India’s Adani Group, which operates 14 ports including major facilities like Mundra and Kandla, has issued orders prohibiting tankers designated under sanctions by the European Union, United States and United Kingdom from berthing or using any port services at its facilities, according to documents reviewed by Reuters.
Agents nominating vessels will now be required to provide written confirmation that their vessel is not subject to any such sanctions. Violating the directive means a tanker will be denied entry, berthing or access to port services and facilities.
The move could significantly affect supply chains to Indian refiners that rely heavily on Russian crude oil imports. For example HPCL-Mittal Energy Ltd which operates the Bathinda refinery (226,000 barrels per day capacity) sources all its crude via Adani’s Mundra Port in Gujarat. Indian Oil Corp which runs ten refineries uses multiple ports for oil imports, several of which are operated by Adani.
This policy change aligns with tightening global regulations, and comes amid pressure on India from U.S. officials pushing for reduced imports of Russian oil. According to trade flow data from LSEG, Russian oil has been flowing in significant volumes into Indian markets through vessels that are under Western sanctions.
Adani Ports & Logistics emphasized that the ban is designed to safeguard the “legal and commercial interests of the Port.” The orders state that no vessel under sanctions shall be permitted entry, use berthing facilities or receive any services. Written undertakings from vessel agents will be required at the time of nomination.
India’s current policy restricts sanction compliance to only United Nations sanctions, not unilateral ones. This decision by Adani, while not government law, reflects the company aligning its operations with the broader global sanction environment.
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