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India’s Kandla Port, located on the Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat, created a national record and broke its previous one by handling approximately 9,63,951 metric tonnes of cargo in 24 hours.
The achievement was announced by Deendayal Port Authority in a post on the social media platform X, calling it a new milestone for India’s shipping industry.
It added that this is reflective of the port’s improved operations, including a significant increase in cargo-handling capacity and performance. The port authority also highlighted Kandla’s role in boosting India’s maritime trade and logistics.
Kandla, one of the 12 major ports in the country, is one of the highest-income facilities and the largest in terms of cargo volume handled. In the last few years, it has become the fastest-growing port to reach this level of cargo-handling capacity.
The new record comes in less than a month after the port handled 9,03,904 metric tonnes on September 7, 2026, the highest in a single day. However, this time its figure is 60,047 metric tons more than the previous record.
DPA Kandla also mentioned another achievement, where the port achieved an all-time high of 12.7 million tonnes in transhipment operations via ship-to-ship transfers up to September 1, 2026. The port also handled 70.03 million metric tonnes of cargo 32 days before compared to last year.
Not only that, its financial performance and income have increased, with operating income of Rs 3, 144.31 crore in 2025-26 from Rs 2,828.02 crore in 2024-25, indicating an 11.5% increase.
The port recorded ship traffic of 160.11 million tonnes in 2025-26 compared with the 150.16 million tonnes in 2024-25, a rise of 6.6%. Kandla Port was developed during the 1950s, shortly after India got independence from the British and after the partition, which left the Port of Karachi with Pakistan.
Though the site was first identified and surveyed by the British and a pier was built in 1931, the modern port’s foundation was laid by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
Its Special Economic Zone, built in 1956, became the first such facility not only in India but in all of Asia. Today, the port has 16 dry cargo berths and 7 oil jetties, handling different types of cargo from steel, machinery, and grain to petroleum and chemicals.
Kandla Port has also undertaken decarbonisation initiatives. It is the first Indian port to have a green hydrogen plant that produces 140 tonnes annually. A green methanol plant is also under construction to boost the transition towards sustainable fuels. The Port Authority also commissioned the country’s first electric tugboats, which do not generate any emissions.
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Disclaimer :
The information on this website is for general purposes only. While efforts are made to ensure accuracy, we make no warranties of any kind regarding completeness, reliability, or suitability. Any reliance you place on such information is at your own risk. We are not liable for any loss or damage arising from the use of this website.