Deendayal Port Authority (DPA), Kandla has reached a significant milestone by becoming the fastest major port in India to cross the 100 million tonne cargo mark in the ongoing financial year 2025–26. The port has recorded 6.78% year-on-year growth, highlighting a continued rise in cargo handling momentum, according to the Kandla Port Authority.
Strong Commodity Growth Drives Momentum
The surge in throughput has been supported by notable increases across key commodities. As per Sushil Kumar Singh, Chairman, DPA Kandla, fertilisers saw a major 81.43% jump, iron & steel cargo increased by 50%, containerised cargo rose 61.4%, POL (Kandla) improved 34.77%, and wooden logs moved up 22.44% compared to the same period last year.
Coal, Vessel Handling Records Strengthen Port’s Lead
Just days earlier, the port set another national benchmark by discharging 81,024 tonnes of coal in 24 hours from the MV Marathos vessel at Cargo Berth No. 7. The ship, flying a Bahamian flag, later sailed to Mumbai as per Marine Traffic data. Celebrating the achievement, DPA posted on X, “A benchmark of unmatched speed, precision & teamwork.”
The accomplishment followed another record — on November 17, DPA handled 40 vessels within 24 hours, surpassing the previous record of 38 achieved in December 2023. Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal applauded the performance on X, stating, “A direct result of India’s steady reduction in port turnaround times and continued focus on delivering world-class maritime efficiency.”
Alongside its maritime achievements, DPA has also expanded its role to civic improvement through collaborations with Gandhidham Municipal Corporation. The port recently received the prestigious Samudra Manthan Award for surpassing 150 MMT cargo handling — marking another high point in its journey to strengthen India’s logistics network.