The movement of heavy cargo ships from Varanasi and Haldia to Pandu port in Assam through riverways is expected to begin by mid-2022,said Union minister, Sarbananda Sonowal. “Dredging work at critical junctures in the Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers has already been initiated by his ministry to facilitate the movement of large cargo ships. By mid-2022, I am hopeful that cargo ships of 2,000 metric tonnes from Haldia and Varanasi will start sailing to Pandu. This is going to be a major boost to trade and industry of the North-eastern region,”, he said. Support from experts in Tezpur University, IIT Guwahati, and IIM Shillong will be sought to make the dredging work successful in the Brahmaputra, the minister said. Further he added that the PM has instructed concerned authorities to make arrangements to dredge a stretch of 2-2.5 metre in the two rivers so that cargo vessels, passenger ships, and seaplanes can utilize it. “The potential of the Brahmaputra as well as other rivers of Northeast is huge and people will get direct benefit from the development of river tourism, cargo transportation, and an alternative economic transportation system,” Sonowal said.

DB Schenker extended its one-of-a-kind Flight Operations in the Indian logistics industry, providing a direct flight connecting Bengaluru to Munich and Chicago Rockford (wheels up-wheels down in less than 24 hours). The weekly flight operations initiative is a part of the Global Flight Operations Program which further marks the company’s leadership in Air Freight services in India. Along with providing a world class land transport network to EU and US, DB Schenker also specialises in handling of temperature-controlled shipments within ‘thermal blankets’ and ULD movement. DB Schenker has efficiently deployed weekly flight operations for both Imports & Exports between India & United States & Europe. The new B777 “flight operations” initiative is aimed at simplifying the logistics services of the fast-growing industries in India, offering seamless capacity to support customers’ requirements. The cargo will be secured from departure to arrival with no extra handling requirement during the transit. The temperature sensitive cargo in the ULD’s will be covered with protective material to maintain temperature in transit from Bengaluru (BLR). Door to Door transit time via DB Schenker in India flight operations would remain 5 days approximately for Europe & US bound shipments.

The transportation of manufactured goods and commodities from the world’s most crucial port has slowed down dramatically after a suspension of trucking services in several parts of East China’s Zhejiang. There are strict controls on the movement of trucks carrying goods to or from the Beilun district in Ningbo after several Covid-19 cases were reported in the area, informed A.P. Moller-Maersk A/S. This COVID-induced suspension and restrictions on truckers in some areas in and around Zhejiang, has put a stop on operations at some of the yards and warehouses at Ningbo port. The curbs began last week after the Beilun district reported an outbreak of Covid-19 which led to the closure of colleges, warehouses, and firms close to the port.

Zypp Electric is getting into the drone logistics segment and for it, it has partnered with TSAW Drones. In a statement, the company said that it has plans to deploy 200 drones in four cities in the first phase. These services are planned in all the cities where Zypp Electric is operational such as Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Pune. According to the company, all the drones deployed will be equipped with smart lockers which can be opened only through an OTP provided to the customer, which will ensure the safety of the items at the time of delivery. These drones will be added as an extension to the company’s fleet of electric scooters to deliver medical, food, grocery in long distances and places with hilly terrains where deliveries through roads are tougher. Since long-distance, last-mile deliveries today aren’t exactly efficient and could be slow in progress due to traffic congestion and high dependency on human drivers, the introduction of these drones for automated deliveries could reduce the time and cost of last-mile deliveries.

KredX, an integrated financial services provider announced its vision of becoming a one-stop solution for supply chain financing for businesses. As a part of this rebranding, the company unveiled a new logo and a revamped website. The company has developed cutting-edge innovative products such as discounting of unpaid invoices etc. that has been fostering India’s fintech ecosystem. “Customers are the core of our business and as a customer-first company, we are committed to delivering innovative solutions as per their requirements,” said Manish Kumar, CEO and Co-founder of KredX. “We realised that our customers wanted us to take a deep-dive into supply chain finance and to become an end-to-end solutions provider that can cater to all aspects of supply chain financing and not just invoice discounting. Therefore, our rebranding initiative is a sincere effort to showcase this change and our commitment to the cause.” The company offers a host of customisable solutions ranging from enterprise finance to working capital and channel financing solutions for businesses, large and small, operating within the supply chain ecosystem. Recently, the company has also introduced a slew of new products catering to every player in the supply chain ecosystem – Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) for all kinds of online and offline B2B payments, Import – Export Financing with licensing from IFSCA to launch India’s first ITFS platform, and Capvel for enterprises looking to optimise their cash flow while further strengthening the alternative fixed income instruments offerings for investors on the platform.

