The International Federation of Customs Brokers Associations (IFCBA) recently celebrated 30th anniversary and organized a conference focusing on the World Customs Organization (WCO) study review of the Harmonized System of Tariff Classification. Customs brokers from 12 countries namely Asia, North and South America, the Caribbean, and Africa, participated. FFFAI also participated in this important meet. Representing FFFAI, its Executive Committee Member Vikrant Gogia made a presentation at the IFCBA Conference to highlight the recent developments in Indian Customs with active collaboration from the pan India apex body FFFAI. He also shared that Indian Customs Act 1962 completes its 60 years and FFFAI shares the common Diamond jubilee year celebration. Gogia emphasised on the Indian Customs various facilitation measures along with IT and faceless transaction initiatives, which include Electronic Cash Ledger, Anonymized Escalation Mechanism, Electronic Cargo Tracking System, Customs Brokers Licensing Management Portal, Turant Customs, E-Sanchit, Authorised Economic Operators, Direct Port Delivery, etc, which ensure Ease of Doing Business in line of the Government of India’s mission. With a transparent and trust-based system in place, Indian Customs and Customs Brokers in India working as partners to promote the EXIM trade in the country. FFFAI is constantly in dialogue through its recommendations and working together with the Indian Customs and Government of India for achieving the set target of $5 trillion economy by 2025. The audience representing different countries from across the world strongly applauded the developments pertaining to ease of Customs Clearance and Customs Broking Business in India.

ight demand is expected to remain low on most trade lanes in Q12023 due to high inventories and low sales, according to the latest report from DHL Global Forwarding. “Volumes might pick-up prior to Lunar New Year but will be followed by low demand. Demand will increase only as countries start recovering from high inflation,” says the report. While capacity recovery will continue month on month subject to market conditions, spot rates are likely to be aggressive in Q1. Worldwide inflation is likely to continue into 2023 with low GDP growth, the report said. Service disruptions outlook include employee shortage, airport backlogs due to strikes and flight cancellations and “unforeseen” circumstances due to Covid policies. Global capacity was -10 percent compared to December 2019 but +7 percent compared to last year. “Capacity remains available on majority of trade lanes with some tight spaces on some ex-EMEA and ex-China trade lanes. With currently low volumes, capacity is sufficient to support the demand.” With improving sea freight schedule reliability and cost reduction, some volume shift continues from air freight to ocean, the update added.

The Warehousing Association of India (WAI) held its first Annual General Meeting (AGM) of on December 22. The meet was attended by the association members from across India. Manu R. Bhalla, President, WAI gave an overview of the association’s progress and the initiatives planned for the New Year. The President listed some of the achievements 1. WAI & KPMG engagement with Karnataka Government on the ease of doing warehousing business in the state of Karnataka 2. Launch of the Warehousing Standards Handbook at National Logistics Policy Event by Hon. Prime Minister Sri. Narendra Modi on September 17, 2022 3. Convened the National Logistics Policy Conference at The Oberoi, New Delhi on 11th November’22 which was Chaired by Som Prakash, Minister of State, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, GOI at which other dignitaries like Pawan Agarwal, Past Special Secretary, Logistics & Trade, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, S.K. Ahirwar, Joint Secretary, Logistics & Trade, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Er. S. Bhardwaj – Dy. Director-General, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, Suresh Kakani IAS, Managing Director of Maharashtra Industrial Township Ltd., Pritam Banerjee – Logistics Specialist, Asian Development Bank To name a few: 4. Released WAI + EY Report for the Ease of ease of establishment & operating Warehouses in these states 5. Warehousing business by Sri Suresh Kakani IAS, Managing Director of Maharashtra Industrial Township Ltd in the presence of Er. S. Bhardwaj – Dy. Director-General- Pilot project in Maharastra, Haryana & UP 6.Discussion and Engagement with Asian Development Bank on Diversity in the Warehousing Industry 7. MOUs were signed with NAREDCO/ CVSCL/ ASSOCHAM / DPIIT 8. Engagement with Delhi Govt for Urban Logistics Policy 9. Bench marking …

In order to make Uttar Pradesh a trillion-dollar economy, the Yogi Adityanath government in UP approved a new ‘Uttar Pradesh Warehousing and Logistics Policy-2022’. The decision was taken in the cabinet meeting held recently. This policy will be effective for the next five years. A state government spokesperson said this policy has been made with a view to develop the logistics ecosystem in the state to create an international-level business environment. “With the successful implementation of this policy, the target of making the state’s economy one trillion dollars will be achieved,” he said. The new policy is to create a strong transport infrastructure network, upgrade and improve existing warehousing and logistics infrastructure, encourage integrated development of logistics services in the state to reduce logistics costs and improve efficiency.

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone has ventured into the warehousing business. The company announced that its subsidiary, Adani Logistics, has signed a joint venture agreement with DA Group and its affiliates. The joint venture is a 50:50 partnership, and it will develop and operate logistics and warehousing parks in Ahmedabad and Kolkata, according to the statement from Adani Ports shared with stock exchanges. Adani Logistics will nominate three directors to its board while DA Group will send two directors for the joint venture. In a recent development, the Adani group and its Israel partner Gadot won the tender to privatise Israel’s Haifa Port earlier this year. In this regard, an Indian company winning a tender to privatise Haifa Port, a strategic asset for Israel, is a “wonderful, wonderful signal,” Israel’s Ambassador to India Naor Gilon said and noted that the two countries have excellent bilateral relations.

