New Mangalore Port adds 4,800 sq m cargo shed and reopens international cruise lounge

New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA) opened a covered cargo storage shed and a renovated international cruise lounge in Mangaluru, Karnataka, on 13 November 2026. Sushil Kumar Singh, who chairs both NMPA and Deendayal Port Authority, inaugurated the two projects. The ₹8.65 crore shed adds sheltered space for export and import cargo, while the ₹83.26 lakh lounge renovation expands the area available to international cruise passengers.

New wharf shed adds covered storage for fertilisers and grain

The shed is located inside the wharf and measures 120 metres by 40 metres, giving it a floor area of 4,800 square metres. Construction began on 2 June 2026 and was completed on 28 October. The facility can accommodate fertilisers, sugar, maize, other food grains and cattle feed.

The wharf-side location gives port users additional space to stage goods under cover between vessel operations and onward transport. That is particularly relevant for commodities such as fertilisers and grain, which need protection from rain and moisture during storage. Fertilisers already feature among the port’s principal imports, alongside crude oil, coal, cement and edible oil.

New Mangalore, Karnataka’s only major port, handled a record 50.04 million tonnes of cargo in financial year 2025–26, up from 46.01 million tonnes the previous year. Its principal exports include petroleum products, iron ore pellets and containerised cargo.

International cruise lounge gains 432 square metres

The cruise project refurbished 2,582 square metres of existing space and added a 432-square-metre extension, bringing the total area covered by the works to 3,014 square metres. The renovation, which began on 20 July and finished on 29 October, included vitrified tile flooring, aluminium composite panel cladding and a new suspended ceiling. The lounge was originally developed about 18 years ago.

The lounge serves international cruise passengers arriving in Mangaluru. The upgrade follows an earlier change to the port’s cruise charges. In a December 2025 parliamentary reply, the government said New Mangalore Port had reduced its cruise handling rate to attract more passenger vessels.

Port chair raises Mangaluru–Bengaluru rail doubling

On the same day, Singh attended a rail connectivity review chaired by Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw at the Deputy Commissioner’s Office in Mangaluru. Singh called for doubling the Mangaluru–Bengaluru railway line and strengthening links to the port’s hinterland to improve freight movement between the coast and inland markets.

Dakshina Kannada Member of Parliament Capt. Brijesh Chowta, Udupi–Chikkamagaluru Member of Parliament Kota Srinivas Poojary, Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner Darshan H.V. and South Western Railway General Manager P. Ananth also attended the review.

FAQs

What cargo can the new covered shed handle?

The shed is designed to store export and import cargo including fertilisers, sugar, maize, other food grains and cattle feed.

How much did the two infrastructure projects cost?

The cargo shed cost ₹8.65 crore and the cruise lounge renovation cost ₹83.26 lakh, taking the combined investment to about ₹9.48 crore.

What rail link did the port authority raise at the review?

Singh called for doubling the Mangaluru–Bengaluru railway line and improving hinterland connections to support port cargo movement.