Ports not only play a crucial role in facilitating international trade but also act as fulcrum of economic activity in their surroundings and hinterland. The country’s coastline of 7,517 km, spread over 13 States/Uts, is studded with 12 major ports and 200 (as per latest information from Maritime States) non-major ports. Of the nonmajor ports, about 60 are handling traffic. The total traffic carried by both the major and minor ports during 2006-07 was estimated at around 650 MT. The 12 major ports carry about three fourths of the total traffic, with Visakhapatnam as the top traffic handler in each of the last six years.

In 2007-08, up to October 2007, the cargo handled by major ports registered growth of 13.9 per cent against 9.5 per cent in the corresponding seven months of 2006-07. About 80 per cent of the total volume of ports’ traffic handled was in the form of dry and liquid bulk, with the residual consisting of general cargo, including containerized cargo. There was an impressive growth of 13.9 per cent per annum in container traffic during the five years ending 2006-07. Half of the world’s traded goods are containerized, and this proportion is expected to increase further. The Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT), India’s largest container port, handled roughly 3.3 million TEUs in 2006-07.

The average output per ship berth-day improved from 9,267 tonnes in 2005-06 to 9,745 tonnes in 2006-07. The pre-berthing waiting time at major ports on port account, however, increased from 8.77 hours in 2005-06 to 10.05 hours in 2006- 07. Significant inter-port variations in pre-berthing waiting time continued to persist.