New Mangalore Port Authority Honoured with Dual Recognition at National Awards for Excellence in Ports & Shipping 2025

New Mangalore Port Authority Honoured with Dual Recognition at National Awards for Excellence in Ports & Shipping 2025

New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA) has achieved a remarkable feat at the National Awards for Excellence in Ports & Shipping 2025, held at Taj MG Road, Bengaluru, on 18.09.2025 at 06:30pm whereDr. A. V. Ramana,Chairman, NMPAwas conferred with two prestigious awards on behalf of the Port. NMPA was conferred the coveted ‘Major Port of the Year’ award, while Chairman, NMPA himself was honoured with the ‘CEO of the Year’ award, marking a proud moment for the institution in its Golden Jubilee year.

Dr. A. V. Ramana, who holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering with specialisation in maritime innovations, along with M.E. Mechanical from BITS Pilani and B. E. Mechanical from Nagarjuna University, has over three decades of service in the Indian maritime sector, holding senior leadership roles at Mumbai, Visakhapatnam, Kolkata, Cochin, and Mormugao Ports, as well as at the Indian Maritime University. Since assuming charge of NMPA in June 2019, his visionary leadership has transformed the port into a benchmark of efficiency, financial resilience, sustainability, and inclusive growth. He has spearheaded large-scale digital transformation through initiatives like the Integrated Port Operating System (iPOS), GIS-based land allotment, RFID-enabled cargo management, drone surveillance, and robotic firefighting; led the green transition with electric vehicle deployment, shore-to-ship charging, and implementing Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways Harit Cargo Policy; and overseen infrastructure expansion including mechanisation of the container terminal, new cargo berths, cruise facilities, and hinterland connectivity. At the same time, he has embedded community development and community development as a core pillar of growth under triple bottom line approach with projects such as the ₹197 crore Kulai Fishing Harbour, a 150-bed multi-speciality hospital, and over ₹19 crore CSR in education, sanitation, health, and rural infrastructure projects benefiting over two lakh people.

Under his stewardship, NMPA has recorded two consecutive years of all-time high cargo handling, with46.01 MMT in FY 2024–25, alongside record financials – a total income of ₹1,102.98 crore and a net surplus after tax of ₹420.57 crore, nearly double the figures from 2020–21. Operational efficiency has seen significant strides with pre-berthing delay reduced by 7 hours, vessel turnaround time cut by 6 hours, berth productivity up by 11%, and container traffic growing by nearly 50% to 1,96,424 TEUs, positioning NMPA as a rising container hub on India’s west coast. These milestones, combined with recognitions in official language implementation, environmental excellence, and stakeholder satisfaction, make NMPA a deserving recipient of Major Port of the Year, while affirming Dr. A. V. Ramana’s stature as an exemplary CEO of the Year.

While receiving the dual honours, Dr. A. V. Ramana, Chairman, NMPA, expressed his happiness at NMPA being recognized as the Major Port of the Year and himself as the CEO of the Year. He dedicated the awards to the entire port fraternity, employees, stevedores, and PPP operators, acknowledging their collective contribution to the Port’s success. Highlighting NMPA’s remarkable growth from a profit after tax of ₹110 crore in 2019 to ₹550 crore in 2025, he noted that the Port has emerged as a leader in technology-driven and automation-led operations.

The National Awards for Excellence in Ports & Shipping, organised by World HRD Congress & Transformance Forums, are among India’s most respected platforms for honouring outstanding performance, innovation, leadership in the maritime and logistics sector. This dual recognition not only celebrates NMPA’s achievements but also reinforces its commitment to delivering “Port-led Prosperity” for the nation.