India’s ports serve as significant gateways for trade, facilitating the movement of millions of containers filled with various goods such as clothing, electronics, and automobiles.
By the year 2025, the total port traffic in India is projected to reach approximately 19.7 million TEUs, which is a crucial indicator of the activity level at these ports.
However, what exactly is a TEU, and why do certain states manage a significantly higher volume of containers than others?
Let us analyze the port traffic in India for 2025 on a state-by-state basis, concentrating on container traffic measured in TEUs, to identify which regions excel in trade.
What Is a TEU?
A TEU, or Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit, serves as a metric for quantifying the number of containers handled by a port.
This measurement is based on a standard shipping container that measures 20 feet in length. So, what does TEUs signify in the context of shipping?
It is akin to counting boxes, but specifically for the large metal containers transported by ships. For instance:
- How many TEUs are in a 20-foot container? One 20-foot container is equivalent to 1 TEU.
- How many TEUs are in a 40-foot container? A 40-foot container is counted as 2 TEUs.
What is the purpose of TEUs? TEUs are utilized to compare port operations globally. They do not account for weight (the weight of 1 TEU in kilograms or tons can vary depending on the cargo), but rather for volume.
How is TEU calculated? Count 20-foot containers as 1 TEU and 40-foot containers as 2 TEUs, then sum the totals.
India’s 14 major ports, overseen by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, along with 68 active minor ports, are responsible for managing these containers, thereby propelling the economy.
State-wise Port Traffic in TEUs
| Rank | State/Union Territory | Container Traffic (TEUs) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maharashtra | 7,300,000 |
| 2 | Gujarat | 6,500,000 |
| 3 | Tamil Nadu | 2,500,000 |
| 4 | Andhra Pradesh | 1,800,000 |
| 5 | Karnataka | 800,000 |
| 6 | Kerala | 600,000 |
| 7 | Odisha | 400,000 |
| 8 | West Bengal | 300,000 |
| 9 | Goa | 100,000 |
| 10 | Puducherry | 50,000 |
| 11 | Andaman and Nicobar Islands | 0 |
| 12 | Arunachal Pradesh | 0 |
| 13 | Assam | 0 |
| 14 | Bihar | 0 |
| 15 | Chandigarh | 0 |
| 16 | Chhattisgarh | 0 |
| 17 | Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (DNHDD) | 0 |
| 18 | Delhi | 0 |
| 19 | Haryana | 0 |
| 20 | Himachal Pradesh | 0 |
| 21 | Jammu and Kashmir | 0 |
| 22 | Jharkhand | 0 |
| 23 | Ladakh | 0 |
| 24 | Lakshadweep | 0 |
| 25 | Madhya Pradesh | 0 |
| 26 | Manipur | 0 |
| 27 | Meghalaya | 0 |
| 28 | Mizoram | 0 |
| 29 | Nagaland | 0 |
| 30 | Punjab | 0 |
| 31 | Rajasthan | 0 |
| 32 | Sikkim | 0 |
| 33 | Telangana | 0 |
| 34 | Tripura | 0 |
| 35 | Uttar Pradesh | 0 |
| 36 | Uttarakhand | 0 |
Percentage share of every Indian State in Port Traffic
| Rank | State/Union Territory | % Share of Container Traffic |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maharashtra | 37.06% |
| 2 | Gujarat | 33.00% |
| 3 | Tamil Nadu | 12.69% |
| 4 | Andhra Pradesh | 9.14% |
| 5 | Karnataka | 4.06% |
| 6 | Kerala | 3.05% |
| 7 | Odisha | 2.03% |
| 8 | West Bengal | 1.52% |
| 9 | Goa | 0.51% |
| 10 | Puducherry | 0.25% |
| 11 | Andaman and Nicobar Islands | 0.00% |
| 12 | Arunachal Pradesh | 0.00% |
| 13 | Assam | 0.00% |
| 14 | Bihar | 0.00% |
| 15 | Chandigarh | 0.00% |
| 16 | Chhattisgarh | 0.00% |
| 17 | Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (DNHDD) | 0.00% |
| 18 | Delhi | 0.00% |
| 19 | Haryana | 0.00% |
| 20 | Himachal Pradesh | 0.00% |
| 21 | Jammu and Kashmir | 0.00% |
| 22 | Jharkhand | 0.00% |
| 23 | Ladakh | 0.00% |
| 24 | Lakshadweep | 0.00% |
| 25 | Madhya Pradesh | 0.00% |
| 26 | Manipur | 0.00% |
| 27 | Meghalaya | 0.00% |
| 28 | Mizoram | 0.00% |
| 29 | Nagaland | 0.00% |
| 30 | Punjab | 0.00% |
| 31 | Rajasthan | 0.00% |
| 32 | Sikkim | 0.00% |
| 33 | Telangana | 0.00% |
| 34 | Tripura | 0.00% |
| 35 | Uttar Pradesh | 0.00% |
