Chandrima Govil, Director, Activair Airfreight said, “We at Activair & MKF as the 2nd Generation of Freight Forwarders in the family recognise the need to replace outdated processes with agile, tech-driven solutions. The surge in e-commerce, rising customer expectations, and global supply chain disruptions have made logistics a strategic growth area. Activair’s approach reflects this shift—combining years of operational experience with forward-looking innovations in air freight, warehousing, and customs. For this new generation, logistics is not a burden but a platform for meaningful, scalable impact. We are redesigning logistics around speed, sustainability and smart technology. We have adopted, integrated, real-time solutions across the supply chain. In last-mile delivery, we leverage micro-fulfillment and flexible courier networks. Air freight is digitized for faster bookings, transparency, and smarter routing. Warehousing shifts toward decentralized, tech-powered hubs, while IoT-enabled tracking ensures visibility from origin to doorstep. Activair’s evolution reflects this mindset—balancing legacy strengths with digital tools to meet the demands of modern commerce. These innovators view logistics as an interconnected system, driven by data, automation, and customer experience.”

Apeksha Gupta, Head Skilling, VCJ foundation said, “Young entrepreneurs are entering the logistics industry, traditionally viewed as complex, due to vast opportunities for digital transformation. They’re drawn by the e-commerce surge and a market demand for efficiency, seeing challenges as avenues for tech-driven solutions. Their motivation stems from a desire to disrupt and innovate within a sector ripe for modernisation, focusing on asset-light, scalable models. These young founders are rethinking logistics across the board. For last-mile, they’re deploying micro-fulfillment and AI-powered route optimisation. Warehousing benefits from automation and smart inventory. Real-time tracking is evolving with advanced analytics and predictive capabilities. This innovation is fueled by new education emphasizing data science, automation, and sustainable practices, moving beyond outdated perceptions of logistics. This holistic training empowers them to devise out-of-the-box, tech-driven solutions for complex supply chain problems.”

Block your dates for PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (PHDCCI) upcoming Gati Se Pragati Conclave 2025 focusing on driving holistic and accelerated growth for inclusive development and seamless connectivity towards Viksit Bharat 2047. The event will be held at Le Meridian, New Delhi on July 3. Sarbananda Sonowal, Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways will grace the event as Chief Guest.

GEODIS has launched GEODIS AirSmart, a new low carbon solution designed to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions related to air freight by leveraging performance. By selecting the most energy-efficient aircraft and optimising routing, GEODIS AirSmart significantly reduces GHG emissions. Leveraging external flight data and advanced analytics tools, the solution enables smarter routing decisions while enhancing performance.   This innovation marks a new step forward in GEODIS’s route to decarbonization and to support its customers in achieving their climate goals. It also aligns with GEODIS’ pledge to reduce absolute Air Freight emissions by 25% by 2030.   Emission savings through GEODIS AirSmart are available to all customers via our digital platforms, offering tangible and comparable environmental progress. It’s a unique key differentiator in the Freight Forwarding industry increasingly focused on carbon-conscious performance.   “We’re thrilled to introduce the launch of GEODIS AirSmart, our new innovative solution that combines high performance with reduced emissions in Air Freight. It’s smart, it’s sustainable, and it’s a game-changer for GEODIS and our customers,” said Henri Le Gouis, EVP, Global Freight Forwarding at GEODIS.   GEODIS also plans to expand its maritime offering by deploying a complementary solution based on a similar approach to lower emissions related to ocean freight.

  According to latest data by WorldACD, the air cargo market was stable in terms of tonnage on a worldwide level in the week ending Sunday, May 25 (week 21), compared to the previous week. Although the week-on-week worldwide figure remained flat, demand was 6% higher than last year, with the largest absolute volume growth in the Asia Pacific region. Thanks to the strong increase in week 20, the last two weeks taken together were up with a high single digit (+7%) compared to the two weeks before combined (2Wo2W), according to the latest data from WorldACD. Zooming in on origin regions, different regional dynamics reveal a more nuanced picture in the last two weeks. Compared with the previous two weeks combined, the most buoyant region-to-region markets were Asia Pacific to North America (+19%) and North America to Asia Pacific (+13%), with the largest decline in volume from Central & South America to North America (-23%), which is a normal post-Mother’s Day flower shipments pattern.

