Nearly two weeks of heavy rains and unprecedented flooding have crippled supply chains and industrial activities in and around India’s southern port city of Chennai. Sources in Chennai said though marine terminals at Chennai Port remain partially operational, shippers are unable to move their cargo to and from the harbor due to widespread floods that cut off rail and road links. Roads are badly damaged as well as flooded. Rail services from South, Southwest and North have been cancelled due to water logging on the tracks. The terminals are functioning (vessel berthing/sailing), but the movement of containers in and out of the port is halted.
According to an update obtained by JOC.com from port sources, 10 ships, including four container carriers, were stranded at quays and five vessels were waiting at the outer anchorage to enter the port as of Friday. Sources said container-handling has been more badly hit than other operations at the port complex. Other minor ports in the region were also affected by the torrential rains but not as much as Chennai Port.