No Major Port In The Country Has Been Privatised: Centre
New Delhi: The Union government has clarified that no major port in India has been privatised, with the ownership of land and waterfront remaining with the Government of India. Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal made the statement in response to queries raised in the Rajya Sabha, underscoring the role of Indian ports in driving economic growth and infrastructure expansion.
Sonowal highlighted the steady growth of Indian tonnage over the last decade, attributing it to the increasing reliance on Indian-flagged vessels over foreign-flagged ones. As of February 2025, India operates 492 Indian-flagged vessels engaged in overseas trade, with a gross tonnage (GT) of 11.89 million and a deadweight tonnage (DWT) of 18.78 million. Additionally, 1,058 vessels are deployed in coastal trade, registering a GT of 1.67 million and a DWT of 1.95 million. Under Indian Controlled Tonnage, four vessels have been acquired with a total GT of 17,660 and a total DWT of 20,159. This shift, according to the minister, has significantly contributed to the country’s economic growth.
India currently has 12 major ports, all of which are fully owned by the central government and governed under the Major Port Authorities Act, 2021. These ports include Deendayal Port, Mumbai Port, Jawaharlal Nehru Port, Mormugao Port, New Mangalore Port, Cochin Port, V.O. Chidambaranar Port, Chennai Port, Kamarajar Port, Visakhapatnam Port, Paradip Port, and Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port. The government has allowed private sector participation in these ports under the Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) model for specific projects, berths, and terminals. This is facilitated through globally open competitive bidding processes, where private concessionaires enter into fixed-term agreements based on revenue sharing or royalty arrangements. Upon the completion of the concession period, the developed asset is handed back to the respective port authority.
Besides the major ports, there are 213 non-major ports, which fall under the jurisdiction of the respective State Maritime Boards or State Governments. To further enhance the country’s port infrastructure, the Union Cabinet has approved the development of a major port at Vadhvan, near Dahanu in Maharashtra. The project, sanctioned on 19 June 2024 with an estimated cost of ₹76,220 crore, is set to be developed primarily through the PPP model. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the port on 30 August 2024, marking a significant step in India’s maritime expansion plans.
Sonowal also emphasised that the major ports are continuously undergoing infrastructure development and capacity augmentation to accommodate larger vessels. Most of these ports now have a draft of at least 14 metres, allowing them to handle large container ships. Key developments include the construction of new berths and terminals, mechanisation of existing infrastructure, capital dredging to increase draft levels, and enhancements in road, rail, and waterway connectivity. The Vadhvan Port, once completed, is expected to serve as a mega container hub capable of handling next-generation mega-size container vessels.
In a move to bolster domestic manufacturing, the Container Corporation of India Ltd. (CONCOR), one of India’s leading domestic container operators, has stopped procuring containers from foreign sources. Over the past five years, CONCOR has placed orders for 21,120 containers with Indian manufacturers, of which 16,613 have already been supplied as of 7 March 2025. This initiative, according to the minister, aims to strengthen the domestic shipping container manufacturing industry and reduce dependence on imports.
