New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA) has closed FY 2025–26 with its highest-ever annual cargo throughput, handling 50.04 million tonnes (MMT) of cargo and surpassing both its previous year’s performance and its internally set 50 MMT target. The milestone caps a year of sustained growth in key commodity segments and reflects the port’s strengthening role as a multipurpose gateway on India’s west coast serving Karnataka and the wider southern hinterland. Port officials have attributed the record numbers to operational improvements, better asset utilisation and strong collaboration with shipping lines, terminal operators and logistics partners.
NMPA’s FY 2025–26 performance builds on the strong momentum it carried into the final quarter of the year. As of March 4, 2026, the port had already handled 46.09 MMT of cargo, overtaking the 46.01 MMT managed in the entire FY 2024–25 and effectively locking in a year-on-year growth trajectory even before the financial year closed. This meant that cargo handled in the remaining weeks of March pushed the port comfortably past the 50 MMT mark, enabling it to breach a symbolic benchmark that New Mangalore had been targeting over the past few years. The consistency of volumes throughout the year, rather than a one-off spike, underscores the structural strengthening of traffic at the port.
A significant contributor to this record throughput has been the growth in bulk cargoes such as coal, petroleum products, LPG, fertilizers and other liquid and dry bulk commodities that form the backbone of NMPA’s cargo mix. The port’s importance as a hub for energy and industrial inputs was reinforced during FY 2025–26, particularly as it received key LPG shipments transiting the Strait of Hormuz and served coastal as well as import–export movements linked to power plants, refineries and industrial clusters in the region. These cargoes, combined with steady traffic in agro products and project cargo, helped maintain high berth occupancy and throughput.
Container traffic, while still a smaller share of the total tonnage, has also shown healthy growth and contributed to the overall record. NMPA handled 179,594 TEUs during FY 2025–26 up to early March, compared with 171,234 TEUs in the corresponding period of the previous year, reflecting a 4.88 per cent increase. This rise in box volumes highlights the port’s expanding role in handling manufactured goods, consumer products and mixed cargo for regional industries and traders. It also points to the growing attractiveness of New Mangalore for mainline and feeder operators looking to build more balanced export–import flows on India’s west coast beyond the traditional mega hubs.
Much of this performance has been underpinned by improvements in operational efficiency and infrastructure utilisation. Port authorities have highlighted gains in vessel turnaround time, higher average output per berth day and better coordination across marine, cargo-handling and landside operations. December 2025 was a standout month, with NMPA handling a record 5.44 MMT of cargo, surpassing its previous monthly high of 4.7 MMT and showcasing the capacity of the port to manage elevated traffic without congestion. Enhanced planning, digital monitoring and closer engagement with port users have also helped optimise window allocation and resource deployment.
For India’s wider maritime and logistics ecosystem, NMPA’s 50.04 MMT milestone is a clear signal that tier-II major ports are stepping up alongside the traditional giants to support trade growth and regional industrialisation. As cargo volumes at gateway ports continue to rise, facilities like New Mangalore are assuming greater importance in decongesting the system, providing alternative routings and serving as reliable nodes for coastal, feeder and direct international services. With its record FY 2025–26 performance, NMPA has not only met but exceeded its immediate targets, strengthening its platform for future capacity expansion, cargo diversification and integration into multimodal corridors linking ports, inland terminals and industrial zones.
