Reliance Industries' multi-modal logistics park at Mappedu near Chennai renamed Chennai Global Logistics Park Ltd with DP World (Dubai-based shipping major) as joint venture partner. DP World has taken approximately 200,000 sq ft of warehousing space and acquired 49% stake. Ajay Moghe from DP World group appointed CEO in January. Park has five warehouses; three already have clients onboarded. Project spread across 184.27 acres in Tiruvallur district. Originally conceptualised 14 years ago, faced delays including access and infrastructure issues. Reliance won ₹1,424-crore bid in 2022, beating Adani Group. PM Modi laid foundation stone May 26, 2022. Strategic importance highlighted for serving secondary industrial clusters: Ranipet, Ambur, Tiruppur, Bengaluru (leather, heavy engineering, automobiles, cement, sugar, chemicals). Located near automobile and electronics belt of Sriperumbudur-Oragadam and Chennai Peripheral Ring Road. Long-term success depends on dedicated rail connectivity to Chennai ports to improve cargo evacuation and reduce logistics costs.

DP World Ltd acquired 49% stake in multimodal logistics park (MMLP) at Mappedu near Chennai in Thiruvallur district, developed by Reliance Industries unit. Chennai Global Logistics Park Ltd, a JV between DP World and Reliance, appointed Ajay Moghe as CEO, formerly DP World's Senior Director Operations at Nhava Sheva.

Stake purchase aligns with concession agreement allowing 49% equity dilution. Reliance and DP World announcement expected soon.

Mappedu MMLP first facility developed by Union government under Bharatmala Pariyojana with private funds. Special purpose vehicle Chennai MMLP Pvt Ltd set up by National Highway Logistics Management Ltd in partnership with Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd, TNIDC and Chennai Port Authority.

Project details:

• Total investment: ₹1,427 crore
• Area: 184 acres in three phases
• Phase 1 cost: ₹397 crore, expected to commence operations soon
• Phase 2 and 3: 10 and 15 years from appointed date (15 February 2024)
• 35% revenue from Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd and subsidiaries for warehousing and cargo handling
• Located 52 km from Chennai Port, 80 km from Ennore Port, 87 km from Kattupalli Port, 44 km from Chennai Airport
• Railway and national highway connectivity planned
• Near Chennai Peripheral Ring Road with access to manufacturing clusters

Reliance won MMLP bid in 2023 with highest minimum guaranteed revenue share of ₹459 crore over 45-year concession period, beginning year three of commercial operations.

Multi-modal logistics park at Mappedu in Tiruvallur district, first phase ready in April 2026. Total project cost ₹1,424 crore spread across 184.27 acres, built over three phases. First phase: 64 acres, ₹375 crore, includes five warehouses, three-star hotel, administrative office, service roads. Additional four warehouses in later phases. Facilities: warehouses, cold storage, rail connectivity, container stack yards, common utilities, container freight station, truck parking. Will handle grains, electronics, automobiles, consumer goods. Aims to decongest Chennai port, increase cargo handling capacity, reduce turnaround time. Second phase commencing in couple of months will include 12 km railway siding linking park near Kadambattur Railway station to port. Work began 2023, originally scheduled 2025 completion, delayed by land acquisition issues.

First phase of Mappedu multimodal logistics park, Chennai, will be operational by February 2026. Project spans three phases with total investment of Rs 1,400 crore; first phase involves Rs 350 crore investment. Announced by Sunil Paliwal, Chairperson of Chennai Port Authority and Kamarajar Port Limited. Plans also underway for multimodal logistics park in Coimbatore. Chennai and Kamarajar ports currently handle 20% of export cargo from Coimbatore and nearby districts. In FY 2024-25, the two ports collectively managed over 100 million tonnes of cargo, each reporting operational income above Rs 1,000 crore. Chennai Port has 3 million TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units) handling capacity via two container terminals developed through PPP. Kamarajar Port operates one terminal and constructs second, increasing combined capacity to 1.4 million TEUs.

The first phase of a multimodal logistics park at Mappedu in Chennai will be ready by February 2026, according to Sunil Paliwal, chairperson of Chennai Port Authority and Kamarajar Port Limited.

First phase investment: ₹350 crore Total investment across three phases: ₹1,400 crore

Port statistics (FY 2024-2025):

• Combined cargo handled by Chennai Port and Kamarajar Port: over 100 million tonnes
• Operational income for each port: over ₹1,000 crore

Container capacity:

• Chennai Port container terminals: 3 million TEUs
• Kamarajar Port: 1.4 million TEUs (two terminals, one under construction)

About 20% of export cargo from Coimbatore and nearby districts is handled by the two ports. Plans include a multimodal logistics park in Coimbatore as well. The ports are exploring options to stock empty containers for use by exporters shipping through Chennai and Kamarajar ports.