Ahead of its initial public offering (IPO) this year, supply chain services provider Delhivery has reportedly raised $277 million in its latest round of funding, taking its market valuation to nearly $3 billion. According to a TechCrunch report, Delhivery disclosed the finding in its latest regulatory filing that has been led by US-headquartered investment firm Fidelity. Delhivery, a leading fulfillment platform for digital commerce, has raised about $1.23 billion to date. Earlier this year, Delhivery announced to expand its footprint by opening two new tech offices in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad, that will take its workforce strength to more than 500 employees in the country. It currently has more than 350 employees and centres in Gurgaon, Goa, and Hyderabad (in India), and Seattle in the US. “The current expansion ensures we stay ahead of the curve with tech and data science being the core business differentiators,” said Kapil Bharati, Co-founder and CTO, Delhivery.

The global Covid-19 crisis has highlighted the importance of refrigerated container logistics to keep vital supplies of food and medicines, including vaccines, flowing around the world as nations locked down. While temperature-controlled goods have indeed kept flowing, the pandemic triggered an ongoing cascade of disruptions to the bigger container shipping system that so many perishable producers, exporters, importers and supply chains now rely on. That includes delayed, diverted and rolled shipments, port congestion, landside logjams and shortages and displacement of empty reefer containers due to a clogged global maritime transport pipeline. Real-time visibility and remote control are key drivers for today’s accelerated digitalisation in reefer container operations and the broader cold chain, not only because of the huge global vaccine distribution challenge but perhaps even more so to manage supply chain delays and disruptions impacting cross-border flows of food and other perishables.

Indian Railways’ DFC (Dedicated Freight Corridor) project successfully completed its first double stack container train run between Mundra port in Gujarat to CONCOR(Container Corporation of India) Multi Modal Logistics park (MMLP) at Kathuwas in Rajasthan. The double stack container freight train with a total tonnage of 2480 ton from Mundra Port arrived at New Palanpur station of the DFC on Sunday morning. With an approx. 1,00,000 Sq. Mtrs of concrete block paving dedicated for rail handling and container stacking, MMLP, Kathuwas is deemed to be the largest multi modal park that is spread over around 283 acres of land serving container Port Terminals of JNPT, Mundra, Pipavav, Hazira, other ports and all terminals of CONCOR spread across the length and breadth of the country.

The Chennai Port is facing a 25 per cent shortage of containers due to supply and demand gap sparking concern among exporters who now have to pay double rates to send consignments as the pandemic has triggered a worldwide shipping crisis. Regional chairman of Federation of Indian Exporters Organisation Israr Ahmed told Express that the cost of sending a 40-feet container to the United States before Covid was $2,000. “Last year, it rose to $4,500 and now it is priced between $6,200 and $6500. Similarly, for Europe the cost was $1,100 to $1,200 earlier, and it has gone up to 5,500. The price hike is attributed to Covid that has left the global shipping lines with backlogs and delays due to labour shortage, reduced capacity of logistics systems, congestion at ports as well as quarantined cargo,” he added.

Ahmedabad Custom Brokers’ Association organised COVID-19 vaccination drive from 10th June to 12th June 2021. Large numbers of ACBA members’ office staff, operational staff and their family members were inoculated through a tie up arrangement made with HCG Hospital, Ahmedabad. The Vaccination drive commenced in the presence of Samir J. Shah, advisor of FFFAI and Chairman of ACBA on 10th June 2021. Welcoming the initiative, Samir J. Shah, said, “We are an association for our members. The welfare of our members is of prime importance to us. With this exercise we also extend our concern to the staff and their families.” Dr. Vasant Patel, Chief Medical Administrator, HCG Hospital has urged that “Vaccination is currently the only way to achieve herd immunity against Covid-19 and return to normalcy so every individual who is above the age of 18 years have to come forward for vaccination.”

Continental Carriers handled yet another time critical charter movement ex-Taipei to Kolkata, bringing in much needed Life Supporting Supplies to India. Continental team placed an IL-76 and loaded 33.5 tons of three 20-ft ISO Tanks from shipper location on special trailers and hauled same to TPE airport for direct charter flight into CCU on June 10th. This is the third charter shipment in the last two weeks successfully imported by Continental Carriers. Continental carriers have been actively supporting in the transportation of Oxygen concentrators, Zeolite and other necessary required medical aid not only within the country but from abroad too. They voluntarily provided their trucks for the transportation of Oxygen from Agra for the Moolchand Hospital, Delhi.

India had been adversely hit by the second wave of the covid pandemic and there has been severe shortage of equipment, beds, healthcare workers, vaccines, oxygen and drugs. Air Logistics Group has contributed to international efforts towards Covid relief by donating medical grade 5 litre Oxygen concentrators to help the Covid patients in India. These concentrators were imported by Air Logistics Group (India) from the UK through its East Midlands office during the height of the second wave in New Delhi to support the needy during these crisis. This is not the first time Air Logistics Group (India) has donated medical equipment. Last year prior to the pandemic they also donated Dialysis machines to serve society . “Every drop – small or big counts in such crucial times when people are struggling for survival”, remarked Vikramjit Singh Ahluwalia, MD in India, following the donation.

CEVA Logistics is offering its worldwide Ground & Rail customers and carrier network improved, real-time visibility through a new strategic alliance announced today with project44, a leading provider of supply chain visibility solutions. The advanced track and trace services will be rolled out globally over the next year. The visibility solutions will cover all of CEVA’s global ground and rail operations, spanning from domestic distribution networks to cross-border, multi-modal solutions and from B2B inbound to manufacturing environments to B2C home deliveries. CEVA’s existing visibility tools, including driver apps, GPS devices and web portals, will be combined with the new solution to create an overall, expanded visibility platform.

Global logistics company DP World welcomes a new weekly India South Gulf (ISG) Service at its Port Terminals in Chennai and Cochin. The new service is jointly operated by a global shipping line – Evergreen Line, and feeder operators – Feedertech and Express Feeders. The New weekly Service will directly connect DP World operated Chennai Container Terminal (CCT) and International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT) at Cochin with the Middle East Region. The service commenced with the call of vessel “MV EVER CHANT” operated by Evergreen Line on 2nd June 2021 at DP World Port Terminal Chennai and on 8th June 2021 at DP World Port Terminal Cochin. “MV Hansa Rotenburg” operated by Feedertech was the 2nd vessel deployed on this service which called CCT on 14th June 2021. The service Port rotation is Chennai – Colombo – Cochin – Jebel Ali – Cochin – Colombo – Chennai.

CargoAir has commenced operations with its first B737-800SF freighter, which was recently converted by Aeronautical Engineers, Inc (AEI). The aircraft, which is registered in Bulgaria, will support a large European integrator on an upgraded existing route out of Cologne, Germany. With the new addition, CargoAir has also introduced a new aircraft livery. The converted B737-800SF offers a main deck payload of up to 52,700lbs (23,904kg) and incorporates 11 full height 88in x 125in container positions, plus an additional position for an AEP/AEH. The conversion also includes an 86in x 137in main cargo door. The design allows for containers to be loaded into the aircraft 16.5in aft of the forward door jamb, ensuring ground operators have sufficient manoeuvring room and minimise potential for door and aircraft strikes. It also includes a flexible Ancra cargo loading system, five supernumerary seats, a galley and full lavatory.