India
Air freight, sea freight and customs in Chennai
Chennai is known as the Detroit of India, with major car and electronics plants.
Services in Chennai
- Air freight in ChennaiAir freight for time-critical and high-value cargo between Europe, the Americas and Asia.
- Sea freight in ChennaiFCL and LCL sea freight on the main trade lanes, with pre-carriage and on-carriage by road or rail.
- Customs clearance in ChennaiImport and export clearance by our in-house customs teams in 8 countries and by partner teams in the Ziem network.
Airports, seaports and connections in Chennai
- AirportChennai International
MAA - SeaportPort of Chennai and Kattupalli
Chennai International Airport (MAA) at Meenambakkam is the main air cargo gateway for Tamil Nadu, handling automotive parts, electronics, leather goods and perishables. Chennai is also one of the few Indian metros with its own deep-sea port: the Port of Chennai handles containers close to the city centre, while Kamarajar Port at Ennore and the Kattupalli terminal north of the city add container and automotive handling capacity. Together they serve the industrial belt west of the city and much of southern India, including Bengaluru.
NH48 connects Chennai with Sriperumbudur, Vellore and Bengaluru, NH16 runs north along the east coast towards Andhra Pradesh and Kolkata, and NH32 follows the coast south towards Puducherry. The Chennai Outer Ring Road and the Ennore-Manali port road link the factory clusters with the port terminals. Rail container services connect the port with inland depots in South India.
Industries in Chennai and how we support them
Chennai is known as the Detroit of India: carmakers and suppliers operate along the Sriperumbudur-Oragadam corridor, alongside electronics and mobile phone manufacturing and special economic zones such as Mahindra World City near Chengalpattu. The leather and footwear clusters around Vellore, Ambur and Ranipet export through Chennai. Ziem Logistics supports these supply chains with Next Flight Out for line-critical parts, air freight from MAA under our own air waybills, On-Board Courier for urgent components, FCL/LCL via Chennai and Kattupalli, and customs clearance by our partner team in the Ziem network.
Operational logistics facts for Chennai
| Hub | Specialisation | Local advantage |
|---|---|---|
| Chennai International Airport (MAA) cargo terminal | Automotive parts, electronics, leather goods | Air freight under our own air waybills close to the Sriperumbudur corridor |
| Port of Chennai, Kamarajar Port (Ennore), Kattupalli | FCL/LCL, automotive and project cargo | Several deep-sea terminals within reach of the industrial belt |
| Sriperumbudur-Oragadam corridor | Car plants, tier suppliers, electronics | Pick-up and delivery arranged directly at plants |
| Vellore, Ambur and Ranipet | Leather and footwear exports | Export sea and air freight combined with customs documentation |
Customs clearance in India
Ziem network
Customs clearance in India is handled by a partner team in the Ziem network, under the Ziem Logistics brand and to our procedures.
For air freight to and from India we issue our own air waybills.
Importers in India need an Importer-Exporter Code (IEC).
Frequently asked questions
Can you support a car plant near Chennai with urgent inbound parts?
Yes. For line-down situations we arrange Next Flight Out or an On-Board Courier to MAA and delivery to plants in Sriperumbudur, Oragadam or other parts of the corridor. Customs data is pre-lodged where possible so the parts can be released quickly after arrival.
Does the northeast monsoon affect air freight from Chennai?
Between October and December the northeast monsoon can bring heavy rain and local flooding, which affects trucking and ground handling. We plan pick-ups with buffer, monitor the situation and adjust routings where necessary, and confirm cut-off times with every booking.
Do you consolidate leather and footwear exports from Ambur or Vellore by air?
Yes. We arrange collection from the leather clusters, deliver to the MAA cargo terminal and book air freight under our own air waybills. For larger or less urgent volumes, sea freight via the Port of Chennai is usually the more economical option.
Who handles customs clearance at Chennai port and airport?
Clearance in Chennai is handled by a partner team in the Ziem network, working under the Ziem Logistics brand and to our procedures. They file bills of entry and shipping bills through ICEGATE for both sea and air shipments. You deal only with Ziem Logistics.
Can automotive parts be imported under an export-oriented scheme in Chennai?
Manufacturers in Chennai often use schemes such as special economic zones or duty exemption authorisations. Whether a scheme applies depends on your company's registration and licences. We file the declaration based on the documents and authorisation details you provide.
What documents are needed to export leather goods from Chennai?
Typical documents are the commercial invoice, packing list, the exporter's IEC and, depending on the destination and material, certificates of origin or species-related documents. Our partner team files the shipping bill electronically, and clearance depends on complete documents.