| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full Form | One Nation One Port Process |
| Launched By | Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister, Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW) |
| Launch Date | 27 February 2025, Mumbai (Stakeholders' Meeting) |
| Context | Part of Union Budget 2025–26 announcements for the maritime sector |
| Core Objective | Standardise and streamline documentation, approvals, and operational procedures across India's major ports so every vessel operator/cargo importer faces identical paperwork at any Indian port |
| Scope | All 13 major ports + selected non-major ports; covers container, bulk, liquid, EXIM, transshipment, and coastal cargo |
| Companion Initiative | ONOD — One Nation One Document (standardises documentation); ONOP standardises the entire process/workflow |
Before ONOP, each Indian port had its own documentation systems, approval workflows, and procedural requirements. A shipping company operating at Mundra, JNPA, and Chennai had to navigate three entirely different sets of paperwork and processes. This caused:
ONOP was announced as part of a suite of five major maritime initiatives on 27 Feb 2025, alongside Sagar Ankalan (LPPI), MAITRI, Bharat Global Ports Consortium, and NCoEGPS.
UPSC often frames new policy questions as "Consider the following objectives/features of X initiative — which are correct?" For ONOP: the key facts are 33% container doc reduction, 29% bulk doc reduction, launched Feb 2025, under MoPSW.
| Entry / Article | List / Schedule | Provision | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry 27, List I | Union List, Seventh Schedule | Ports declared as Major Ports by Parliament — their delimitation and Port Authority powers | Gives Centre exclusive power over all Major Ports; Parliament alone can legislate |
| Entry 31, List I | Union List, Seventh Schedule | Inland waterways and traffic thereon | National Waterways under Centre; complements port connectivity |
| Entry 27, List II | State List, Seventh Schedule | Non-major ports (other than major ports) | State Maritime Boards govern non-major/minor ports; concurrent with Entry 27 List I in application |
| Article 246 | Part XI — Centre-State Relations | Distribution of legislative powers; Parliament has exclusive power for List I subjects | Foundation of Centre's authority to pass all port-related Acts |
| Article 297 | Part XII | Things of value in territorial waters/continental shelf vest in Union | Maritime resources under Union; supports Centre's jurisdiction |
Major Ports → Union List (Entry 27, List I) → Parliament legislates → Centre controls.
Non-Major/Minor Ports → State List (Entry 27, List II) → State Assembly legislates → State Maritime Boards govern.
ONOP, being a Centre initiative, directly applies to all 13 Major Ports; non-major ports require state cooperation.
| Act / Law | Year | Scope | Current Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indian Ports Act | 1908 | Colonial-era; governed both major and non-major ports; 8 chapters, 69 sections | Repealed by Indian Ports Act 2025 |
| Major Port Trusts Act | 1963 | Governed 12 major ports; established Port Trust Boards | Replaced by Major Port Authorities Act 2021 |
| Major Port Authorities Act | 2021 | Corporatised governance; replaced Board of Trustees with Port Authority Boards; enhanced autonomy | In Force (governs all 13 major ports) |
| Indian Ports Act | 2025 | Replaced 1908 Act; promotes integrated development; establishes MSDC; empowers State Maritime Boards; MARPOL compliance; Dispute Resolution Committees | In Force (enacted 21 Aug 2025) |
| Merchant Shipping Act | 2025 | Replaced Merchant Shipping Act 1958; modernised merchant shipping, international treaty compliance | In Force (enacted 18 Aug 2025) |
| Coastal Shipping Act | 2025 | Promotes coastal shipping as eco-friendly transport; simplifies trade | In Force (2025) |
Passed by Lok Sabha on 12 August 2025, Rajya Sabha on 18 August 2025, Presidential assent 21 August 2025. It replaces the 117-year-old Indian Ports Act 1908. Key provisions: (1) establishes Maritime State Development Council (MSDC); (2) empowers State Maritime Boards; (3) mandates compliance with MARPOL and Ballast Water Management Convention; (4) creates Dispute Resolution Committees; (5) mandates Maritime Single Window (Sagar Setu).