Om Logistics is currently expanding its warehousing presence to accelerate its door to door express services. In this sequence, the company has inaugurated its warehouse in Dabaspet, Bengaluru. The Dabaspet warehouse was also on the priority list and the company’s director Mr. Raghav Singhal has inaugurated this 41,000 sq ft warehouse on Friday, 9 December 2022 in a grand event. Strategically, company has developed this warehouse to meet the increased business demands. Many of the company’s regional key customers are located in the Dabaspet Industrial Area and operate from there. For them, the company has been working for a long time at Dabaspet. The company is currently handling 800 to 1000 tonnes of cargo per day which is expected to be 1500 tonnes shortly. In terms of transportation advancements, we can load and unload nearly 50 trucks at the same time. Here, the company has developed a spacious parking lot as well as rooms for the drivers to rest and stay. The company always takes care of the food and accommodation of the drivers and considers it as the first priority. The company has also developed an office in Dabaspet itself, where proper arrangements have been made for the employees to work, currently a large operation team is handling all the documentation work there. Singhal said, “The construction of Om Logistics warehouse at Dabaspet was pending since a long time and it was also the need of the hour considering the increasing commercial potential. We see the Dabaspet add-on as a great benefit for the future.”

Regulation 6 of the CBrLR 2018 provides guidance for conducting an examination of applicants for Customs Brokers License with eligibility criteria specified in Regulation 5. The number of applicants each year increases in comparison to earlier years. There is an urgent need for many qualified and well read, conversant and professionals Customs Broker especially in the new EXIM locations i.e., the AFS; ICD’s and new ports coming up all over the country. Custom Clearance is truly “Knowledge based” it is Part of “Knowledge industry”. Custom Brokers have an unique place in India’s economy and their importance cannot be undermined. It is for Custom Brokers individually and collectively to assist Indian Customs in the execution of their role. Besides Revenue Collection and Enforcement functions Customs have many other roles to perform. They are broadly summarized as: community protection; trade statistics; audit; implemental trade agreements; foreign trade policy and border protection etc. Before starting preparations candidates need to ponder on a few realities: • When was the last time candidate wrote an exam paper? • Does she / he remember sitting in one place for nearly 3 hours without getting up; talking to anyone; no tea/coffee and writing? It is to be remembered that the exam is of ‘Domain knowledge.’ While preparing for the exam please read up as much as possible and remember that knowledge and proper application of the same alone will enable you make a good; capable; respected professional undertaking Custom Clearance. Please do not do your preparations only to crack the exam. Please remember that this self-study will require a lot of concentration and consistency for you to be able to understand the same and remember the important …

Brihanmumbai Custom Brokers Association (BCBA), under the leadership of President Dushyant Mulani celebrated its 85th Foundation Day at Y.B. Chavan Centre, on Monday, 19th December 2022. Vivek Phansalkar IPS, Commissioner of Police, Mumbai was the keynote speaker for the program. During his address, the Commissioner of Police emphasized on the awareness on Cybersecurity and prevention of cybercrime and steps that citizens need to undertake for keeping the predators at the bay. He gave considerable insights on the overall Law & order as well, particularly in the Digital era which is now increasingly touching the daily lives of the citizens. He appreciated the efforts of BCBA for undertaking the initiative for its members and for trade at large. He instructed his team to extend co-operation and requested the audience to educate themselves and spread the awareness, particularly since his team of officers was available to guide on Cybersecurity to Custom Broker members and Exim trade Industry. The Police Commissioner’s speech was followed by a presentation by Suvarna Shinde, Senior Police Inspector on awareness of Cybersecurity which was very well praised by the audience. The Chief Guest for the program, Principal Chief Commissioner of Customs, Mumbai Zone I, P.K. Agrawal graced the occasion along with Chief Commissioner of Customs, Mumbai Zone III, Roopam Kapoor, as the Guest of Honour. Kapoor complemented the role of BCBA and urged that with the Time Release Study coming up, BCBA and its members to expedite the clearances, particularly in case of Air Cargo, where consignments are time sensitive. He reassured that Customs will provide full back up and support to trade and industry for timely clearances. P. K. Agrawal congratulated BCBA and the members on the …

Glyn Hughes, Director General, TIACA said, “From an industry perspective we were very pleased to see increase in innovation and digital connectivity. The investment in P2F conversions and in production freighters will ensure the industry has sufficient capacity available when the current downturn in demand reverses. We need to collectively enhance the value proposition and increase the awareness of what a vital role this industry plays in the global economy and global society. I think the key question for 2023 is when will the current economic challenges which have impacted consumers subside? High inflation, high energy costs and high interest rates have conspired with job insecurity to create defensive patterns in consumer spending. When these influences turn more positive we can expect to see significant industry growth resuming. For TIACA we expect to see further focus on sustainability and people issues.”

“We expect the forthcoming budget to provide a balance between the economic growth priorities and inflation concerns, in an all-encompassing manner. The momentum of growth at which India has come up post the pandemic cannot be declined. We believe that the budget 2022 will be very carefully structured to sustain the growth momentum and continued infrastructure development, irrespective of the ups and downs,” says, Vineet Agarwal, Managing Director, TCI while sharing his views and expectations on the upcoming budget 2023-2024. “As the government’s vision to ease supply chain bottlenecks is quite evident in the scale of decisions and initiatives which have been undertaken in the recent past. The continued focus on execution of specific strategies will improve global competitiveness. Reducing logistics cost and creating a technology-enabled structure will help to achieve the target of positioning India among the top 25 countries in the Logistics Performance Index. In addition, emphasis on upskilling programs like Gati Shakti Vishwavidalya will help the logistics sector contribute its best in India leading the Industrial Revolution 4.0 & 5G era,” he adds.