Toyota renews decade-long logistics deal with Kamarajar Port to boost global vehicle exports.
In a move that strengthens its global supply chain, Toyota Kirloskar Motor has renewed its long-term logistics agreement with Kamarajar Port near Chennai, ensuring the port remains a key export gateway for the automaker over the next decade.
The fresh 10-year pact, running from April 2025 to March 2035, will see Toyota continue using the port’s dedicated roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) terminal for both exports and imports of automobiles at concessional wharfage rates. The extension comes as Toyota ramps up international shipments of its India-made Urban Cruiser Hyryder and other models to more than 20 countries.
The agreement was signed in the presence of Chennai Port Authority and Kamarajar Port Chairman Sunil Paliwal and KPL Managing Director Irene Cynthia.
Kamarajar Port, strategically located on India’s east coast, has grown into a vital automotive export hub for southern carmakers. It offers strong road and rail connectivity to manufacturing centres in Chennai, Bengaluru, Hosur, Coimbatore, and Salem. The port’s general cargo berth can handle the world’s largest car carriers and is supported by a 3.7 lakh sq. m backup yard, the biggest automobile parking facility at any Indian port, with space for 25,000 vehicles.
Toyota’s journey with Kamarajar Port began in 2012, when just 247 Etios units were shipped to South Africa. Since then, more than 1.8 lakh vehicles have been exported to markets in Africa, the Middle East, and Europe, including the UAE, Egypt, France, and Saudi Arabia.
Under the renewed deal, Toyota aims to export over 50,000 vehicles annually via KPL, more than double the volumes handled in the early years of the partnership. For Kamarajar Port, the agreement further reinforces its growing stature as a specialised hub for automotive logistics in India.
Source: Maritime Gateway