Safexpress has launched its ultra-modern Logistics Park in Gujarat. This state-of-the-art facility is strategically located Between Bhayla and Dholka Industrial Area on Ahmedabad Bhavnagar, National Highway – 47. On this occasion, senior dignitaries from Safexpress were present to launch the Safexpress Logistics Park at Gundi, Gujarat. These included S.K Jain, Vice President, Narayan Jayan, Associate Vice President– Gujarat, Manoj Mittal, Corporate Head, Cargo Relationship Management including others were present. Gujarat has emerged as an important economic and industrial hub in India. It is crucial from supply chain & logistics perspective. This new Logistics Park will serve as a nodal point for logistics and to provide for the transitional connective facility with all Indian states, especially with nearby districts and manufacturing hubs. Safexpress Logistics facility in Gundi, Gujarat is spread over a land area of 4 Lakh 30 thousand square feet, enabled with ultra-modern transshipment and 3PL facilities, which will boost storage & warehousing needs of this region while providing for faster connectivity. The new Logistics Park is cross-dock, equipped with loading and unloading of over 160 vehicles simultaneously. It has a column-less span of over 80 feet, which facilitates uninterrupted movement of goods within the facility. To enable all-weather loading & unloading of goods, the facility is equipped with 16 feet wide Cantilever Shed.

The Jammu and Kashmir government signed a MoU with hypermarket and retail giant LuLu Group to set up a food processing and logistics hub in Srinagar. The MoU was signed in Dubai in the presence of Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha and LuLu group chairman MA Yusuff Ali by principal secretary, industries & commerce, J&K UT, Ranjan Prakash Thakur and Ashraf Ali MA, executive director, LuLu Group. “Relations between India and UAE are long-standing and deep rooted. People-to-people contact and trade have seen momentum in the recent years under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Lt Governor Sinha said. “The world-famous GI tagged saffron has been launched at LuLu Hypermarket, which I see as a major step towards boosting Jammu Kashmir and Dubai partnership. LuLu group is already importing apples from Jammu Kashmir and with saffron, we are adding Kashmir’s finest spice to the basket. I am certain this new beginning will take our trade to unprecedented levels. Trade between Jammu & Kashmir and Dubai has remained steady, despite Covid-19 challenges and it reflects the resilience of our deep economic linkages. The MoU will further expand Jammu Kashmir-Dubai collaboration and Jammu Kashmir-Lulu Group partnership,” he said.

Federation of Indian Export Organisations signed a MoU with RebelCorp for the purpose of facilitating the individuals and MSMEs including the new exporters, enterprises and artisans have an online digital presence with the tools needed to do business in today’s market environment at a very affordable cost and without having any technical or coding knowledge with the help of RebelCorp’s No Code, All-in-one Easy to Use Website Builder. Saad Khan, Founder & COO, RebelCorp said, “Team RebelCorp is thrilled to be a part of this journey to help more than 30,000 members of FIEO in helping them create a digital identity that they can easily manage themselves and help them in growing their global customer base. The RebelCorp technology platform will enable all exporters to enter the next decade with all the tools they are going to need to do business digitally for 2022 and beyond.” Mr Akash Chaturvedi, Founder & CEO added that they would be designing special website templates exclusively for the exporter members of FIEO, keeping in mind their special requirement as exporters catering to the global market and need for integrated e-commerce module at very highly subsidised subscription plans.” Sujata Uchil, Regional Head, FIEO Western Region while signing the MoU mentioned that FIEO will be inviting RebelCorp to organise dedicated workshops and training programs for member exporters to encourage them to own and manage their own website with ease.

FedEx Express (FedEx) announced the launch of FedEx International Priority® Express (IPE) offering customers who ship internationally the flexibility to schedule delivery by 10:30 am or noon to select destinations* worldwide. With the addition of this new service, FedEx now provides a wider range of time-definite international priority shipping options to its customers. Businesses across India can now select the right delivery option that suits their needs with choices, giving them enhanced convenience and flexibility. •The newly launched FedEx International Priority® Express (IPE) service provides customers in India with delivery by 10:30 or noon to select markets* in Asia (Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Australia), United States, Canada, and Europe. •FedEx International First® offers customers in India the option for early-day delivery to select postal codes and destinations* in the United States, Canada, and Europe. •And, FedEx International Priority® (IP) offers end of the day delivery to more than 220 countries and territories around the globe. These time-definite cross-border delivery options are part of FedEx efforts to support businesses amidst the soaring demand for cross-border commerce. The Indian logistics market is poised to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.5% between 2019 and 2025[1]. Express logistics forms a critical part of the cross-border e-commerce value chain. Consumers today expect fast, customizable, and convenient delivery options.

Shiprocket has committed to acquire a 75% stake in Wigzo Tech, a cutting-edge Customer Data Platform (CDP) specifically catering to the dynamic needs of e-commerce and D2C brands. The strategic deal will enable Shiprocket to expand it’s product stack for online retailers onboarding its platform and facilitate a more personalized end to end consumer experience. The two brands will complement each other to deliver a superior customer experience by solving for critical pain points faced by ecommerce sellers. While Shiprocket’s expertise lies in leveraging delivery-behavior data and enabling end-to-end logistics and fulfillment efficiency, Wigzo Tech brings intelligence about customer affinity and purchasing behavior to increase conversion. Together, this unique yet robust combination equips every D2C brand with a personalized end-to-end buying experience. Saahil Goel, Co-Founder, and CEO of Shiprocket said, “India’s D2C space is currently showcasing massive growth. Today, the country has over 10,000 D2C brands, with the sector projected to touch USD 100 billion by 2025. For D2C brands, leveraging data can play a pivotal role in having an edge above their contemporaries. Suffice to say, modern consumers are drawn to brands that take a carefully tailored approach to their buying experience. This is where Wigzo is proving a game-changer in assisting D2C brands.”