ports

Adani Ports Mundra Ban on Off-Dock Yards Threatens Supply Chain Operations

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone has issued a trade notice barring shipping lines from using container yards outside port boundaries, effective September 1. The restriction applies to empty container operations, requiring carriers to transition to designated depots within Mundra Port limits. APSEZ cited road congestion reduction, faster vehicle turnaround times, and enhanced safety protocols as rationale. The company also referenced instances of empty depot code misuse. Industry stakeholders have sharply criticized the move as abrupt and arbitrary, warning it could create an existential crisis for inland logistics developers who have invested heavily in container yard infrastructure surrounding the port. Container freight station operators have urged APSEZ to reverse course. They contend the restriction undermines government ease-of-doing-business objectives and threatens broader supply chain stability at India's leading container gateway.