Chennai Ports Expand Global Trade Footprint With Record FY26 Cargo Throughput

India’s maritime sector witnessed a major milestone as Chennai Port Authority and Kamarajar Port Limited (KPL) together recorded a historic 107 million metric tonnes (MMT) of cargo throughput in the 2025–26 financial year, reinforcing Chennai’s emergence as one of the country’s largest shipping and logistics hubs. The achievement also highlights the strong post-Covid recovery of India’s port economy and the growing role of private investment in maritime infrastructure.

Officials said Chennai Port handled 57.90 MMT of cargo, while Kamarajar Port managed 49.08 MMT , contributing nearly 12% of the total cargo handled by India’s major ports during FY26. India’s major ports collectively processed around 915 million tonnes of cargo in the same period.

The growth was driven by strong performance in containers, automobiles and energy cargo. Chennai Port registered an all-time-high container traffic of 1.9 million TEUs and handled 204,165 automobile units , further strengthening its position as one of Asia’s major automobile export gateways. Kamarajar Port recorded an 18.86% increase in automobile handling, touching 191,825 vehicles , while coal cargo alone accounted for 25.72 MMT .

Tamil Nadu’s massive automobile manufacturing ecosystem, including companies such as Hyundai, Renault-Nissan, Daimler, BMW and Ashok Leyland , heavily depends on Chennai’s port network for exports to global markets.

The ports also posted strong financial results. Combined operating income crossed ₹2,400 crore . Chennai Port reported a historic operating income of ₹1,185 crore with its best operating ratio in two decades at 55.14% , while Kamarajar Port posted a Profit After Tax of ₹596 crore and an operating ratio of 25.48% .

Infrastructure modernization remained a major focus. Kamarajar Port completed its ₹440-crore Capital Dredging Phase VI project , enabling an 18-metre draft and making the port “Cape Compliant” for larger vessels. Together, the ports invested nearly ₹992 crore in capital expenditure and are expanding through projects such as the ₹1,424-crore Multi-Modal Logistics Park at Mappedu and new DBFOT terminals under the PPP model.

The Chennai maritime cluster, which includes Chennai Port, Kamarajar Port and nearby Kattupalli Port, is now emerging as a critical pillar of India’s ambitions to compete with global shipping hubs such as Singapore, Colombo and Dubai.