Cargo operations at Mormugao Port Authority's berths 10 and 11 have been largely idle for several months, as the prolonged Iran-US conflict and the disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz have severed the flow of Middle Eastern cargo that these facilities depend on . The two berths, operated by Delta Ports Mormugao Terminal Private Limited, primarily handle commodities such as gypsum, bauxite, muriate of potash, urea, and liquid ammonia, along with other industrial raw materials. A significant share of this cargo originates from the Middle East, and the disruption has left the berths without regular shipments for extended periods.
Delta Ports Vice-President Raghoba Kotkar confirmed that the geopolitical situation had significantly affected port and shipping-related businesses, and that the impact extended beyond vessel movements to the availability and cost of essential raw materials . The fertiliser sector has come under considerable pressure, with shipments of raw materials delayed and prices rising sharply amid supply disruptions . This is a direct consequence of the Hormuz crisis that has been less visible than the headline tanker attacks but equally consequential for India's agricultural supply chain: the raw materials that feed India's fertiliser production are themselves dependent on the shipping corridor that has been disrupted.
The cargoes handled at these berths illustrate the breadth of India's dependence on Gulf shipping. Gypsum is used in cement and construction, bauxite in aluminium production, muriate of potash and urea are critical fertiliser inputs, and liquid ammonia is a key industrial chemical. These are not luxury goods or discretionary imports; they are inputs for India's construction, metals, and agricultural sectors. When the shipping corridor that carries them is disrupted, the effects ripple through the economy in ways that are harder to quantify than a spike in crude prices but no less real.
Kotkar said reports of restrictions being relaxed for Indian vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz had generated optimism among port stakeholders, who are hopeful that cargo movements will gradually resume and business activity will return to normal . This aligns with the reported Iranian exemption for Indian ships that we covered earlier, though that arrangement remains based on statements by Iranian officials rather than a formally confirmed bilateral agreement. For companies operating at Mormugao, the reopening of shipping routes is crucial not only for restoring vessel calls but also for restarting cargo handling, logistics, and associated commercial activities.
The idle berths are a concrete example of how the Hormuz crisis has affected Indian ports beyond the major container gateways that dominate headlines. Mormugao is not JNPA or Mundra, and its cargo mix is not containerised consumer goods. It is a bulk port serving the industrial and agricultural supply chains of Goa and the wider region, and its dependence on Middle Eastern raw materials makes it directly exposed to the disruption of the Gulf corridor. The fact that its berths have been idle for months, rather than experiencing a temporary dip, suggests that the disruption has been sustained enough to alter the commercial viability of operations at these facilities.
The revival of these berths depends on the same variables that determine the broader Hormuz recovery: the security environment in the strait, the willingness of shipowners to transit, and the availability of insurance at reasonable cost. The reported exemption for Indian vessels is a positive signal, but it is not a guarantee that cargo flows will resume at pre-crisis levels. Shipowners, charterers, and insurers will need to see sustained safe passage before they commit vessels to routes that have been disrupted for months.
Looking ahead, stakeholders at Mormugao will be watching whether the reported passage permitted to Indian vessels leads to sustained shipping movements and the restoration of regular cargo schedules . For the fertiliser sector, the resumption of muriate of potash and urea shipments would provide relief from the price pressures that have built during the disruption. For the port, the return of gypsum, bauxite, and ammonia cargoes would restore the commercial activity that has been absent. The timeline for that recovery remains uncertain, but the first indication will come when vessels begin calling at berths 10 and 11 again, not when headlines announce a diplomatic breakthrough.