Paradip Port named as ‘mega port’ with Kandla, Nhava Sheva, Mundra Ports

Debasis Mohapatra

Bengaluru, 27 September 2026

Paradip Port has bagged the ‘mega port’ tag under the Indian Ports Act, 2025 as per a notification issued by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.

The centre has also notified Deendayal (Kandla), Jawaharlal Nehru (Nhava Sheva), and Mundra Ports as mega ports under the ports act.

The notification issued by the centre said that these four ports satisfied the criteria for classification as major ports.

Under the criteria, a port is classified as mega port when it handles 150 million metric tonnes (MMT) of cargo in the proceeding financial year in the case of a bulk port and 7.5 million TEUs in case of a container port.

While Paradip, Deendayal, and Jawaharlal Nehru ports are state-owned, Mundra port is being operated by Adani Group.

India has 12 major ports and more than 200 non-major ports.

Traffic of mega ports in 2025-26:

Kandla Port – 160.11 MMT  

Paradip Port – 156.45 MMT

Jawaharlal Nehru Port (2025) – 7.94 TEU (significant container port)

Mundra Port – Over 200 MMT