Morbi exporters ship mainly through Mundra and Deendayal Port, which most people still call Kandla. Both are on the Gulf of Kutch, a few hours from Morbi by road. Pipavav, further south in Saurashtra, is used sometimes.
For you, the port matters less than the shipping line and the service it offers to your destination. The port is usually chosen by the factory's forwarder once the booking is made.
Kandla is now Deendayal
Kandla Port was renamed Deendayal Port in 2017. Official documents, port authority notices and some bills of lading use the new name. Many shipping schedules and forwarders still say Kandla, and the town and container terminals nearby still carry the old name.
If you see Deendayal on one document and Kandla on another, they refer to the same port area. Your broker only needs the port of loading to match across the bill of lading, invoice and certificate of origin.
How the ports differ
- Mundra is a large, deep-water container port with many direct mainline services to the Gulf, Europe, Africa and the Americas.
- Deendayal (Kandla) is closer to Morbi on the same road and handles containers through its terminals, with more feeder and regional services.
- Pipavav is further from Morbi but has its own container services and rail links, and is sometimes used when a carrier's service or space suits it.
Why direct sailings matter
Mundra usually offers the widest choice of direct sailings. A direct sailing avoids a transhipment stop, which means fewer crane lifts for heavy, fragile cargo and less time at sea.
Deendayal can still be the better choice when a regional carrier serves your port well from there, or when Mundra is congested. Neither port is better for tiles in general; the service is what counts.
What decides the port
The factory or forwarder chooses based on a few practical points. You can ask about each one when you compare offers:
- Which carriers serve your destination port directly, and from which Gujarat port.
- Space and empty container availability at the time of loading.
- The carrier's weight limit for a 20 ft container on that service.
- Port congestion and how long the container will wait before the vessel cut-off.
Your Incoterm changes who decides
On FOB terms you or your forwarder book the ship, so you choose the line and the port. On CIF or CFR terms the factory books it, and it may pick the cheapest option rather than the fastest. If transit time matters, state the port and the type of service in the contract. FOB, CIF or DAP explains the trade-offs.
Road time from the factory to each port is covered in how long it takes to get tiles from Morbi to the port. Sea times are in sea freight times to the Gulf, US and Europe.
Next step
We confirm the port, carrier and cut-off with the factory and supervise loading so your container makes its vessel. To plan your shipping route from Morbi, book a free sourcing review.