Posted on: September 17, 2025 / Last updated: September 17, 2025
Drayage Strike Halts Inland Transport at India’s Mundra Port
CONTENTS
India’s Key Logistics Gateways Under Pressure
Mundra and Kandla Ports, located in western India, are critical gateways for the country’s trade.
Mundra is the largest container port in India, and over 70% of its containers move inland by truck.
However, over 35,000 trucks have gone on strike simultaneously, completely halting import and export cargo movement.
What Triggered the Strike?
The strike is driven by demands to improve highway infrastructure.
Local truckers strongly oppose increasing toll fees while road conditions remain poor, launching a campaign called “No Road, No Toll”.
Even though the truckers warned shippers and forwarders in advance to dispatch cargo early, disruptions were still unavoidable.
Impact on Port Operations and Logistics
Mundra Port had just recovered from recent rail disruptions, only to now face a truck shutdown.
Export and import containers are piling up in yards.
From January to August this year, Mundra handled 5.6 million TEU, up 4% year-on-year. Demand is clearly strong, but infrastructure bottlenecks are stopping the flow of goods.
What Happens Next?
Two key factors will shape the outcome:
- Will truckers stand firm or compromise?
- How urgently will the government and port authorities act on infrastructure?
Mundra Port, operated by Adani Ports, is the beating heart of India’s international logistics.
If this hub stalls, it will ripple across the entire national supply chain.
Authorities are expected to respond swiftly.
Conclusion
This incident underscores a vital lesson: ports don’t function on vessels alone.
Strong inland transport like trucking and rail is essential.
No matter how efficient sea routes are, if trucks stop, cargo stops. This case highlights the “inland weak link” in supply chain planning.
