Mundra Port located in Gujarat, which is managed by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ), has officially become India’s largest automobile export gateway by surpassing traditional hubs like Chennai and Ennore.

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) said that Mundra Port has emerged as the largest automobile export hub of India, creating a national record by exporting 6,008 cars in a single ship.

According to the Adani Group, Mundra has become a major export center for vehicles, from where ships are sent to more than 100 countries through its roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) terminal.

This change is an important milestone in India’s maritime logistics and the "Make in India" initiative.

Its proximity to northern and western automobile hubs (Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat) reduces inland logistics costs.

The port has a dedicated roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) terminal and a large parking yard, which is capable of handling more than 15,000 vehicles at any time.

Features of Mundra Port

Mundra can accommodate some of the world’s largest pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) vessels, improving economies of scale for global manufacturers.

Major OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) such as Maruti Suzuki, Nissan and Toyota have rapidly increased their export volumes at Mundra due to faster vessel turnaround time.

This port serves as a primary exit point for vehicles manufactured in India that are shipped to markets in the Middle East, Africa and Europe.

Mundra’s integration with the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) has significantly improved last-mile connectivity from manufacturing plants.

Mundra Port: India’s largest private commercial port

Mundra Port, located in Gujarat, India, is the country’s largest private commercial port, operated by Adani Ports and SEZ Limited (APSEZ).

Started in 1994 and operational by 1998, this port has grown from a small jetty into a large, deep-draft, multi-cargo handling port.

By 2010, it had achieved the status of India’s largest private port, handling more than 200 million metric tonnes of cargo annually.

Major ports of India

India has 14 major ports (of which 12 are operational) and about 200 non-major (minor) ports.

Non-operational major ports: Vadhavan Port (Maharashtra) and Galathea Bay Port (Great Nicobar, Andaman and Nicobar Islands).

Administration: Major ports are under the 'Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways', while non-major ports are under 'State Maritime Boards' or 'State Governments'.

The list of major ports of India is as follows

1. Deendayal Port (Kandla Port) - Gujarat

2. Mumbai Port Trust – Maharashtra

3. Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) - Maharashtra

4. Mormugao Port - Goa

5. New Mangalore Port - Karnataka

6. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port (Kolkata Port) - West Bengal

7. Cochin Port - Kerala

8. Chennai Port - Tamil Nadu

9. Kamarajar Port (Ennore Port) - Tamil Nadu

10. Paradip Port - Odisha

11. Visakhapatnam Port - Andhra Pradesh

12. Tuticorin Port - Tamil Nadu

13. Vadhavan Port (under construction) - Maharashtra

14 Port Blair (status withdrawn) - Andaman and Nicobar Islands