UN/LOCODE: INIXY📍 India
Port of Kandla (UN/LOCODE INIXY)
❖ Coordinates: 23.0300°N, 70.2200°E
❖ Time Zone: Asia/Calcutta
❖ UN/LOCODE: INIXY
## About the Port
The **Port of Kandla**, officially designated as **Deendayal Port Trust (DPT)** since 2017, serves as the principal maritime gateway for northwestern India. Located on the Gulf of Kutch in the Kutch district of Gujarat (UN/LOCODE: **INIXY**), it operates at coordinates **23.03° N, 70.22° E** within the **Asia/Calcutta (UTC+5:30)** timezone. As a Major Port under the Indian Ports Act, 1908, it falls under the administrative purview of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Government of India.
Strategically positioned approximately 430 nautical miles northwest of Mumbai and 560 nautical miles southeast of the Strait of Hormuz, Kandla is the closest Indian major port to the Middle East, Europe, and Africa via the Suez Canal route. This geographic advantage renders it the primary conduit for crude oil imports, fertilizer raw materials, and containerized cargo destined for the vast hinterland encompassing Northern and Central India—specifically Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Delhi, and Jammu & Kashmir. The port functions as a tide-dependent, all-weather facility, handling a diverse cargo mix ranging from liquid bulk (POL, chemicals, edible oils) and dry bulk (coal, fertilizers, iron ore) to breakbulk and containers.
## History
Kandla’s genesis traces back to the partition of India in 1947, which severed access to the Port of Karachi, the primary maritime outlet for the northwestern hinterland. Recognizing the strategic vacuum, the Government of India commissioned a survey in 1950, leading to the selection of Kandla Creek—a natural harbor with deep draft potential—as the site for a new major port.
Construction commenced in 1952 under the supervision of the Kandla Port Project Organization. The port was formally inaugurated by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in **1955**, initially operating with a handful of berths handling general cargo and salt. The 1960s and 70s witnessed rapid expansion driven by the Green Revolution’s demand for fertilizer imports and the establishment of the **Kandla Free Trade Zone (KFTZ)** in 1965—India’s first Export Processing Zone (EPZ)—which catalyzed industrial clustering.
A pivotal inflection point occurred in the 1990s with the liberalization of the Indian economy. The port undertook massive capacity augmentation, notably the development of **Vadinar (Oil Terminal)** approximately 22 km offshore, commissioned in 1998 to handle Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) and Ultra Large Crude Carriers (ULCCs) up to 300,000 DWT. This separated dirty cargo operations from the main harbor, enhancing environmental compliance and operational efficiency. In 2017, the port was renamed **Deendayal Port Trust** in honor of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, aligning with a broader national rebranding initiative. Today, it consistently ranks among India’s top ports by cargo throughput, frequently exceeding 120–130 Million Metric Tonnes Per Annum (MMTPA).
## Infrastructure & Facilities
Deendayal Port Trust operates a bifurcated infrastructure model: the **Inner Harbor (Kandla Creek)** and the **Outer Harbor (Vadinar)**.
### Inner Harbor (Kandla Creek)
The creek-based harbor features **16 multipurpose berths** (Berths 1–16) with a cumulative quay length of approximately 2.8 km. Drafts range from 9.5m to 12.5m, accommodating Panamax and Post-Panamax vessels (up to ~75,000 DWT). Key facilities include:
* **Container Terminal:** Operated by **Kandla International Container Terminal (KICT)**, a PPP concessionaire (joint venture of JM Baxi and NYK), offering 600m quay length, 14m draft, and 3 Post-Panamax quay cranes. Capacity: ~0.6M TEUs.
* **Bulk Terminals:** Dedicated mechanized handling for fertilizers (rock phosphate, sulphur, urea), coal, and food grains (FCI silos).
* **Liquid Bulk:** Multiple jetties for chemicals, edible oils, molasses, and POL products (white oils).
* **Ro-Ro/Ro-Pax Facility:** Operational at the Old Kandla Jetty, facilitating coastal shipping and passenger movement to Ghogha/Hazira.
### Outer Harbor (Vadinar)
Located in the deep waters of the Gulf of Kutch, Vadinar is a **Single Point Mooring (SPM) and Jetty complex** designed for crude oil import and product export.
* **SPMs:** Three SPMs (SPM-1, 2, 3) capable of handling VLCCs/ULCCs (300,000 DWT) with a discharge rate of 10,000–12,000 TPH.
* **Product Jetties:** Two jetties (Vadinar Jetty 1 & 2) for petroleum product export and import (up to 80,000 DWT).
* **Pipeline Connectivity:** Direct cross-country pipeline connectivity to refineries in North India (IOCL Panipat, Mathura, Barauni; BPCL Bina; HPCL Bathinda) via the **Kandla-Bhatinda** and **Mundra-Panipat** pipeline networks.
### Support Infrastructure
* **Storage:** ~8.5 Lakh KL tank farm capacity (liquid); extensive covered/open warehousing (3.5 Lakh sq m) and silos (1.5 Lakh MT) for dry bulk.
* **Rail Connectivity:** Dedicated broad-gauge line connecting to the Western Railway network (Gandhidham junction), facilitating rake loading for containers, fertilizers, and food grains.
* **Road Connectivity:** NH-8A (Kandla-Barmer) and NH-41 provide arterial access to the Golden Quadrilateral and North-South/East-West corridors.
