Vizag Port Hits Historic Milestone, Handles 80 MMT Cargo in Record 327 Days

The Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA) has crossed a significant milestone by handling 80 million tonnes of cargo in just 327 days of the 2025–26 financial year, the fastest pace in its 92-year history. Achieved more than a month before the fiscal year ends, the landmark underscores the port’s growing operational efficiency and strategic importance on India’s eastern seaboard. Chairperson M. Angamuthu announced that the milestone was reached on February 21.

The achievement marks a sharp improvement over previous years. The port took 362 days to reach 80 MMT in FY 2023–24 and 357 days in FY 2024–25. Enhanced logistics planning, adoption of digital monitoring systems, mechanised cargo handling, and closer coordination with shipping lines and terminal operators enabled the port to surpass the milestone in just 327 days this year. With momentum sustained, the port is now positioned to exceed its ambitious 90 MMT target for the current fiscal.

In the broader national context, India’s Major Ports together handled about 853 million tonnes in FY 2024–25, while all Indian ports combined crossed 1.6 billion tonnes . With a record annual throughput of 82.62 MMT last fiscal, Visakhapatnam accounted for nearly 9–10% of Major Ports cargo and around 5% of the nation’s total port traffic , ranking fourth among India’s Major Ports . The top performers were Paradip and Deendayal (Kandla) at around 150 MMT each , followed by JNPA at just over 90 MMT .

Globally, however, the scale is far larger. China’s Ningbo–Zhoushan handles over 1.3 billion tonnes annually , Singapore more than 600 MMT , and Rotterdam around 435 MMT . In that context, Vizag’s achievement is less about sheer volume and more about efficiency and accelerated growth, reinforcing its role as a vital maritime gateway driving eastern India’s trade and industrial expansion.