Stalemate Over Empty Container Handling Escalates at Mundra Port

A regulatory confrontation between Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) and landside logistics service providers at Mundra Port has entered its second week without resolution, leading to accumulating inventories of empty containers across the transport chain.

The operational dispute was triggered by APSEZ's decision to restrict ocean carriers from selecting their own designated off-dock empty storage yards outside the facility. The policy intervention has met with resistance from local logistics providers, resulting in a prolonged operational impasse.

The ongoing deadlock is now creating collateral disruptions for freight forwarders and cargo owners operating through the western Indian gateway. Industry sources on the ground indicate that neither party has shown willingness to concede ground, leaving empty container management flows constrained.

With no breakthrough reached following a week of disruption, empty boxes continue to pile up. The persistent lack of alignment between terminal management and landside operators poses mounting logistical friction for supply chains reliant on the hub.