Given the expected growth in air cargo volumes in the country, the cargo handling capacity at airports would need to be upgraded by around 2.0 million tonnes over the next five years. The air cargo infrastructure in India is increasingly getting constrained by the strong growth in traffic for last few years, mentions an ICRA note. Cargo traffic in India crossed 2.98 million tonnes in FY2017, registering 10 per cent Y-o-Y increase and reached 2.5 million tonnes over 9M FY2018 (15 per cent Y-o-Y). Indian airports are estimated to have a combined capacity to handle 4.63 million tonnes of cargo per annum as of now – translating into utilization of around 75%. The movement in cargo traffic is largely linked with the level of economic activity in the country. With the expected growth in GDP, along with other growth drivers, the air cargo traffic is expected to get a major boost. ICRA expects the air cargo traffic in India to grow by around 60% to 4.7 million tonnes in next five years – translating into CAGR of 9.7 per cent.

Cathay Pacific Cargo has partnered with va-Q-tec for temperature-controlled transportation. va-Q-tec’s advanced passive thermal containers will be a strong addition to Cathay Pacific Cargo’s Pharma LIFT portfolio by providing its global customers with an excellent solution for moving life-saving pharmaceuticals by air freight. Frosti Lau, General Manager – Cargo Service Delivery, Cathay Pacific, said, “These advanced passive thermal containers can offer steady temperature-controlled conditions for several days without requiring external energy sources. Coupled with Cathay Pacific Cargo’s extensive network, we are confident the containers will benefit our customers around the world.”

Kale Logistics Solutions has launched a specialised e-booking platform ‘RIGEL’ at Wings India 2018. The platform is one of the company’s trade facilitation initiatives, focused on driving ease in cargo booking for the air cargo industry. This one stop e-booking platform is India’s first comprehensive online platform to assist “cargo rates” discovery and booking procedures for the air cargo industry. Currently, the air cargo industry is heavily dependent on manual and cumbersome processes wherein airline routes and schedules have to be digitally solicited. Absence of a single online source that can provide information pertaining to availability of cargo routes and the corresponding reservation rates to exporters, freight forwarders and custom brokers has made the process tedious and prone to malpractices. With Kale’s online e-Booking platform, routes, rates and schedules for cargo booking are readily accessible through the system, thereby benefitting the concerned stakeholders. It also ensures that compliances for further processing of the shipment are met at the point of booking. This booking data is reusable for further shipment processing by way of connecting to other stakeholders like airports and airlines. The platform is equipped with comprehensive modules for RFQ and quote management, multi-channel booking with EDI communication with airlines, GST invoicing, e-payment gateway, tracking and reporting for all stakeholders.

APM Terminals Mumbai has announced a new value added service designed to accelerate and improve turnaround time of freight arriving at the terminal. Titled as Vehicle Booking System (VBS), the service entails the terminal allocating fixed time slots to each Container Freight Station (CFS) every day, whereby the CFS is encouraged to collect its consignment during the time allocated. Once the CFS’ trailers reach the Y-junction at the port complex during the allotted slot, they can approach the terminal through the empty TT lane. The trailers thus skip traffic and enter the yard in a short time. Additionally, the terminal also allocates a dedicated equipment at the yard block for serving these trucks once inside the yard. With CFSs sending their trailers only during allocated slots, the terminal is able to efficiently handle import evacuations avoiding traffic congestion outside its gates. Shedding light on the project, Ravi Gaitonde, COO, APM Terminals Mumbai, said, “We are constantly investing in improving our offerings to customers and expect Vehicle Booking System to do just that.” Pioneered and piloted by APM Terminals Mumbai, initially in November 2017, VBS has helped the terminal improve efficiency and overall truck turn-around by 16 per cent. Sadanand Salian, VP, Allcargo Logistics, said, “GTI has executed a splendid job by implementing the VBS, and together we were able to reduce our truck turn-around time at the terminal by around 40 per cent post implementation.”

To create a specialised network for Amazon Now hyperlocal grocery delivery business, Amazon has added 15 new fulfilment centres, to be in sync with its plans for food retail in the country. The new centres will be in the four cities where Amazon Now is currently available, that is, Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, helping it take on players like BigBasket and Grofers. Amazon’s overall warehousing capacity has now increased to 56 fulfilment centres (FCs) across 13 states with a total storage space of 13.5 million cubic feet, much ahead of Flipkart’s. Amazon Now alone will have 120,000 cubic feet of storage space. These new FCs will have temperature-controlled zones, a first for Amazon in India, to store and deliver perishable products such as fruits and vegetables, dairy products, and frozen products.

