity that may strike
Location: Vizag, Visakhapatnam
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When it comes round to the list of seaports in India, these are some of the most common and important ones. If you have been struggling to keep track, we hope this has given you a clear idea of everything around. So when you plan to take a trip to India, make sure to not miss out on these important seaports which will definitely leave you in awe.
Frequently Asked Questions About Seaports In India
Which is the busiest seaport in India?
When it comes to the busiest seaport, the Mumbai port is possibly the one followed by the Kandla seaport in Gujarat. More or less every port comes with its rush hours. In total, how many ports are there in India?
When it comes to the major seaports in India, the country does have a total of 13 available ones followed by some minor ones around. What are the major ports in India?
India does have a ton of important seaports in India. While all of them are important, there are some which are more important in terms of the cargo supplies, Kolkata, Mumbai and even the Kandla seaport account for some. Which one of the ports in India handles the most cargo?
The Jawaharlal Nehru Port, which is located in Mumbai is responsible for handling the maximum cargo as it is the country’s largest container port. Out of all, which is the deepest port in India?
When it comes to the deepest port in India, the Gangavaram port, which is located in Andhra Pradesh is possibly the one. Which one of the ports in India is tax-free?
When it comes to the tax-free seaports in India, Mumbai port is one of them and is possibly the most popular one in the lot. Which port is also known as the Hitech port in India?
The Jawaharlal Nehru Port, which is located in Mumbai is also often referred to as the Hitech port in India. Which port does rank the highest in the fishery?
Out of them all, the port in West Bengal does beat them in the list followed closely by Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat. Which is the oldest sea port in india?
Lothal Port was considered to be the oldest sea port in India. This port was a part of the Indus Valley Civilisation, which is known to be Bhal region in the state of Gujarat.
