Gujarat’s non-major ports mark record-high cargo volumes during 2023-24

GANDHINAGAR : Ships and merchant vessels, that docked at non-major ports in Gujarat, transported a “record” 4,483 lakh tonnes of cargo, during financial year 2023-24. This is an increase of 8 per cent compared to the previous year.

Data sourced from Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB), the Gujarat government’s nodal agency for ports, show that previous high was clocked during the pre-Covid era — 2019-20 — when these minor ports in the state registered cargo volumes of over 4,120 lakh tonnes.

However, most of this growth in cargo volumes, emanates from private ports in Gujarat. These private ports —- which include those located in Mundra, Pipavav, Dahej and Hazira — registered a 14.4 per cent growth in cargo volumes. A total of 2,475 lakh tonnes of cargo, was handled by private ports during 2023-24. The previous year, these ports handled 2,163 lakh tonnes of cargo.

Exports from private ports grew by 19 per cent to 685 lakh tonnes in 2023-24 from 575 lakh tonnes the previous year. Similarly, imports too grew 13 per cent to 1,790 lakh tonnes from the earlier 1,588 lakh tonnes.