In a single parliamentary session (August 2025), India passed FOUR landmark maritime laws simultaneously: Indian Ports Act 2025 (replacing 1908 Act), Merchant Shipping Act 2025 (replacing 1958 Act), Coastal Shipping Act 2025, and Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill 2025. This was described as India's most comprehensive maritime legislative overhaul in over a century.
| Feature | Description | Significance for UPSC |
|---|---|---|
| Uniform Documentation | Same set of documents accepted at all major ports — eliminates port-specific paperwork | Reduces customs clearance delays; improves Ease of Doing Business rank |
| Paperless Workflow | Physical documentation replaced with digital submissions via Maritime Single Window | Aligns with Digital India; reduces human error and processing time |
| Cross-Agency Harmonisation | Standardised procedures across Customs, Immigration, Port Health Organisation, and Port Authority | Eliminates inter-agency duplications; single point of contact |
| Covers All Cargo Types | Container, dry bulk, liquid bulk, EXIM, transshipment, and coastal cargo all covered under the framework | Comprehensive scope prevents regulatory arbitrage between cargo types |
| Real-Time Data Sharing | AI-enabled cargo tracking, real-time vessel traffic monitoring, just-in-time berthing | Reduces vessel idle time; improves Port Turnaround Time (TAT) |
| Green Port Integration | ONOP aligns with Harit Sagar Green Port Guidelines; targets carbon footprint reduction | Sustainability dimension; links to NCoEGPS |
| Platform | Full Name | Function |
|---|---|---|
| MAITRI | Master Application for International Trade and Regulatory Interface | Digital platform using AI + Blockchain for trade documentation; operationalises Virtual Trade Corridor (VTC) between India and UAE; expanding to BIMSTEC and ASEAN |
| Sagar Setu (MSW) | Maritime Single Window | Unified portal for ship-related data exchange; 12 major ports + 60 others onboarded; enables end-to-end digital maritime transactions |
| ONOD | One Nation One Document | Companion to ONOP; standardises the actual documents (ONOP standardises the process/workflow) |
| Sagarmanthan Portal | — | Dashboard with 42 live modules covering project tracking, KPIs, HR, legal, governance, and strategic planning for all port projects |
| MDCoE | Maritime Digital Centre of Excellence | MoU signed June 2025 with C-DAC; delivers IT and e-Governance solutions for Indian maritime sector under MIV 2030 and MAKV 2047 |
MAITRI plays a crucial role in operationalising India's participation in the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC) by creating a Virtual Trade Corridor (VTC) with the UAE. Think of MAITRI as a "universal digital adapter" connecting disparate logistics systems of different countries.
UPSC may test the distinction: ONOP standardises the process/workflow; ONOD standardises the documents themselves. Both are reforms under MoPSW. Together they are called "ONOP-ONOD reforms" in recent shipping news (Apr 2026 workshop coverage).
| Body | Established / Act | Composition / Head | Functions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW) | Existing; restructured 2021 | Union Minister (Sarbananda Sonowal); Secretary MoPSW | Policy, regulation, development of all major ports, inland waterways, shipping sector |
| Maritime State Development Council (MSDC) | Indian Ports Act 2025 (statutory body) | Ex-officio Chairman: Union Minister MoPSW; Secretary MoPSW; representatives of coastal states | Statutory consultative body; recommends legal framework; prepares National Perspective Plan for integrated port development; fosters Centre-State coordination |
| India Ports Global Ltd (IPGL) | PSU under MoPSW | Government of India enterprise | Operations arm of Bharat Global Ports Consortium; manages India's overseas port investments (e.g., Chabahar Port in Iran) |
| Sagarmala Development Company Ltd (SDCL) | PSU under MoPSW | Government of India enterprise | Finance arm of Bharat Global Ports Consortium; port expansion financing |
| Indian Port Rail & Ropeway Corporation Ltd (IPRCL) | PSU under MoPSW | Government of India enterprise | Infrastructure arm; develops rail and ropeway connectivity to ports under Sagarmala |
Launched on 27 February 2025 (same day as ONOP), the consortium integrates India's three key maritime PSUs to drive India's global port ambitions:
Objective: Expand India's maritime reach internationally, strengthen global trade resilience, and position India as a participant in the global port investment market.
| Body | Legal Basis | Jurisdiction | Key States with Maritime Boards |
|---|---|---|---|
| State Maritime Boards (SMBs) | Indian Ports Act 2025 (now statutory); previously state laws | Non-major ports in respective states; licensing, supervision, tariff-setting | Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal |
| Dispute Resolution Committees | Indian Ports Act 2025 | Each State Government must constitute one; adjudicates disputes at non-major ports | Civil courts barred from jurisdiction over port disputes — DRC is the forum |
NITI Aayog held a consultative meeting in January 2026 with State Maritime Boards, port operators and Central Ministries to discuss key challenges of non-major ports and explore policy reforms. Non-major ports handle 46% of India's cargo but face significant digitalisation lags — flagged at the April 2026 National Consultative Workshop.
