Visakhapatnam Port has reached a new milestone by handling more than 80 million tonnes of cargo in just 327 days, port officials said on Thursday, marking a record achievement in the port’s operational history.
The performance underscores sustained growth in cargo throughput and reflects the effectiveness of recent capacity enhancements, infrastructure upgrades and operational improvements at one of India’s major maritime gateways. Visakhapatnam Port handles a diverse mix of cargo, including bulk commodities, containers, project cargo and liquid shipments.
Officials said the strong cargo performance was supported by increased economic activity, rising industrial demand and efficient coordination among port stakeholders, including terminal operators, logistics providers and shipping lines. The milestone comes ahead of the end of the financial year, positioning the port for robust annual throughput figures.
Contributing to the achievement were several measures aimed at boosting handling efficiency, such as mechanisation of berths, introduction of advanced cargo handling equipment, streamlining of customs operations and improvements in hinterland connectivity. These initiatives have helped reduce dwell times, accelerate cargo movement and enhance overall service responsiveness.
Port authorities noted that bulk cargo, including coal, iron ore and fertilisers, continued to form a significant portion of the traffic mix, while container volumes also saw healthy growth. Project cargo, including large industrial consignments, added to the overall throughput, reinforcing the port’s capability to handle diversified trade flows.
The growth in cargo handling is expected to have positive implications for regional economic activity, trade competitiveness and logistics performance. Visakhapatnam Port serves as a key maritime gateway for southern and eastern India, linking domestic markets with global shipping networks and supporting exports and imports across sectors such as steel, energy, agribulk and manufacturing.
Officials said they remain focused on further infrastructure development, including expansion of berths, enhancement of storage facilities and improvements in rail and road connectivity to support future traffic growth. Integration of digital systems for cargo tracking, documentation and operational planning is also being prioritised to sustain high throughput levels.
Industry analysts said achieving over 80 million tonnes in less than a year reflects not only the port’s underlying capacity but also broader trends of rising trade volumes and supply chain optimisation. They added that continued investment in port infrastructure and multimodal connectivity will be key to catering to future demand and maintaining competitive service levels.
With this record performance, Visakhapatnam Port continues to assert its role as one of India’s most dynamic and fast-growing maritime hubs, contributing to national logistics efficiency and international trade facilitation.