The National Stock Exchange (NSE) has introduced the Nifty India Infrastructure & Logistics Index, a thematic benchmark designed to capture the performance of companies within the infrastructure and logistics sectors. This index comprises the top 100 stocks from the Nifty 500 index, selected based on a six-month average free-float market capitalisation. The index employs a free-float market capitalisation-weighted methodology, with individual stock weights capped at 5% and the aggregate weight of stocks within a single industry sector limited to 20%. Reconstitution occurs semi-annually, while quarterly rebalancing

  Shree Cement has signed a memorandum of understanding with RITES Ltd, a Navratna enterprise under the Ministry of Railways, to enhance its rail infrastructure network. The collaboration aims to improve the efficient and sustainable transportation of raw materials and finished goods across Shree Cement’s manufacturing units. The agreement is effective for five years and can be extended with mutual consent. RITES will provide services from concept to commissioning for upgradation, renovation, and new rail connectivity for transportation of raw materials and cement. The company will also secure approvals from the Ministry of Railways for civil, signal, telecom, overhead electrification, and mechanical engineering components. RITES will support Shree Cement in contractor selection by evaluating and certifying agency eligibility during the tendering process.

Ekart has officially joined the ONDC Network to enhance the logistics infrastructure available to sellers and brands operating within the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), a government-backed initiative to standardise digital commerce in India.  The integration of Ekart brings its pan-India logistics capabilities to the ONDC platform, giving sellers—from MSMEs to large enterprises—direct access to scalable logistics services. With this addition, the ONDC Network expands its logistics offering, supporting its broader objective of rapidly developing an open and inclusive e-commerce ecosystem.

Kerala State Industrial Enterprises (KSIE), a state govt undertaking has submitted a proposal to industries department for building an integrated logistics hub at Balaramapuram. The initiative aligns with development plans associated with Vizhinjam International Seaport, said official reports. KSIE identified a land parcel of around 10-15 acres at Kattachalkuzhi, currently under the possession of Coconut Research Institute of Kerala Agricultural University. As the land belongs to the university, its consent is required before taking any further steps. Govt’s decision on it is expected soon, the online reports stated.

Etihad Airways and SF Airlines have signed a Joint Business Agreement (JBA) to enhance their cargo operations, expand network capacity and offer customers greater flexibility and service options. The agreement was signed today by Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Airways and Li Sheng, Vice President of SF Group and Chairman of SF Airlines. Through the agreement, Etihad Airways and SF Airlines will collaborate on a metal-neutral basis to jointly market and integrate their airfreight services. The partnership is designed to foster incremental growth and create a seamless, shared network that offers customers an expanded range of destinations, increased cargo capacity and enhanced service efficiency. As part of the JBA, Etihad Airways and SF Airlines will enhance customer choice by expanding network connectivity and capacity across key trade lanes. Both carriers will also invest in improving service quality and operational efficiency, ensuring a consistently elevated customer experience. The partnership enables coordinated pricing strategies and alignment of service standards, delivering a streamlined and competitive offering. Additionally, the collaboration will support the strategic allocation of routes, sales efforts and client portfolios, allowing for joint decision-making and driving operational synergies. With the growth of cross-border e-commerce, time-sensitive shipments and specialised logistics services, the partnership between Etihad Airways and SF Airlines will offer greater flexibility and tailored solutions to meet evolving customer needs. The joint business will focus on key cargo product verticals, including Etihad Cargo’s SecureTech and PharmaLife solutions, which support the movement of high-value electronics, sensitive equipment and temperature-controlled pharmaceutical goods. Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Airways, said: “This business agreement marks an important step in Etihad’s strategy to strengthen global connectivity and deliver greater value to our customers. By working …