Flooded deports disrupted the Cargo operations disrupted at Mundra port

Relentless monsoon rains and recent downpours have plunged Mundra Port’s empty container deports into disarray, severely disrupting cargo operations and causing extensive shipment damage in the Kutch-Saurashtra region. With severe waterlogging and thick sludge rendering many ECD zones nearly impassable, transporters and customs brokers are grappling with mounting logistical gridlocks at India’s busiest private port. 

The Kutch region has already received 58% of its seasonal rainfall, submerging large swathes of Mundra’s ECD areas. The flooding has led to significant delays and direct cargo losses.

According to Manoj Kotak, secretary of the Mundra Customs Brokers’ Association, many deports lack basic infrastructure like drainage systems and paved access roads, despite repeated appeals to port authorities and depot operators for urgent upgrades. 

Mundra Port, operated by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone, handled roughly 200 million metric tonnes of cargo in 2024-25, an average of 6.02 lakh metric tonnes per day.

However, persistent infrastructure deficiencies have raised alarm among logistics stakeholders. Export-bound containers remain stranded in waterlogged yards, while many cargo units, drenched and caked in mud, now await inspected and repair. The situation has sparked disputed over damage claims and deepened exporters’ frustrations. 

In response to the growing crisis, the logistics division of the Union Ministry of Commerce has proposed infrastructure guidelines aimed at improving standard at ECDs. “Empty container depots are a vital part of the supply chain,” the ministry noted.