Panaji: Mormugao Port Authority posted an operating income of Rs 583 crore in FY 2025-26, its highest in five years, as the port recorded a 16% surge in cargo handling to reach 21.01 million tonnes. Mormugao’s 16% jump is more than double the national average for major ports, which collectively showed a 7% increase from the previous year’s 854 million metric tonnes of cargo.Mormugao’s growth is at a five-year high and the strongest growth rate among all 12 major ports in India.Port officials said that the growth was broad-based. Dry bulk cargo led with a 16.7% increase, followed by miscellaneous cargo at 34.5% and finished fertilisers at 21%. Iron ore, including pellets, and liquid cargo posted steadier gains, reflecting the port’s ongoing efforts to diversify beyond its traditional commodity base.The strong performance comes even as the port continues to operate with significant staff shortages, with 679 of its 1,512 sanctioned posts lying vacant as of March 2026, according to data recently tabled in the Rajya Sabha.The strong operational year was accompanied by the completion of several infrastructure projects, including a 3MWp solar power plant at Rs 11.9 crore, a new firefighting system at Berth No. 8 worth Rs 11.6 crore, modification of railway lines in the port yard at Rs 3.2 crore, and a covered shed at berths 5 and 6 built through a public-private partnership at Rs 160 crore, the MPA said in a statement.A pipeline for reuse of treated sewage water from SIDCGL was also commissioned at Rs 3.1 crore.
