Kolkata port records strong cargo growth in April-May amidst geopolitical tensions

Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port (SMP), Kolkata, on Sunday said it began FY26 on a strong note, recording a 27.56 per cent year-on-year growth in cargo handling during April-May 2025, despite global geopolitical tensions.
The port handled 11.252 million metric tonnes (MMT) of cargo in the two-month period, up from 8.821 MMT during the same time last year, officials said.
Of the total cargo handled, Haldia Dock Complex (HDC) accounted for 8.139 MMT, while Kolkata Dock System (KDS) handled 3.113 MMT. This represents a 27.45 per cent increase at HDC and 27.84 per cent at KDS over April-May 2024, the port said in a statement.
The Kolkata-based riverine port had a robust growth across multiple cargo segments, officials added.
HDC saw higher volumes of petroleum products, other liquids, vegetable oil, various categories of coal, fly ash, and containers.
KDS also posted increased handling of finished fertilizers, pulses, foodgrains, timber, and container cargo, it added.
Notably, HDC handled thermal coal, raw petroleum coke, and 29,000 tonnes of iron and steel for the first time during this period. Meanwhile, KDS registered fresh volumes in coking coal, timber, and foodgrains — commodities not handled in the same months last year.
In container traffic, the port handled 1,53,037 TEUs during April-May 2025, up 31.23 per cent from 1,16,620 TEUs handled a year ago period.
TEU stands for Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit. It’s a standard unit of measurement used to quantify the cargo capacity of container ships and terminals.
Container movement at HDC surged over 76 per cent year-on-year, while KDS grew around 24 per cent.