Visakhapatnam Port Anchors India’s Seafood Exports

Visakhapatnam Port retained its position as India’s largest seafood export hub in 2025–26, handling 5.12 lakh metric tonnes — more than a quarter of the country’s total marine export volume of 19.32 lakh metric tonnes, according to the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA).

The port’s adoption of the National Traceability Framework (2025) across its terminals has strengthened compliance standards, particularly for high-value consignments bound for the European Union and China. Industry officials said this gives Visakhapatnam a distinct edge in an increasingly competitive global market.

Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) in Mumbai ranked second with 3.28 lakh metric tonnes, continuing to serve Western markets despite limited specialised seafood infrastructure. Kochi Port processed 1.83 lakh metric tonnes, with a focus on value-added products, while Kolkata Port managed 1.44 lakh metric tonnes, retaining its dominance in Black Tiger shrimp exports. Together with Chennai, the five ports accounted for nearly 64 per cent of India’s total seafood export earnings, which touched a record ₹72,325.82 crore (US$ 8.28 billion) during the year.

The fiscal year also brought a notable shift in trade flows. Exports to the United States fell 14.5 per cent, weighed down by reciprocal tariffs, even as shipments to the EU and China surged 37.9 per cent and 22.7 per cent respectively. Officials attributed the shift partly to Visakhapatnam’s upgraded logistics and compliance systems.

Frozen shrimp continued to dominate the export basket, contributing ₹47,973 crore to overall revenues.

MPEDA officials said improvements to cold-chain infrastructure at Visakhapatnam had cut transit losses and helped sustain international quality benchmarks. Port Deputy Chairperson Roshni A. Korati said the facility was well-positioned for further growth, backed by robust aquaculture supply chains and gains in logistics efficiency.