The Adani Group has announced entry into trucking and coastal shipping business. The coastal shipping business will initially focus on moving cement and related raw material along the coast, following the acquisition of Holcim Group’s cement assets in India for $10.5 billion (Rs82,000 crore) that makes it a formidable player in the building materials market. “Adani through Group unit Adani Logistics will soon start trucking services to plug the first and last mile connectivity gap,” said a person briefed on the matter.
Starting trucking service will add heft to the Adani logistics which runs container trains, MMLPs, ICDs, grain silos and warehouses across the country, and is primed to play a big role in the country’s cement supply chain. Currently, the logistics unit’s trucking needs are outsourced to third party transporters.
The Group, through a Singapore unit, owns and runs Capesize ships, the biggest of the dry bulk cargo vessels, in international waters, for transporting coal belonging to its trading arm. “Entering the coastal shipping business with ships that carry cement, brings cost advantages. Trucking and coastal shipping business will complete the entire logistics chain of the Group that includes 12 ports and terminals at key locations along the country’s long coastline supported by marine services and dredging business.
