India’s next phase of maritime growth will depend less on expanding port infrastructure and more on strengthening shipping services, inland connectivity, logistics networks and industrial corridors linking ports with domestic and international markets, according to a new report jointly prepared by FICCI and Kearney.
The report, titled “India’s Maritime Agenda for 2030: From Efficient Ports to Globally Connected Trade Gateways,” highlights a growing gap between cargo growth and capacity expansion, stressing that improving coordination across the logistics chain will be critical to enhancing India’s trade competitiveness.
A key finding is that as much as 84 per cent of the measured export processing time occurs after regulatory approval, indicating that delays and waiting periods increasingly lie beyond customs clearance.
According to the report, cargo handled at India’s major and non-major ports increased 38 per cent from 1,209 million tonnes in FY18 to 1,668 million tonnes in FY26, while total handling capacity rose 22 per cent to 2.8 billion tonnes annually. Capacity utilisation consequently increased from 52 per cent to 59 per cent, indicating considerable scope for further growth within the existing port infrastructure.
Operational efficiency has also improved, with average vessel turnaround time at major ports declining 18 per cent to approximately 49 hours. Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA), Pipavav and Mundra have also secured positions among the world’s top 30 ports in the World Bank’s Container Port Performance Index 2025.
However, the report cautions that port efficiency alone cannot deliver faster end-to-end cargo movement. Data from the 2025 National Time Release Study covering four major seaports showed that export approval took an average of around 30 hours, while the period between approval and vessel departure extended to approximately 158 hours, accounting for 84 per cent of the total measured time.
At Jawaharlal Nehru Custom House, customs clearance for exports averaged just two hours and 12 minutes in 2026, while the complete export cycle exceeded eight days. The report clarified that the longer cycle includes logistics activities and scheduled waiting periods, not merely avoidable delays, but highlighted the importance of better coordination across stakeholders.
Four gateway strategies proposed
The report calls for differentiated development strategies by 2030 for four categories of maritime gateways: transshipment hubs, industrial and energy gateways, specialised export corridors, and container gateways.
It recommends that the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, together with state governments, clearly identify the cargo profiles, industrial catchment areas and overseas markets that each priority gateway should serve. Investments should then be aligned with demonstrated cargo demand.
Road and rail connectivity should also be prioritised based on actual cargo flows, in coordination with the Ministries of Railways and Road Transport and Highways. Shipment data and time-release studies should be used to identify where cargo spends time and the factors contributing to delays.
Transshipment remains a major challenge
The report identifies transshipment dependence on overseas ports as another major weakness in India’s maritime ecosystem. As of May 2025, approximately 75 per cent of India’s transshipment containers were being handled at foreign ports.
The commissioning of Vizhinjam International Seaport in May 2025 has added deepwater transshipment capacity within India. However, subsequent changes in shipping-line rotations underline the challenges involved in establishing a competitive transshipment hub and attracting sustained mainline connectivity.
Private sector participation in port operations has expanded under the Major Port Authorities Act, 2021, with privately operated terminals handling approximately two-thirds of major-port cargo. This remains below the government’s target of 85 per cent by 2030.
On hinterland connectivity, the report noted that only 84 of the 294 road and rail projects identified to connect ports with their hinterlands had been completed by July 2026. Meanwhile, the 1,506-km Western Dedicated Freight Corridor connecting JNPA with Dadri was fully commissioned in March 2026.
Focus on globally competitive trade gateways
Drawing lessons from international maritime hubs such as Shanghai-Ningbo, Rotterdam, Jebel Ali and Singapore, the FICCI-Kearney report assesses Indian maritime gateways across six pillars, including berth productivity, liner connectivity, industrial clusters and digital border systems.
It also proposes appointing a designated coordinator for each priority gateway to ensure accountability and effective implementation. Every intervention should have a clearly identified owner, funding mechanism and implementation milestone.
Gateway performance should be monitored through measurable indicators such as total shipment costs, transit reliability, market access, cargo growth and commercial returns.
The report concludes that India’s maritime competitiveness will increasingly be determined by how effectively ports are integrated with shipping networks, industrial centres and inland logistics infrastructure, transforming them from cargo-handling facilities into globally connected trade gateways.