The cyclone made landfall along the Andhra Pradesh coast on Wednesday, bringing strong winds, heavy rainfall and rough seas. Port authorities had introduced precautionary operational restrictions ahead of the storm, affecting vessel movements and cargo-handling activities.     Visakhapatnam, an important gateway for container traffic on India’s east coast, was among the ports to suspend operations. The port also serves as a key feeder connection for Maersk’s east coast network, particularly for cargo moving to and from Kolkata.According to logistics provider Kuehne+Nagel, Visakhapatnam, Gangavaram and Krishnapatnam were among the container ports potentially affected by cyclone-related warnings.     The temporary suspension of port activities is expected to put additional pressure on vessel schedules and cargo flows. Industry sources have warned that the full extent of the disruption will become clearer as terminals resume normal operations and assess the backlog of vessels and cargo.     A shipping industry source indicated that operations at Visakhapatnam terminals were gradually resuming in line with government directions and updated safety advisories. The earlier suspensions were implemented as part of contingency planning to protect port personnel, vessels and infrastructure.     The disruption comes at a challenging time for India’s maritime supply chains, with several ports already experiencing operational pressure because of vessel bunching caused by delayed arrivals from Asian origin ports. The cyclone could further complicate berthing schedules, feeder connections and cargo evacuation.     Visakhapatnam remains an important node in India’s east coast container network. The port handled 302,926 TEUs during January–September 2026, compared with 308,861 TEUs during the corresponding period last year, according to data cited by The Loadstar.     Any prolonged interruption at the port could affect regional cargo movements and feeder connectivity, particularly for shipments linked to other east coast gateways.    The cyclone also prompted precautionary alerts in neighbouring Bangladesh as adverse weather threatened the northern Bay of Bengal and adjoining coastal areas.     Inchcape Shipping Services, the London-based port agency provider, had warned customers that Cyclone Arnab was expected to intensify before crossing the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coast on October 28.     The wider weather system underscores the exposure of regional shipping networks to severe weather events, particularly when ports are already managing congested vessel schedules and disrupted connections.    Operational pressures are also being reported beyond India’s eastern coastline. Kuehne+Nagel reported an average vessel waiting time of approximately two days at terminals in Sri Lanka’s Colombo port.     The delays were attributed to ongoing transhipment congestion, missed feeder connections, omitted vessel calls and routing changes.     For shipping lines, freight forwarders, exporters and importers, the combination of weather-related port restrictions and existing congestion highlights the importance of closely monitoring vessel schedules, terminal updates and cargo delivery commitments.  

 As port operations along India’s east coast recover, the pace at which terminals clear waiting vessels and accumulated cargo will be critical in determining the overall impact on regional logistics and international trade flows.