Major Port Authorities Act, 2021
Governance of India's Major Ports
India has 13 major ports, governed since 2021 by the Major Port Authorities Act, 2021, which replaced the older Major Port Trusts Act, 1963. The 2021 Act grants ports greater financial and administrative autonomy, replaces Port Trust Boards with leaner Port Authorities, and allows ports to enter public-private partnerships more freely. Major Ports are on the Union List (Schedule VII, Entry 27), giving the Central Government exclusive jurisdiction. The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) oversees their administration.
- 13 Major Ports: Kolkata (Syama Prasad Mookerjee), Paradip, Visakhapatnam, Kamarajar (Ennore), Chennai, Tuticorin (V.O. Chidambaranar), Kochi, Mangaluru, New Mangalore, Mormugao, Mumbai, JNPA (Jawaharlal Nehru Port), and Deendayal (Kandla)
- Major Port Authorities Act, 2021: ports can now retain and deploy their surplus funds independently
- JNPA handles ~55% of India's containerised cargo and is the busiest container port
- Deendayal Port (Kandla) is the busiest port by cargo volume
● Tracked since March 01, 2026 · last seen April 10, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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