Paradip Port Sets Single-Day Coal Loading Record of 1,40,022 Tonnes

The Mechanised Coal Handling Plant (MCHP) of the Paradip Port Authority (PPA) in Odisha loaded 1,40,022 metric tonnes of coal in a single day on 10 October 2026, according to GKToday. The coal went onto two vessels, M.V. APJ Indrani and M.V. Ripley Pinnacle. The report describes this as the plant's highest-ever single-day loading total. As of 15 October 2026 this is a completed event, not a scheduled or ongoing one.

Paradip Port coal loading record: key facts

Event date versus publication date

• 10 October 2026: the day the coal was loaded (the record day).
• 11 October 2026: PPA Chairperson Susanta Kumar Purohit congratulated MCHP workers, officers and personnel, according to the report.
• 12 October 2026: the date of the GKToday article. This is the source publication date, not the date of the event.

Why the record matters

A single-day figure is a measure of throughput: how much cargo a terminal moved in 24 hours. The 1,40,022-tonne total is the combined load across two vessels, not a single-ship load. Records of this kind show how much a mechanised terminal can move when berths, conveyors, shiploaders and vessel scheduling work together. The sources do not give the cause of the record, such as new equipment or a change in operations, so none should be assumed.

Background for revision

Paradip Port and its administration

• Paradip Port is on India's eastern coast in Odisha, beside the Bay of Bengal.
• It is a major port administered by the Paradip Port Authority.
• The Major Port Authorities Act, 2021, gives the legal framework for governing India's major ports.

Terms used in the report

• Metric tonne: 1,000 kilograms.
• Dry bulk cargo: coal is carried in large quantities by specialised vessels and is classed as dry bulk.
• Mechanised coal terminal: a facility that uses equipment such as conveyors and shiploaders to move coal between storage areas and ships.
• IRSEE: Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers, the service of the PPA Chairperson named in the report.

Wider port context from the official site

The official PPA Major Achievements page (last updated 7 August 2026, before this record) gives separate context. It reports Paradip's highest-ever annual traffic of 156.45 MMT (million metric tonnes) in FY 2025-26, up from 150.41 MMT in FY 2024-25. It also lists an earlier MCHP single-day thermal coal loading record of 1.32 LMT (lakh metric tonnes) on 15 October 2018. These are separate achievements and should not be confused with the October 2026 record.

What the sources do not settle

• The record comes from one news report. The supplied PPA page predates the event and does not mention it, and no official PPA statement on it was available.
• The PPA page does not list the 29 May 2022 figure of 1,37,500 metric tonnes. That benchmark rests on the news report alone.
• The report names Mr Purohit as PPA Chairperson. The PPA page says he is Chairperson of V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority and holds additional charge as Chairman of Paradip Port Authority. Learners should keep this distinction in mind.
• The sources do not give the coal type, destination, loading hours or cargo owners.

Quick revision points

• Record: 1,40,022 metric tonnes of coal loaded in one day, 10 October 2026.
• Vessels: M.V. APJ Indrani and M.V. Ripley Pinnacle.
• Previous mark: 1,37,500 metric tonnes (29 May 2022); the new figure is 2,522 tonnes higher.
• Location: Paradip, Odisha, on the Bay of Bengal coast.

Practice MCQs

Question 1

How much coal did the MCHP of Paradip Port Authority load in a single day on 10 October 2026?

1. 1,37,500 metric tonnes
2. 1,40,022 metric tonnes
3. 1,32,000 metric tonnes
4. 1,56,400 metric tonnes

Answer: 1,40,022 metric tonnes — the report gives this as the combined coal loaded onto two vessels that day.

Question 2

What is the full form of MCHP in this news item?

1. Marine Cargo Handling Port
2. Major Coal Harbour Project
3. Mechanised Coal Handling Plant
4. Mechanised Cargo Hub Programme

Answer: Mechanised Coal Handling Plant — the report names the Paradip Port Authority's coal facility this way.

Question 3

By how much did the new record exceed the previous single-day benchmark of 1,37,500 metric tonnes?

1. 2,522 metric tonnes
2. 2,252 metric tonnes
3. 5,022 metric tonnes
4. 1,500 metric tonnes

Answer: 2,522 metric tonnes — the report states this margin over the 29 May 2022 benchmark.

Question 4

Which two vessels were loaded for the record single-day coal total?

1. M.V. Alice and M.V. Houston
2. M.V. APJ Indrani and M.V. Ripley Pinnacle
3. M.V. Cardinal Victory and M.V. Arabella
4. M.V. Baltic Bear and M.V. Diamond Star

Answer: M.V. APJ Indrani and M.V. Ripley Pinnacle — the report names these as the two vessels loaded.

Question 5

Which Act provides the statutory framework for governing India's major ports, including Paradip Port Authority?

1. Major Port Authorities Act, 2021
2. Merchant Shipping Act, 2021
3. Indian Ports Act, 2021
4. Sagarmala Development Act, 2021

Answer: Major Port Authorities Act, 2021 — the report says the authority functions under this Act.