| Port | State / UT | Coast | Special Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deendayal (Kandla) | Gujarat | West | Largest major port by cargo; handles grains, bulk, liquid |
| Mumbai Port | Maharashtra | West | Oldest; handles general and containerised cargo |
| JNPA (Jawaharlal Nehru) | Maharashtra | West | India's largest container port; 7.3 mn TEU; ranked 23rd globally |
| Mormugao | Goa | West | Iron ore exports; tourism cruises |
| New Mangalore | Karnataka | West | Established 1928; natural harbour; serves Karnataka hinterland |
| Cochin | Kerala | West | Transhipment hub; container facility; Vizhinjam (new dedicated transshipment port) is adjacent |
| Chennai | Tamil Nadu | East | One of oldest; containers and vehicles |
| Kamarajar (Ennore) | Tamil Nadu | East | Only corporatised major port (Companies Act) since 2001; coal and petroleum |
| V.O. Chidambaranar (Thoothukudi) | Tamil Nadu | East | Also known as Tuticorin; pearl city; EXIM cargo |
| Visakhapatnam | Andhra Pradesh | East | Ranked 19th globally; deepwater; steel, fertilisers |
| Paradip | Odisha | East | Leads government major ports in monthly cargo; iron ore, coal, fertilisers |
| Syama Prasad Mookerjee (Kolkata + Haldia) | West Bengal | East | Oldest operational port; inland port; riverine access via Hooghly |
| Port Blair | Andaman & Nicobar | Andaman Sea | Only major port in island territory; under A&N admin |
| Parameter | India 2013–14 | India 2024–25 | Global Benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Turnaround Time | 93.59 hours (~4 days) | <24 hours (0.9 days) | Singapore: ~1–2 days; Rotterdam: ~2 days |
| Major Port Cargo | 581 MMT (FY 2014–15) | 855 MMT (FY 2024–25) | — |
| Port Capacity | ~800 MMTPA | 1,630 MMTPA | Nearly doubled in decade |
| Customs Clearance Time | ~7–8 days | 3–4 days | Singapore: ~1–2 days (India still at 2× peers) |
| World Bank LPI Rank | 44th (2014) | 22nd in International Shipments (2023) | Overall LPI rank: 38th |
| Global Port Rank (Mundra) | Outside top 30 | 27th (CPPI 2023, World Bank) | JNPA: 23rd in containers |
India's major ports collectively handled 915.17 MMT of cargo in FY 2025–26, surpassing the annual target of 904 MMT (Drishti IAS, April 2026). This was driven by ONOP-ONOD reforms, improved turnaround times, and increased container traffic. Mundra Port became the first Indian port ever to cross 200 MMT annual cargo in FY 2024–25 (200.7 MMT).
75% of India's transshipment cargo currently happens abroad (Singapore, Colombo). Vizhinjam Seaport in Kerala is India's first dedicated transshipment port, aimed at reversing this dependence. It is NOT a major port under Central Government — it is a Greenfield port developed under PPP by the Kerala government.
India's maritime reforms are layered across three time horizons. ONOP sits at the operational/tactical level, underpinned by three strategic frameworks:
| Programme / Vision | Launched | Horizon | Key Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sagarmala Programme | 2015 | 20 years (by 2035) | 840 projects, ₹5.8 lakh crore; port-led industrialisation; cut logistics costs; coastal community dev. |
| Maritime India Vision 2030 (MIV 2030) | 2021 | 10 years (by 2030) | 150+ initiatives; ₹3–3.5 lakh crore investment; world-class ports; Blue Economy thrust |
| Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 (MAKV) | 2023 | 25 years (by 2047) | 300+ action points; ₹80 lakh crore; 10,000 MTPA port capacity; top-5 shipbuilding nation; 1.5 crore jobs |
| Initiative | What It Is | Linked to ONOP How? |
|---|---|---|
| Sagar Ankalan (LPPI) | Logistics Port Performance Index for FY 2023–24; benchmarks port efficiency by turnaround time, berth idle time, carbon emissions | Measures ONOP's outcomes; Mundra improved TAT by 15%, JNPA by 12% post-digitalisation |
| NCoEGPS | National Centre of Excellence in Green Port and Shipping; promotes eco-friendly port operations | Launched same day as ONOP (27 Feb 2025); Green dimension of ONOP's reform package |
| Harit Sagar Guidelines | Green Port Guidelines by MoPSW; includes Green Port Performance Index (GPPI) | ONOP's efficiency gains reduce carbon footprint; Harit Sagar targets net-zero ports |