India has a long coastline of approximately 7516 KM, thus forming one of the biggest peninsulas in the world. According to the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways of Government of India, around 95 per cent of India’s trading by volume and 70 per cent by value is done through maritime transport. India has 13 major ports (12 Government-owned and one private) and around 187 notified minor and intermediate ports. Maharashtra has the maximum number of ports in India. The total 200 major and non-major ports are present in the following States in descending order are as follows:-
- Maharashtra (53)
- Gujarat (40);
- Tamil Nadu (15)
- Karnataka (10)
- Others (82)
With Sagarmala Project, Government of India is planning to modernise these ports. As the ports and shipping industry plays a vital role in sustaining growth in the country’s trade and commerce, the Indian Government has allowed Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) of up to 100 per cent under the automatic route for port and harbour construction and maintenance projects. The Government of India has also initiated the National Maritime Development Programme (NMDP), which is an initiative to develop the maritime sector with a planned outlay of US$11.8 billion.
List of major sea port in India is as follows-
Kandla Port
- Located in Kutch District of Gujarat
- Tidal Port
- Kandla SEZ is the first special economic zone of India
Mumbai Port
- Natural deep-water harbour
- Largest and busiest Port of India
Jawaharlal Nehru Port
- Located in Navi Mumbai of Maharashtra
- Largest Artificial Port of India
Mormugao Port
- Located in Goa
- On the estuary of the river Zuari
New Mangaluru Port
- Located in Karnataka
- Deals in petroleum, tea, fertilizer, iron ore etc
Kochi Port
- Located in Kerala
- In the Vembanad lake
- Deals in, tea, spices and salts
V. O. Chidambaranam Tuticorin Port
- Located in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu
- Deals in the fertilizers and petrochemical
Chennai Port
- Located in Tamil Nadu
- Artificial port
- Second largest Port in India
Kamarajar Ennore Port
- Located in Tamil Nadu
- First corporate port of India
Visakhapatnam Port
- Located in Andhra Pradesh
- Deals with the export of iron ore
Paradeep Port
- Located in Odisha at the confluence of the Mahanadi
- Natural deep-water port
Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Haldia Port
- Located in West Bengal
- Exports coal, iron ore, and steel
Vadhavan
- Vadhavan is the 13th major sea port of India
- It is located in Maharashtra
- The Union Cabinet of Government of India in February 2020 approved the setting up of the country’s 13th major port at Vadhavan in Maharashtra at a total cost of Rs 65,544.54 crore.
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