DP World and the government of Jammu and Kashmir have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore opportunities to develop trade infrastructure in the Indian state. The agreement will see discussions on a multi-modal logistics park and hub in Jammu, comprising warehouses and specialised storage solutions that will also encourage intermodal transfer of containers, bulk and break-bulk cargo. Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Chairman and CEO, DP World Group, said: “Opening up the Indian hinterland through new infrastructure and facilities is one of the ways through which the Indian economy will continue to grow, and we are delighted to enter into these discussions with representatives of the Jammu and Kashmir government. India has vast economic potential and unlocking it will provide new trade opportunities.”

The Indian logistics industry is expected to touch $215 billion by 2020, growing at a CAGR of 10.5 per cent, states the Economic Survey. The improving sector, which provides employment to over 22 million people, has grown at a CAGR of 7.8 per cent during the last five years and at present, is worth nearly $160 billion. India jumped to 35th rank in 2016 from 54th in 2014 on the global ranking of the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index 2016. This streak is expected to continue in future as well. “We at NECC foresee an overall growth in the Indian market, especially in the automobile, textile, pharma and steel sector. There is a big market potential for logistics sector, waiting to be tapped. We understand that logistics and supply chain play a key role in the development and growth of manufacturing and retail,” said Sushil Kumar Jain, CMD, NECC Group. With digitisation, the industry will witness new technologies and heightened customer expectations in the future. New technologies such as automation, IoT, data analytics, blockchain, etc., will give way to faster shipments with more transparency and reduced prices. Some companies have already started working in this direction.

The Federation of Freight Forwarders’ Associations in India (FFFAI) has decided to extend the registration for FIATA World Congress-2018 (FWC-2018) up to March 31. FFFAI is hosting the FWC-2018, the mega international logistics event first time taking place in India, from September 26-29, 2018, at Pullmann Novotel Hotel, Aerocity in New Delhi. With the theme ‘The Future Starts Here’ the Congress will be attended by more than 1200 domestic and international delegates from the logistics and supply chain industry, from more than 120 countries. Apart from business sessions on various crucial topics pertaining to customs broking, freight forwarding and logistics industry there will be break-out meetings such as B2B networking meetings and an exhibition trade fair will also be organised on the side-lines of this Congress. The B2B meetings are scheduled one day prior to the congress and one day after the main congress i.e. September 25-29, 2018. Meanwhile, the online registration for the FIATA World Congress 2018 has commenced and members/delegates can register themselves for the congress on http://www.fiata2018.org. Commenting on the importance of “FWC 2018” in India, Amit Kamat, Hon. Secretary, FFFAI and Congress Coordinator, FWC 2018 maintained, “Enormous economic changes are envisaged throughout the world and here in India the freight forwarding and logistics industry has to meet big challenges, and FFFAI will be hosting the event, which is a matter of great pride and prestige for FFFAI in particular and Indian logistics industry in general.”

The USC Marshall Center for Global Supply Chain Management symposium is scheduled on March 16, 2018, at the St. Regis Hotel, Mumbai. The objective is to connect leaders, develop community, and create transformation through global supply chain excellence. This event is a unique opportunity for business executives and professionals to connect and share insights on how to strategically manage supply chains in a rapidly evolving local and global market. The event will give a chance to discover professional educational opportunities available through USC Marshall’s Master of Science in Global Supply Chain Management and certificate programmes. One can learn from a slate of business leaders and experts from the distinguished USC Marshall faculty, who will feature in a series of thought-provoking panels and keynote presentations.

Knight Frank India launches the third edition of its flagship India Warehousing Market Report 2018. The report unravels the present scenario of the Indian logistics sector along with providing a definitive view on the country’s top warehousing markets which include Mumbai, NCR, Bengaluru, Chennai, Pune, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad. The National Capital Region (NCR) attracted the highest footprint in terms of transactions in the warehousing space with leasing of 6.5mn sq.ft in 2017, followed by Mumbai at 5.2 mn sq. ft. Mumbai recorded the largest YoY growth over other key Indian markets with a staggering 231 per cent jump in warehousing space leasing in 2017. NCR followed closely with 129 per cent YoY increase. Bengaluru (90%), Ahmedabad (86%) and Hyderabad (68%) witnessed flourishing double-digit growth.