Friday, June 27, 2025
Home Most Visited - Newsletter Chennai ports shut as Cyclone Michaung approaches Indian coast

Chennai ports shut as Cyclone Michaung approaches Indian coast

All ports in India’s Chennai region have closed operations until further notice on Monday (4 December), as a precautionary measure to deal with the Cyclone ‘Michaung’ threat.

The cyclone is expected to make landfall in the Chennai coastline tomorrow (Tuesday), according to weather updates.

“The cyclone is likely to move north-northwestwards, intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm before Monday afternoon,” the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) warned this morning.

But heavy rains and flooding under the impact of the cyclonic storm – classified as a severe storm — have already caused havoc in the port city, throwing all transport links out of whack.

“Vessel berthing and cargo movements at Chennai, Kattupalli and Ennore have been suspended,” said a ship agent in Chennai. “Port gates will remain closed until further communication,” the agent noted.

“Due to heavy rain and cyclone warning at Chennai, all our employees have been asked to Work from Home according to the safety guidelines issues by the local authorities,” Maersk said in a customer advisory.

The Danish carrier also noted, “Considering the expected power cut challenges in Chennai, our South team is trying to support our customers as much as possible from home.”

Train and flight services in Chennai have also come to a halt, according to reports.

Container volumes in/out southern India ports stood at 385,281 TEUs in November, according to new data obtained by Container News.

Containerised trade out of Chennai has seen traction from growing intra-Asia imports in recent months, as carriers expanded networks.


Jenny Daniel
Global Correspondent

Contact email: j.daniel@container-news.com





Latest Posts

Transpacific crash may normalise charter market

Containership charter rates, which have defied the freight slump for some time, could be peaking, as some small ships chartered by opportunistic operators for...

Shipping alliances carriers and MSC control over 80% of market

As the container shipping industry continues its transformation, strategic cooperation among carriers remains a key force shaping global trade. According to updated Alphaliner data,...

Konecranes delivers crane package for BAE Systems’ in Scotland

Konecranes has completed a turnkey crane project for BAE Systems’ brand-new shipbuilding hall in Govan, Scotland. The installation, finished in June 2025, includes two electric...

Kalmar launches digital tool to streamline equipment inspections

Kalmar has introduced Inspector, a new digital application designed to streamline daily inspections of material handling equipment. Inspector enhances the efficiency of routine equipment checks...

Tariff fever fuels shipping surge, hangover looms

Global merchandise trade is enjoying a sudden growth spurt, but shipping executives warn the boom could prove as short-lived as a sugar rush. As Bloomberg...
error: Content is protected !!