Gujarat Maritime Board reports a stellar 15% growth in cargo traffic at non-major ports for Q1 FY25

GANDHINAGAR : The Gujarat ports regulated, operated and facilitated by Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) registered 15% increase in cargo traffic at Gujarat’s non-major ports for the first quarter of the financial year 2025 (April – June 2024). Cargo traffic increased from approximately 106 million metric tons (MMT) in the first quarter of FY24 to an impressive 122 MMT in the same period of FY25. A comparison with the traffic figures posted by the Indian Port Association indicates that major ports experienced a growth rate of 3.9% during the same period.

Private ports and captive jetties emerged as the primary contributors, handling over 90 per cent of the total cargo at Gujarat’s non-major ports, an official release stated here. In the period of April – June 2023, the private facilities including the private ports and captive jetties handled 97 MMT of cargo out of the total 105.7 MMT. This figure rose to 114.4 MMT out of 122 MMT during the same period in 2024.

Private ports demonstrated exceptional growth, with their share increasing from about 53 per cent in FY24 to approximately 58 per cent in FY25. They handled around 56.4 MMT in the first quarter of FY24, which surged to 70.7 MMT in the first quarter of FY25, marking an impressive increase of about 14.3 MMT, registering a growth of roughly 20 per cent.

However, GMB-operated ports experienced a decline of about 9 per cent in cargo handling, with the volume dropping from 6.04 MMT in the first quarter of FY24 to 5.53 MMT in the same period of FY25.

Similarly, private jetties saw a reduction in traffic handling, with cargo volumes falling from 2.6 MMT in the first quarter of FY24 to 2.1 MMT in FY25, a decrease of approximately 23 per cent.

In contrast, captive jetties recorded a 7 per cent increase in cargo traffic, handling 43.7 MMT in the first quarter of FY25 compared to 40.6 MMT in the same period of FY24.

This robust performance of Gujarat’s non-major ports highlights the region’s critical role in India’s maritime sector and reflects the port sector’s ongoing efforts to enhance port infrastructure and operational efficiencies.

“We are proud of this achievement,” said Shri Rajkumar Beniwal, IAS, VC & CEO of GMB.“The growth we have witnessed is not just a number; it represents the commitment and collaborative efforts of all the stakeholders. We remain dedicated to driving further improvements and sustaining this growth trajectory.” he added.

GMB continues to focus on strategic initiatives to further boost the capabilities and efficiencies of Gujarat’s ports, ensuring they remain pivotal to India’s maritime industry