Maharashtra is bestowed with a coastline of 720 Kms. of which Greater Mumbai Districts have approximately 114 Kms., Thane and Palghar Districts has 127 Kms., Raigad District has 122 Kms., Ratnagiri District has 237 Kms., and Sindhudurg District has 120 Kms. of coastline. There are two major ports (Mumbai Port Trust and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust) and 48 Non-major Ports are situated on the coastline of Maharashtra. The major ports come under the purview of Government of India. Till 1960, there was no separate port organization, and the administration of the ports was entrusted by the state government to the central excise department. On 01.04.1963, Maharashtra Government decided to have a separate ports organization under the control of Chief Ports Officer in the Buildings and Communications Department, for developing ports, Harbors and for regulating traffic, licensing, conservancy, levying of fees etc.

The State Government created a post of Commissioner Water Transport as the Head of Department in the Port Organization (vide GR dated 31.08.1990) for better co-ordination between various authorities. 

On the lines of liberalisation policy pursued by the Government of India in the early nineties, it was decided by the State Government to transfer the organization under Commissioner, Water Transport and constitute the Maharashtra Maritime Board, with the Honorable Minister of Ports as its Chairman. Accordingly, as per the Maharashtra Maritime Board Act, 1996, the Maharashtra Maritime Board came into existence w.e.f. 22/11/1996 with a view to grant more autonomy and to provide sufficient flexibility in the development and administration of Non-major ports in the state. The Commissioner, water transport, was later on re-designated as Chief Executive Officer of Maharashtra Maritime Board.