India’s non-major ports recorded modest cargo growth in FY2026, supported by continued activity in overseas trade and containerised cargo, although coastal cargo volumes remained under pressure.
Non-major ports handled 753.07 million tonnes of cargo in FY2025–26, marking a 1.44% increase over the previous financial year, according to government data reported by ETInfra. Overseas cargo accounted for 612.02 million tonnes, or 81.27% of the total, while coastal cargo contributed 141.05 million tonnes.
Gujarat continued to dominate cargo handling among maritime states, with ports under the Gujarat Maritime Board accounting for approximately 485.25 million tonnes during the year. However, this represented a slight decline from the previous year, highlighting variations in cargo performance across individual port regions.
Containerised cargo has remained an important growth segment for India’s port sector. Industry analysis by ICRA reported that container volumes at non-major ports grew by around 2% in FY2026, compared with stronger growth at major ports.
Non-major ports play a significant role in handling industrial commodities, petroleum products, agricultural cargo and coastal shipments. Their regional locations support manufacturing clusters, energy facilities and domestic supply chains, while providing alternatives to major ports for specific cargo movements.
Improved port connectivity, efficient cargo handling and investment in terminals could help strengthen their competitiveness. However, future growth will depend on trade demand, commodity flows, infrastructure capacity and the expansion of containerised transport.
The latest figures underline the continued importance of non-major ports in India’s maritime logistics network, even as cargo growth remains moderate.