DP World, Nevomo, and the Deendayal Port Authority have signed an agreement to develop a pilot project that will test Nevomo’s magnetic rail (MagRail) technology at the Kandla port in Gujarat.
The 750-metre pilot, set within a live port environment, will assess the feasibility of using MagRail’s linear motor-powered wagons to move container and bulk cargo autonomously on existing rail infrastructure. The system is designed to increase throughput, lower transport costs, and reduce carbon emissions by shifting short-haul freight movement away from diesel vehicles.
The pilot supports India’s National Logistics Policy and PM Gati Shakti initiative, which aims to modernise the country’s supply chain infrastructure. The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has prioritised logistics digitisation and green freight corridors, and is currently expanding the Sagarmala programme with new port and inland connectivity projects.
DP World, which operates multiple terminals in India and across the Middle East, is pushing to automate cargo movement at scale. The company stated that the Kandla project could provide a replicable model for other ports. Nevomo, based in the Netherlands and Poland, has been testing its MagRail system across Europe and sees the Indian market as a potential growth zone.
India’s freight demand is projected to grow by more than 40% by 2030, with port-led industrial zones expected to handle an increasing share of cargo. The Kandla test marks the first use of MagRail technology in an Indian port and could inform future investment in electric, automated yard operations across the country.
