DDP Group has launched Covid Smart, a training and certification programme, which will ensure that the cargo industry is ready to fight the Covid-19 pandemic and effectively deal with its impact on the sector. Covid Smart is DDP Group’s latest initiative, a programme designed by World Health Organisation-certified professionals and ISO-trained individuals to promote safe cargo and help build in cargo agents the confidence to succeed in this industry, once again. The idea behind the programme is to restore confidence and embrace innovation to reassure the global cargo fraternity that the Indian cargo and logistics industry has taken all possible precautions to negate the spread of COVID-19. The online training programme can be used as a weapon to fight the spread ofCOVID-19 and going beyond the standard precautions to reassure logistics of country.

The period of successive lockdowns has been tough for the families whose incomes have been reduced substantially or become zero. To lend a helping hand such families, IndoSpace has taken an initiative to provide food rations to households living in the communities around IndoSpace’s warehousing and logistics parks in Maharashtra (Chakan, Khopoli), Karnataka (Bommasandra, Nelamangala) and Tamil Nadu (Chennai). Under this initiative, IndoSpace has distributed close to 7000 ration kits with the objective of supporting these families with their daily staple food requirements till the time the earning members of these families are able to return to employment. The ration kits have been customised as per the regional food habits. The company has set up distribution kiosks in the common areas of the village, and beneficiaries were able to collect their kits while following safety precautions and social distancing. The process is administered in the presence of an IndoSpace representative, a village administration official and the local NGO, to ensure that the distribution is as per the official government list only. IndoSpace is constantly evaluating the situation in the villages to understand how the livelihood is progressing as lockdown restrictions are beginning to ease and will take a call on continuing the support basis the situation on the ground.

Industrial Parks have announced its entry to South India with Hosur where it has acquired 60 acres of real estate in Hosur and is planning to build a warehousing facility spread across 1.3 million square feet. The park’s strategic location offers a great opportunity to Embassy Industrial Park’s clients to meet the needs of the consumers thus offering them a great spot for fruitful business execution. Aditya Virwani, COO, Embassy Group, & Spokesperson, Embassy Industrial Parks says, “Bengaluru is the hub of various industries including auto, auto ancillary, and other manufacturing units, and is also an IT hub and head office to numerous leading e-commerce brands. We are happy to share the construction of our industrial park is progressing and we already have interest from our existing clients in the Hosur under construction project. The pandemic has slowed the process but as soon as we come out of this, things will surely speed up. Hosur with its close proximity to Bengaluru city is a promising location and the positioning of our industrial park will surely pay off clients who lease in this facility.”

Commenting on the cargo stakeholders’ decision of handling shipments only against 100 per cent advance payments by their clients, at CargoTalk’s second digital conclave, Yashpal Sharma, Hon. Secretary, Air Cargo Forum India (ACFI), says, “There are lot of cash and carry requirements and lot of stakeholders currently are in a big cash constraints as well as there is huge credit default risk in the market which is what we as an association would also need to work together with all stakeholders to ensure liquidity, less default risk in the market and least amount of blockage of funds from the shipper, consignee, etc.” “What is important is to make sure the circulation keep going. Diverting it from associations’ perspective to freight forwarders’ perspective, Sharma suggests, “We are prompting everybody to pay at least the current transactions now and also add something for the previous dues they have with us. Ultimately, we also have to help those businesses to run, we cannot ask them to pay 100 per cent,” he continues.

Sharing his perspective on high freight rates at CargoTalk’s second digital conclave, Sunil Arora, President, The Air Cargo Agents Associations of India (ACAAI), said, “The rates have not gone high because of low supply or high demand; it is when both the demand and supply have collapsed yet the freight rates have gone up three or four times. It is a very peculiar and unique situation, we need to consider that the direct impact of the high freight rate are not only on the logistics cost but also on the merchandise. Some sort of rate control mechanism has to come in. We must really be considerate towards the ex-im trade who has been supporting the airlines in good and bad times.”

In order to expand its reach in Spain, Agility has opened a state-of-the-art, 11,000-square-meter warehouse and office facility at ZAL Port (Prat) in the Port of Barcelona. The new building addresses the current needs and planned growth of Agility Spain; equipped with state-of-the-art technology for logistics. Features of the warehouse include free height of 11 meters in the storage area and a deck roof built on site. The plot is equipped with 56 private parking spaces distributed in two areas and 25 loading gates with automatic sectional doors and external shelters. “Agility Spain offers extensive experience with three customs warehouses, temperature-controlled management, and the GDP certification required by pharmaceutical companies,” says Carlos Martinez, Sales Director, Agility Spain, in adding, “We focus on the renewable and engineering sectors, project logistics, transportation management, and turnkey projects for large-scale and complex initiatives.”

To meet the accelerated demand for e-booking solutions, All Nippon Airways (ANA) has announced that the airline would be able to provide real-time quotes for all available air cargo capacity on e-booking platform named cargo.one. The participation was first announced in February. “The Covid-19 pandemic has been a catalyst for the increased digital sourcing and booking behaviour of freight forwarders and has encouraged our companies to join together with an even stronger bond,” says, Toshiaki Toyama, Executive Vice President, ANA. Last week, cargo.one also announced that it had developed ‘plug and play’ capabilities with IBS Software which means that airlines using the iCargo system, such as ANA, could easily offer their capacity on the booking platform.

The entire industry is combating the crisis. While sharing the way forward at CargoTalk’s, first digital conclave, Samir J Shah, Partner, JBS Group of Companies, notes, “This is the time where we as an industry should come forward and suggest to the government what all need to be done for the logistics sector. We need to understand that government is not a logistician, we are going to people who don’t understand our business and asking for solution.” He also adds, “Why are we still using the word Air Freight Station (AFS) or Container Freight Stations (CFSs) and not Cargo Freight Stations? It is the time to think big otherwise we will go back to the same old mess where we were in pre-COVID time.

“We must always keep it in mind that we have pharma and agriculture sector ready to take the lead. The country’s pharmaceutical sector has great potential and government must encourage it by investing in R&D and by providing better facilities and incentives to the private sector to enhance its production for exports.” says Vipin Vohra, Chairman, Continental Carriers at CargoTalk’s, first digital conclave. “This is the right time to maximise opportunity by being innovative, utilising skilled labour, bringing professionalism, networking aggressively and adopting PR strategies along with identifying the latest technology,” he continues. “Secondly, there should be more collaboration and cooperation among each other in order to reduce expenses wherever we can,” he adds.

The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) has launched its parcel, courier and cargo services (PCC) to increase its revenue and bail itself out of the existing losses. The services will be made available at all bus stations and in the first phase will begin with 104 buses and 140 stations. An app will also soon be developed to enable the booking and delivery of parcels and cargo. Puvvada Ajay Kumar, Transport Minister, Telangana, says, “During the pandemic, the revenues of TSRTC fell sharply. We plan to overcome those losses by generating additional revenue. TSRTC has generated an income of Rs 4 crore per day as against the sum of Rs 12 crore which is used to be generated before the lockdown.. Through PCC, TSRTC is expecting a revenue of Rs180 to Rs200 crore.” “There will be three to five people, depending on the need, at each station,” informs Minister.