| 36 | Uttarakhand | 0.00% |
India’s Top 20 Ports by Container Traffic
| Rank | Port Name | Region | Container Traffic (TEUs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT) | Maharashtra | 7,300,000 |
| 2 | Mundra Port | Gujarat | 6,500,000 |
| 3 | Chennai Port | Tamil Nadu | 1,700,000 |
| 4 | Visakhapatnam Port | Andhra Pradesh | 1,500,000 |
| 5 | Tuticorin (V.O. Chidambaranar) | Tamil Nadu | 800,000 |
| 6 | New Mangalore Port | Karnataka | 800,000 |
| 7 | Cochin Port | Kerala | 600,000 |
| 8 | Paradip Port | Odisha | 400,000 |
| 9 | Kolkata Port | West Bengal | 250,000 |
| 10 | Mormugao Port | Goa | 100,000 |
| 11 | Haldia Port | West Bengal | 50,000 |
| 12 | Puducherry Port | Puducherry | 50,000 |
| 13 | Kamarajar Port (Ennore) | Tamil Nadu | 40,000 |
| 14 | Deendayal Port (Kandla) | Gujarat | 30,000 |
| 15 | Krishnapatnam Port | Andhra Pradesh | 20,000 |
| 16 | Hazira Port | Gujarat | 15,000 |
| 17 | Pipavav Port | Gujarat | 10,000 |
| 18 | Gangavaram Port | Andhra Pradesh | 8,000 |
| 19 | Karwar Port | Karnataka | 5,000 |
| 20 | Dhamra Port | Odisha | 5,000 |
The majority of states and Union Territories (UTs) experience no container traffic due to the absence of ports.
Landlocked states also have no TEUs, as their ports are primarily dedicated to local trade rather than container shipping.
Why Are There Significant Differences?
The port traffic in India varies due to several factors:
- Port Size: Maharashtra’s JNPT and Gujarat’s Mundra, which are part of the 12 major sea ports in India, feature large container terminals, in contrast to the smaller ports located in Puducherry.
- Location: Ports situated near trade centers such as Mumbai (Maharashtra) or Ahmedabad (Gujarat) manage a higher volume of containers.
- Infrastructure: Contemporary ports like JNPT are equipped with cranes and systems capable of handling millions of TEUs, whereas older ports like Kolkata manage a lesser volume.
- Trade Type: Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh are known for exporting high-value products such as cars and steel, which require a greater number of containers.
How TEUs Drive India’s Trade
By 2025, India’s capacity of 19.7 million TEUs will reflect its trade prowess, with Maharashtra and Gujarat accounting for 70% of the total.
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways is advocating for initiatives like Sagarmala to enhance port facilities, making them more efficient and larger.
JNPT alone experienced a growth of 13.6% in 2024–25, indicating that port traffic in India for 2025 is thriving.
These containers transport goods that sustain India’s economy, ranging from mobile phones to clothing.
What Lies Ahead for India’s Ports?
The Indian Ports Association, along with the government, is working on the development of new terminals and ports, such as Vadhavan in Maharashtra, to increase TEU capacity.
States like Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh are likely to experience a rise in container traffic as their ports expand. What are TEUs?
They represent the metric that illustrates how India engages with the global market, and this figure is set to grow.
Source
- India Brand Equity Foundation. (2024, August 5). Ports sector in India. https://www.ibef.org/industry/ports-india
- Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. (2024, July 31). Annual report 2023–24: Major and non-major ports. https://shipmin.gov.in/annual-reports
- Press Information Bureau. (2024, June 15). Sagarmala programme: Progress on port development. https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2023456
- Statista. (2024, March 20). Container cargo traffic at major ports in India from FY 2014 to FY 2023. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1055668/india-container-cargo-traffic-at-major-ports/
- World Bank. (2023). Container port traffic (TEU: 20 foot equivalent units) – India. https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/IS.SHP.GOOD.TU?locations=IN
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