New Delhi, September 26: The Centre has notified Deendayal Port, Jawaharlal Nehru Port, Paradip Port and Mundra Port as Mega Ports under the Indian Ports Act, 2025, marking the first set of ports to receive the newly introduced classification.
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways issued the notification on September 25 after determining that the four ports meet the criteria prescribed for Mega Port classification. The notification came into force on the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.
Of the four, Deendayal Port at Kandla, Jawaharlal Nehru Port at Nhava Sheva and Paradip Port are classified as major ports, while Mundra is a port other than a major port, according to the Gazette notification.
The Mega Port framework was introduced under Section 73 of the Indian Ports Act, 2025. Under criteria notified by the government in July, a port is eligible for consideration if it handled at least 150 million metric tonnes (MMT) of cargo in the preceding financial year in the case of a bulk port, or 7.5 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in the case of a container port.
For ports handling both bulk and containerised cargo, container volumes are converted into MMT using the respective port’s standard conversion methodology.
Once notified, the Mega Port classification remains valid for five years even if the port’s cargo throughput subsequently falls below the prescribed threshold during that period. The status is to be reviewed after completion of the five-year period.
The designation, however, does not change the ports’ underlying statutory status. Section 73 of the Indian Ports Act provides that a port classified as a Mega Port continues to retain its status as either a major port or a port other than a major port and remains governed by the laws applicable to that category.
The September 25 notification was issued under sub-sections (2) and (3) of Section 73 and signed by Joint Secretary Praveen P. Nair.
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