A Sudden Halt in Western India’s Trade Arteries

Landside cargo movements at India’s key western ports—Mundra and Kandla—came to a standstill after drayage operators staged a strike on September 12. With approximately 35,000trucks off the roads, container traffic into and out of the region has been severely disrupted.

The shutdown comes at a critical moment for Mundra Port, India’s busiest container gateway operated by Adani Ports, which only recently emerged from severe rail congestion. Roughly 70%of Mundra’s containerized imports and exports depend on trucking, amplifying the strike’s impact on inland logistics.

Root Causes: Roads, Tolls, and Industry Demands

Truckers cite long-standing grievances around inadequate highway infrastructure and rising toll charges. In their joint statement, strike leaders emphasized:

“This collective action is intended to ensure long-term solutions that will ultimately benefit the entire trade and industry ecosystem connected with Mundra and Kandla.”

Carriers and shippers were warned in advance to move urgent shipments ahead of the strike. A truck fleet owner described the protest as a “no road, no toll” battle, underscoring the drivers’ determination not to return without progress.

Ripple Effects on Supply Chains

• Carrier concerns: Shipping lines anticipate delays in vessel schedules. While some carriers pre-gated containers for weekend US sailings, they warned that early-week departures would be heavily affected if the strike continues.
• Trade context: The disruption compounds existing stress on India’s westbound cargo flows, already weakened by US tariff-driven downturns.
• Operational backdrop: The drayage stoppage coincides with only a partial recovery in Mundra’s rail system following months of congestion.

Container volumes through Mundra grew 4% year over year(5.6M TEUs, Jan–Aug 2025), reflecting robust trade demand that now faces new uncertainty.

Broader Lessons for Global Logistics

The Mundra–Kandla strike highlights how inland logistics bottlenecks can be as disruptive as port congestion or ocean delays. For global shippers, it reinforces several key insights:

1. Infrastructure matters: Port capacity alone cannot ensure smooth cargo flow without resilient hinterland connectivity.
2. Stakeholder alignment is crucial: Trucking associations, port authorities, and policymakers must coordinate to prevent recurring disruptions.
3. Diversification is a resilience strategy: Shippers need contingency plans that include rail options, alternative gateways, and flexible service providers.

Key Takeaway

The drayage strike in India is more than a local protest—it is are minder that inland transport resilience is central to global supply chain stability. Logistics leaders worldwide must plan for such chokepoints, building flexibility into their networks to withstand sudden shocks.

Source:https://www.joc.com/article/drayage-strike-shuts-inland-flow-from-mundra-kandla-ports-6079773