New Mangalore Port, Location, River, History, Authority, Map

New Mangalore Port is an all weather, deep inner harbour major port located at Panambur on Karnataka’s Arabian Sea coast. It is the only major port in Karnataka and serves the industrial hinterland of Karnataka and parts of Kerala. The port handles petroleum, coal, fertilizers, iron ore pellets, containers and agricultural cargo. It has emerged as an important gateway for regional trade, energy supplies and export led industrial growth.

New Mangalore Port

New Mangalore Port is situated north of the Gurupur (Phalguni) River estuary. It covers about 480 hectares and has strong road, rail and air connectivity. It is 170 nautical miles south of Mormugao Port and 191 nautical miles north of Kochi Port. The port has grown from handling less than one lakh tonnes to 46.01 million tonnes in 2024-25.

New Mangalore Port Historical Background

The modern New Mangalore Port developed because the Old Mangalore Port or Bunder could not meet growing maritime trade requirements.

• Historical origin: Mangalore has ancient maritime links and appears in Roman, Greek and Ptolemaic records. Arab traders developed spice and silk trade connections with West Asia during the Vijayanagara Empire.
• Port development: The Mangalore Harbour Project began in 1962. Maritime works started in 1968. New Mangalore Port became India’s ninth major port on 4 May 1974.
• Formal inauguration: Prime Minister Indira Gandhi formally inaugurated the New Mangalore Port on 11 January 1975. The Major Port Trust Act 1963 applied from 1 April 1980.
• Present Port Authority: New Mangalore Port Trust was renamed New Mangalore Port Authority on 3 November 2021 under the Major Port Authorities Act 2021.
• Future roadmap: The Master Plan 2047 focuses on infrastructure expansion, capacity augmentation, better hinterland connectivity and cargo diversification. NMPA is also exploring a satellite port in Karnataka.

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New Mangalore Port Features

New Mangalore Port combines deep water infrastructure, diversified cargo handling and multimodal connectivity to support Karnataka’s industries and regional supply chains.

• Location: New Mangalore Port is located at Panambur in Mangaluru, Karnataka, on the Arabian Sea coast. It lies north of the Gurupur (Phalguni) River estuary.
• Connectivity: The port is connected by NH-66, Konkan Railway and Mangaluru International Airport. Surathkal railway station is approximately 6 kilometres from the port.
• Handling: Major exports include POL products, iron ore pellets, coffee, cashew, granite stones and containerized cargo. Imports include crude oil, coal, fertilizers, edible oil and liquid chemicals.
• Port Authority: New Mangalore Port is operated and administered by the New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA) under the Major Port Authorities Act 2021.
• Industrial facilities: The port handles cargo for major industries and organisations including MRPL, ONGC, OMPL, KIOCL, TOTAL GAZ, MCF, HPCL, IOC and UPCL.
• Operational capacity: Port mechanisation has reached 90% under Maritime India Vision 2030. It handled 46.01 million tonnes during 2024-25.
• Cruise facilities: New Mangalore Port provides cruise berths and supports coastal tourism in Karnataka. A helicopter facility is also available for cruise tourists.
• Recent Developments: Berth No. 9 is being redeveloped to increase draft from 10.5 metres to 14 metres, with provision for 19.8 metres and vessels up to two lakh DWT. The redevelopment is designed to raise liquid bulk handling capacity to 10.90 million tonnes per annum and accommodate Very Large Gas Carriers.

New Mangalore Port Significance

New Mangalore Port supports regional trade while advancing India’s maritime, logistics, renewable energy and sustainable port development objectives.

• Solar energy: New Mangalore Port achieved 100% solar power integration by 2025. This places the port among important examples of renewable energy adoption in port operations.
• Modernisation investment: The Government of India launched ₹1,500 crore of modernisation projects at New Mangalore Port during its Golden Jubilee celebrations in 2025.
• Amrit Kaal Vision 2047: NMPA has started adopting autonomous technologies for transition towards a smart port. It is also working towards stronger maritime infrastructure and technology adoption.
• Cargo milestone: On 30 June 2023, New Mangalore Port handled 2,689 TEUs in parcel traffic, comprising 1,210 import and 1,479 export TEUs.
• Green recognition: NMPA received the Greentech Environment Award 2014, reflecting its efforts towards environmentally responsible port operations.