Kolkata Port (port code: INCCU), formerly known as Calcutta Port, is the second largest port in India. It is situated on the left bank of River Hughli, about 80 nautical miles from the river mouth and 121 nautical miles from Eastern Channel Light Vessels at Sandheads, where pilot vessel awaits incoming vessels.
The port’s HDC contains 17 cargo-handling berths. The Berth 3 handles over 2.2 million tons of cargo per year; and the HDC Berth 4 handles over 3.2 million tons of thermal coal annually. The annual capacity of the HDC Berth 5, HDC Berth 8 and HDC Berth 12 are 1.2 million tons, 1.8 million tons, and 1.8 million tons of cargo respectively.
The port handles approximately 47.6 million tons of cargo and 377,100TEU annually. The main imports entering this port include petroleum, iron and steel and other metals, grain, and cement, machinery, fertiliser, rock phosphate, sulphur, vegetable oil and timber. The principal exports leaving this port are coal, scrap metal, jute, gunnies, tea, grain, linseed, hides, castor oil, seeds, mica, cotton yarn, iron, steel, machinery and sugar.
Each year about 3,500 vessels and 63,500 passengers visit this port. The types of vessels regularly calling at this port are cargo vessels, accounting for around 71%; and tankers, taking up around 9%. The maximum length of the vessels recorded to having entered this port is 244 meters. The maximum draught is 8.2 meters. The maximum deadweight is 24,823t.