Major Sea Ports in India

India has 12 major ports under the administrative control of the Government of India. These ports are important for trade, shipping, imports, exports and competitive examinations.

1. Major Sea Ports of India

No.Major PortLocationStateCoast
1Deendayal PortKandlaGujaratArabian Sea
2Mumbai PortMumbaiMaharashtraArabian Sea
3Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPA)Nhava ShevaMaharashtraArabian Sea
4Mormugao PortMormugaoGoaArabian Sea
5New Mangalore PortMangaluruKarnatakaArabian Sea
6Cochin PortKochiKeralaArabian Sea
7V.O. Chidambaranar PortThoothukudiTamil NaduBay of Bengal
8Chennai PortChennaiTamil NaduBay of Bengal
9Kamarajar PortEnnoreTamil NaduBay of Bengal
10Visakhapatnam PortVisakhapatnamAndhra PradeshBay of Bengal
11Paradip PortParadipOdishaBay of Bengal
12Syama Prasad Mookerjee PortKolkataWest BengalBay of Bengal

2. West Coast Ports – Arabian Sea

PortStateImportant Fact
Deendayal PortGujaratFormerly Kandla Port
Mumbai PortMaharashtraNatural harbour
Jawaharlal Nehru PortMaharashtraAlso known as Nhava Sheva
Mormugao PortGoaImportant iron ore export port
New Mangalore PortKarnatakaMajor port of Karnataka
Cochin PortKeralaNatural harbour

3. East Coast Ports – Bay of Bengal

PortStateImportant Fact
Syama Prasad Mookerjee PortWest BengalFormerly Kolkata Port
Paradip PortOdishaMajor port on the east coast
Visakhapatnam PortAndhra PradeshNatural harbour
Chennai PortTamil NaduOne of India’s oldest major ports
Kamarajar PortTamil NaduFormerly Ennore Port
V.O. Chidambaranar PortTamil NaduFormerly Tuticorin Port

Easy Memory

West Bengal → Odisha → Andhra Pradesh → Tamil Nadu

Kolkata → Paradip → Visakhapatnam → Chennai → Kamarajar → V.O.C.

4. Important Port Renamings

Old NameCurrent Name
Kandla PortDeendayal Port
Kolkata PortSyama Prasad Mookerjee Port
Ennore PortKamarajar Port
Tuticorin PortV.O. Chidambaranar Port

5. Important Port–River Pairs

PortRiver/Location
Kolkata/Syama Prasad Mookerjee PortHooghly River
Paradip PortMahanadi Delta region
Visakhapatnam PortCoastal Andhra Pradesh
Chennai PortCoromandel Coast
V.O. Chidambaranar PortThoothukudi
Cochin PortVembanad Lake/backwaters
Deendayal PortGulf of Kutch

6. Natural Harbour Ports

Important ports associated with natural harbours:

  • Mumbai Port
  • Mormugao Port
  • Visakhapatnam Port
  • Cochin Port

7. Artificial/Man-made Harbour

Chennai Port

Chennai Port is an important example of an artificial/man-made harbour on the east coast.

8. Important Port Facts for Exams

Deendayal Port

  • Located in Gujarat.
  • Formerly known as Kandla Port.
  • Located in the Gulf of Kutch.
  • One of India’s important cargo-handling ports.

Mumbai Port

  • Located in Maharashtra.
  • One of India’s major natural harbours.
  • Located on the Arabian Sea.

Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority

  • Located at Nhava Sheva, Maharashtra.
  • Commonly known as JNPA/JNPT.
  • Important container port.

Mormugao Port

  • Located in Goa.
  • Important for iron ore exports.
  • Located on the Arabian Sea.

New Mangalore Port

  • Located in Karnataka.
  • Important port for the state’s international trade.

Cochin Port

  • Located in Kerala.
  • Situated around Vembanad Lake.
  • Important natural harbour.

V.O. Chidambaranar Port

  • Located at Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu.
  • Formerly known as Tuticorin Port.
  • Located on the Gulf of Mannar.

Chennai Port

  • Located in Tamil Nadu.
  • One of the oldest major ports of India.
  • Important artificial harbour.

Kamarajar Port

  • Located at Ennore, Tamil Nadu.
  • Formerly known as Ennore Port.
  • It is India’s first corporatised major port.

Visakhapatnam Port

  • Located in Andhra Pradesh.
  • Important natural harbour.
  • One of the major ports on India’s east coast.

Paradip Port

  • Located in Odisha.
  • Situated near the Mahanadi delta.
  • Important for handling iron ore, coal and other bulk cargo.

Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port

  • Located in Kolkata, West Bengal.
  • Formerly known as Kolkata Port.
  • Located on the Hooghly River.
  • It is India’s important riverine major port.

9. Major Port – State Matching

StateMajor Port(s)
GujaratDeendayal
MaharashtraMumbai, Jawaharlal Nehru
GoaMormugao
KarnatakaNew Mangalore
KeralaCochin
Tamil NaduChennai, Kamarajar, V.O. Chidambaranar
Andhra PradeshVisakhapatnam
OdishaParadip
West BengalSyama Prasad Mookerjee

Very Important

Tamil Nadu has the highest number of major ports → 3

  1. Chennai
  2. Kamarajar
  3. V.O. Chidambaranar

10. Arabian Sea vs Bay of Bengal

Arabian Sea – West CoastBay of Bengal – East Coast
DeendayalSyama Prasad Mookerjee
MumbaiParadip
Jawaharlal NehruVisakhapatnam
MormugaoChennai
New MangaloreKamarajar
CochinV.O. Chidambaranar