The Chennai Port Authority has earmarked 20,000 square metres of yard space to handle diverted cargo.
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The escalating conflict in West Asia is beginning to impact India’s export logistics, with around 2,000 vehicles shipped by Hyundai Motor India to Gulf markets are likely to be rerouted back to Chennai Port, port officials told The New Indian Express.
The vehicles were originally shipped through the Port of Hambantota for onward movement to West Asian destinations. However, uncertainty about navigation through key maritime routes, such as the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea, has forced shipping carriers to reconsider sailings and cargo movements.
Port sources said the disruption has already affected container traffic linked to the Gulf trade. Nearly 4,000 containers have been rerouted back from Gulf-bound routes, including around 1,800 originating from Chennai.
The conflict, which intensified in late February, has begun to slow vessel movements from ports in Tamil Nadu. Officials said the impact has been particularly significant at the VO Chidambaranar Port, a major gateway for containerised exports to Gulf countries.
Exports such as garments, home textiles, food products, eggs and engineering castings are typically shipped directly from the port to destinations in West Asia. However, several consignments are now facing delays or diversions.
For instance, the cargo vessel Zhong Gu Tai Yuan, which loaded nearly 250 containers from the Thoothukudi port on February 28, was reportedly forced to alter its course mid-sea and offload the cargo at Jawaharlal Nehru Port.
Exporters said containers carrying textiles and garments are currently stuck at container freight stations and warehouses in and around Thoothukudi as well as at production hubs in Tiruppur, Karur, Namakkal and Coimbatore. Many of these shipments were intended to reach Gulf markets ahead of the Ramzan festival.
Authorities are preparing contingency arrangements to manage the disruption. At the VO Chidambaranar port, nearly 19,000 square metres of land outside the terminal area has been identified for temporary cargo storage if vessels discharge shipments there.
Similarly, the Chennai Port Authority has earmarked 20,000 square metres of yard space to handle diverted cargo.
S. Viswanathan, chairman of the Chennai Port Authority, said a high-level consultative meeting was held with exporters to assess the evolving situation. Authorities are also exploring alternative shipping routes to help vessels avoid the Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile, global shipping major Maersk has temporarily stopped accepting cargo bookings to and from certain Gulf destinations, prioritising essential shipments such as food and medicines.
