India’s ports have nearly halved vessel turnaround time from 96 hours in 2014 to 49.5 hours in 2025, marking a significant improvement in operational efficiency and strengthening their global competitiveness, according to an official release.
Vessel turnaround time refers to the total time a ship spends at a port from arrival to departure, including berthing, cargo loading or unloading, and clearance processes.
A lower turnaround time indicates faster cargo handling, reduced congestion, and more efficient port operations.
The improvement in turnaround time reflects increased mechanisation, adoption of digital systems, and streamlined operational processes across ports, enabling faster cargo movement and improved asset utilisation.
India’s ports have also strengthened their global presence, with nine ports now ranked among the world’s top 100 ports.
Visakhapatnam Port is among the top 20 globally for container traffic, indicating rising competitiveness in international maritime trade.
This performance improvement comes alongside record cargo handling of 915.17 million tonnes by India’s 12 major ports in FY 2025-26, surpassing the annual target of 904 million tonnes and registering a year-on-year growth of 7.06%.
According to the Press Information Bureau, inland waterways have also seen significant expansion, with cargo movement increasing from 18.10 million tonnes in FY 2013-14 to 145.50 million tonnes in FY 2024-25, supporting a more diversified and efficient logistics system.
