Paradip Port Authority (PPA) on India’s Eastern coast has cemented its position as the nation’s top cargo-handling port, achieving a significant milestone by crossing 100 million metric tonnes (MMT) of cargo throughput in the current fiscal year (FY 2025-26) in a record time.
The port reached 100.15 MMT on November 27, 2025, which is an achievement of just 241 days—12 days faster than the 253 days it took in the previous fiscal (FY 2024-25) to reach the same mark on December 9. This performance, marking the ninth consecutive year the port has cleared the 100 MMT threshold, translates to a robust year-on-year growth of 4.78 per cent.
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways highlighted that this unprecedented speed, despite ongoing market challenges, is a direct result of “faster operations, system improvements, and consistent stakeholder support.”
Key Growth Drivers and Cargo Dynamics
The early success is underpinned by stellar growth across key commodity segments, solidifying Paradip’s emerging status as a critical coastal shipping hub:
- Coastal Thermal Coal, which makes up roughly 45 per cent of the port’s total volume, registered a steady growth of 3.76 per cent compared to the corresponding period last year.
- The steepest growth was witnessed in non-bulk and construction-related cargo, signaling strong industrial demand in the hinterland:
- Steel Cargo surged by 35% (Y-o-Y).
- Containerised Cargo volume grew by an impressive 32%.
- Petroleum, Oil, and Lubricants (POL) increased by 31%.
- Gypsum & Flux volume climbed by a significant 24%.
This strategic mix of high-volume coastal traffic (which accounts for over 40% of its total volume, placing it as the leading major port in coastal cargo handling) and high-value industrial materials demonstrates PPA’s successful strategy to diversify beyond its traditional iron ore and coal base.
National and Regional Significance
Odisha Minister Sampad Chandra Swain commented on the achievement, stating that the port’s performance aligns with the government’s “vision of making Odisha the leading engine of Eastern India’s growth.”
The achievement comes as major ports across India collectively drive forward the nation’s maritime trade agenda. In FY 2024-25, Paradip Port was locked in a close competition with Gujarat’s Deendayal Port Authority (DPA), Kandla, with PPA retaining the top slot by a thin margin at the year’s end, handling 150.41 MMT versus DPA’s 150.16 MMT. PPA’s tariff freeze, along with DPA, also positions it as one of the most competitive major ports for cargo handling in the country.
Future expansion plans include major capacity additions, notably the 25 MMTPA Western Dock Project, with the first phase expected to complete by 2026. This expansion, along with plans for 100% mechanization by 2030 and becoming a Net-Zero port by 2050 (including developing a Green Hydrogen/Ammonia Export Terminal), aims to future-proof the port and enhance India’s overall logistical competitiveness on the global stage.