* **Dredging:** Maintenance dredging is critical due to high siltation rates in the creek (approx. 15–20 Million Cu. M annually); a Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger (TSHD) is deployed for capital and maintenance dredging to maintain declared drafts.
## Economic Importance
Kandla is the economic lifeline for the **Northwest Indian Hinterland**, a region contributing significantly to national GDP, agricultural output, and industrial production. Its economic multiplier effect operates through three primary vectors:
1. **Energy Security:** Vadinar handles **~35–40% of India’s crude oil imports**, feeding refineries across the north. This makes the port a critical node in the national energy supply chain; disruptions here have immediate inflationary consequences on fuel prices.
2. **Agricultural & Industrial Inputs:** The port is the largest gateway for **fertilizer raw materials** (Rock Phosphate, Sulphur, Ammonia, MOP, DAP) and finished fertilizers, directly supporting the food security of the Indo-Gangetic plains. It also handles massive volumes of **coking coal** for the steel belt (Bhilai, Bokaro) and **thermal coal** for power plants in Rajasthan, Punjab, and Haryana.
3. **Trade Facilitation & Employment:** The **Kandla Special Economic Zone (KASEZ)**, evolved from the KFTZ, hosts over 600 units (chemicals, textiles, engineering, pharma), generating significant export earnings and direct employment for ~30,000+ personnel. Port operations, stevedoring, CHA (Customs House Agents), trucking, and rail logistics provide indirect livelihoods to an estimated 100,000+ individuals in the Gandhidham-Kandla complex.
Financially, DPT operates as a profitable entity, consistently generating operating surpluses remitted to the Consolidated Fund of India. Its Tariff Authority for Major Ports (TAMP) regulated tariff structure remains competitive compared to private adjacent ports (Mundra, Hazira), ensuring cargo retention for cost-sensitive bulk commodities.
## Trade Routes & Major Cargo
### Dominant Trade Lanes
* **Persian Gulf / Red Sea / East Africa (Crude Oil, LPG, Fertilizers, Rock Phosphate):** The shortest haul for VLCCs from Ras Tanura, Jubail, Fujairah, Mina Al Ahmadi, and Sohar. Transit time: 3–5 days.
* **Far East / Southeast Asia (Containers, Coal, Edible Oils, Chemicals):** Feedered via Colombo, Port Klang, or Singapore; direct mainline calls increasing for containers. Key origins: Indonesia, Australia (coal), Malaysia/Indonesia (palm oil), China/Korea/Japan (finished goods).
* **Europe / Mediterranean / US East Coast (Containers, Textiles, Chemicals, Machinery):** Via Suez Canal. Transit: 18–22 days.
* **Coastal Shipping (Cabotage):** Significant coastal movement of POL products (from Vadinar/Jamnagar refineries), cement, coal, and fertilizers to ports on the West Coast (Mumbai, Kochi, Mangalore) and East Coast (via Cape Comorin).
### Cargo Profile (Typical Annual Throughput ~125–135 MMT)
| Cargo Category | Key Commodities | Volume Share (Approx.) | Handling Mode |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| **Liquid Bulk (POL Crude)** | Crude Oil | ~55–60% | SPMs (Vadinar) |
| **Liquid Bulk (Products/Chem)** | POL Products, Edible Oil, Chemicals, LPG | ~10–12% | Creek Jetties / Vadinar Jetties |
| **Dry Bulk** | Thermal Coal, Coking Coal, Fertilizers (Raw/Fin), Iron Ore, Salt, Gypsum | ~20–25% | Mechanized Berths / Grab Operations |
| **Breakbulk** | Steel, Timber, Project Cargo, Machinery | ~3–5% | Conventional Berths |
| **Containers** | Textiles, Agri-produce, Chemicals, Auto parts, Engineering goods | ~4–6% (0.5–0.6M TEU) | KICT Terminal |
**Strategic Outlook:** The port is currently executing a **Capital Dredging Project** to deepen the approach channel to **-14.5m CD**, enabling Suezmax entry into the creek. Concurrently, the **Tuna-Tekra** deep-draft bulk terminal development (PPP mode) and expansion of KICT Phase-II aim to capture larger vessel calls and container transshipment currently diverted to Colombo or Dubai. Integration with the **Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC)** at Rewari/Dadri will further slash rail transit times to the NCR, solidifying Kandla’s position as the logistics anchor for Northern India. For real-time vessel schedules and tariff notifications, stakeholders reference the official Deendayal Port Trust website↗ and the Indian Ports Association↗ databases.
Port Intelligence
UN/LOCODE
INIXY
Country
India
Province / Region
Gujarat
Latitude
23.030000
Longitude
70.220000
Timezone
Asia/Calcutta
Nautical Map (OpenSeaMap)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the UN/LOCODE for Port of Kandla?
The official UN/LOCODE for Port of Kandla is INIXY.
Where is Port of Kandla located?
The Port of Kandla is located in India, Gujarat. Its coordinates are 23.0300°N, 70.2200°E.
What time zone is Port of Kandla in?
Port of Kandla operates in the Asia/Calcutta time zone.
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About the World Port Index
This data is sourced programmatically. The UN/LOCODE is the official geographic coding scheme used by the United Nations for trade and transport locations.
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