APM Terminals India: Preparing for a smarter, greener and more predictable 2026

Speaking to Maritime Gateway, Sunay Mukerjee explains that recent leadership changes and structural recalibration across the company are rooted in a clear purpose. “This was not restructuring for the sake of restructuring,” he says. “We wanted to bring sharper focus across terminals and prepare them for the scale and expectations that lie ahead.”

The changes at APM Terminals Mumbai and Pipavav were designed to align technical teams, commercial engagement, digital strategy and frontline operations more tightly, creating a unified approach to capacity building and customer experience. The results are already visible at APM Terminals Mumbai, which has recorded some of its strongest volume and productivity performance in years. Sunay Mukerjee attributes this turnaround to a disciplined focus on operational efficiency. “We knew that to stay competitive at JNPA we had to extract more from every square metre.

That meant better planning, stronger crane performance and a more predictable truck cycle.” Vessel productivity has become a central theme, supported by improved berth planning and continuous improvements across waterside, yard and gate interfaces. Truck turnaround time has stabilised at levels that customers can rely on, and this reliability is now influencing shipping line decisions.

Technology has become the backbone of this momentum. APM Terminals Mumbai recently rolled out a new Truck Appointment System, which Sunay Mukerjee considers a turning point. “TAS is not just a digital tool. For us it is a behavioural change platform. It helps eliminate peaks at the gate and allows our teams to plan the yard much more scientifically.”

The introduction of OCR for container identification and more robust operational dashboards has brought real-time visibility that did not exist before. Planning teams can now detect congestion patterns early, optimise equipment deployment and respond faster to unplanned situations. According to Sunay Mukerjee, “Every minute we save for a truck or a vessel eventually becomes a competitive advantage for our customers.”

Sustainability is equally prominent in his agenda. Gateway Terminals India’s progress in switching to renewable electricity has strengthened APM Terminals India’s position as one of the greener terminal portfolios in the region. Sunay Mukerjee highlights that the next phase will involve transitioning internal terminal vehicles to electric power and preparing the terminal for shore power supply.

“Decarbonisation is not optional anymore. Our customers want greener supply chains and we need to move ahead of that expectation. Electric equipment, hybrid cranes and shore power are all part of our 2030 vision.” The competitive environment at JNPA adds another dimension to this transformation. PSA’s additional capacity has changed the dynamics at the port, but Sunay Mukerjee believes that APM Terminals has a clear strategic response.

“Our focus is productivity, predictability and customer trust. We do not have the luxury of adding new berths, so our strategy is to deliver more from what we already operate.” He emphasises that customers ultimately value reliability and faster vessel and truck cycles, and that is where APM Terminals is concentrating investment and leadership energy Safety remains a cornerstone throughout this journey. The introduction of digital traffic management, reduced manual intervention and progressive automation in the yard are all guided by the priority to prevent accidents. Sunay Mukerjee often reminds his teams that every transformation must begin and end with safety. “Technology must make the terminal safer. That is the first test we apply before evaluating any new solution.” Looking ahead to 2026, Sunay Mukerjee expects steady growth in volumes supported by India’s manufacturing and export momentum.