Exports and imports at India’s key west coast ports have been severely impacted due to the escalating conflict in the Middle East and heightened security concerns in the Persian Gulf. Deendayal Port in Gujarat (formerly Kandla) and Jawaharlal Nehru Port in Maharashtra are witnessing delays in container, rice, LPG, and bulk cargo shipments, with thousands of containers stranded at terminals.
Nearly 20,000 Middle East-bound containers are currently stuck at the two ports, as exporters are unable to load cargo and several sailings have been postponed. Shipping lines are reassessing vessel movements in the region amid rising security risks. In a notice to trade, the Deendayal Port Authority stated: “Owing to the prevailing war situation and heightened maritime security concerns in the affected region, vessels and cargo movements have been impacted. The disruptions include postponement of sailings, operational delays, suspension of gate-in activities and logistical constraints.”
At Kandla, approximately 15,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) remain stranded, with container terminals such as KICTPL temporarily suspending export gate-in activities — a process critical for bringing containers into the port for shipment. Efficient Marine Services has restricted gate movement for vessels including MV Intersydney and MV Libra, further delaying cargo dispatches.
The disruption extends to inbound bulk shipments from the Persian Gulf, a major supplier of industrial raw materials. Imports of around 3 lakh tonnes of sulphur, gypsum, and iron ore scheduled for March have been delayed. Five LPG carriers due at Kandla have also been postponed, potentially affecting industrial fuel availability for Gujarat’s ceramic, chemical, and manufacturing sectors.
Exporters are already responding to the uncertainty. Rice exporter Suppletex has deferred the shipment of 30,000 tonnes of rice planned for export this month. Energy cargo movements have also been impacted, including the crude oil tanker MT Desh Vaibhav, carrying 2.85 lakh tonnes of crude oil, which has faced delays due to restricted vessel movement.
At Jawaharlal Nehru Port, India’s largest container gateway, about 5,000 Middle East-bound containers are stranded. The port authority has allocated holding space within its premises to ease congestion and ensured continuous power supply for around 1,000 refrigerated containers carrying perishable cargo. A JNPA official said: “Our effort is to see that there is no congestion at the port and there is smooth flow of cargo to regions that remain unaffected by the current US-Iran conflict.”
With maritime routes disrupted and security risks escalating, Indian exporters and importers continue to face uncertainty over timelines, potentially affecting trade flows with the Middle East in the near term.
