Category Archives: Aviation

GMR Hyderabad Airport Cargo launched Hyderabad Cargo Charter Circle (HC3) for facilitating cargo charter operators via Hyderabad Air Cargo Terminal. The move is to develop Hyderabad as an air charter hub in South and boost the regional direct connectivity and link it to the main hubs across the globe. The innovative and dedicated platform for enabling cargo charter operations was launched in the presence of charter operators, freighters, shippers, consolidation agents, freight forwarders and other airport stakeholders. “Cargo charters in India is still in nascent stage but holds a lot of promise, hence, we have launched the HC3 platform to give value and advantage to this segment and thereby boost trade and logistics,” said S.G.K. Kishore, Chief Executive Officer, GHIAL.

SpiceXpress could be listed on a stock exchange within a year as the rise of e-commerce drives growing demand for fast shipping across the region. The carrier plans to sell its share in the logistics business in an Initial Public Offering (IPO). The carrier is expanding its one-year old cargo hauling arm to fill the growing need for overnight shipping services, fuelled by online retailers such as Amazon.com Inc. and Walmart Inc.’s Flipkart. SpiceXpress has nine scheduled departures, six days a week, to Hong Kong from Delhi, Kolkata and Guwahati, and one domestic rotation connecting Hyderabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai.

Celebi Delhi Cargo Terminal Management India in collaboration with Shreeji Translogistics have started bonded trucking service from Kolkata, Indore Airport, Vizag and Goa to Celebi Terminal Delhi IGI Airport from October 1, 2019 to provide their customers a possibility to move air cargo in an efficient, safe, process-driven and cost-effective manner. Celebi Bonded road feeder service is successfully running from Kanpur, Ludhiana, Indore SEZ 1&2, Ahmedabad and Noida SEZ which has given tremendous opportunities to freight forwarders and airlines to solicit business from stations that are offline. These bonded services will facilitate Celebi’s airline customers to offer services to a city to which they do not fly and help CHA/freight forwarders to custom clear, handle duty drawback and shipment documents at origin, while avoiding multiple handling and damage to cargo.

In order to expand its air cargo operations, SpiceXpress has taken the delivery of its first 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighter (BCF). The standard-body freighter, which is the first 737-800BCF to be operated in South Asia, is on lease. The 737-800BCF entered service last year and its order book has grown to 120 orders. Boeing has ramped up production, with output set to more than double to 17 units in 2019. The 737-800BCF, which carries up to 23.9 metric tonnes of payload. Ajay Singh, CMD, SpiceJet, said, “We are expanding the markets we currently serve, particularly in the Middle East, Hong Kong and Bangladesh and the 737-800BCF’s reliability and versatility is helping enable our strategic direction.” Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had earlier validated the 737-800BCF’s certification.

Airports Authority of India (AAI) is planning to add space to its export dock to expand the cargo handling capacity of the Chennai airport. The dock is an automated facility where trucks unload export consignments in the cargo complex. This decision is expected to speed up the handling of cargo as AAI has been getting complaints of trucks queuing up at night at the export dock. Adding space to the export dock can improve infrastructure, an area where the Chennai airport is losing out to other airports. Chennai airport is also suffering a decline in cargo demand as per global slowdown. AAI data show that international freight movement in Chennai declined by 13.2 per cent and domestic by 20.3 per cent in April to July 2019, compared to the same period last year, making it the lowest when compared to major airports, except Kolkata.

The Air Cargo Agents Association of India (ACAAI) has appointed Sunil Arora of Delta Air Freight as the President of ACAAI for 2019-2020. Arora, who held the post of Vice President earlier, takes over from TA Varghese of Aroscan Cargo Trade. Afzal Malbarwala of Galaxy Freight, who previously served as Secretary General, has now been appointed as the Vice President of ACAAI. CK Govil of Activair Airfreight India and Anil Vazirani of Robinsons Cargo & Logistics have taken over as Secretary General and Treasurer, respectively. The announcements were made during the 49th annual general meeting in Mumbai. The ACAAI Annual Convention 2019 will be held from November 21-24 at The Westin Siray Bay Resort & Spa, Phuket.

M Raja Kishore, Airport Director, Rajahmundry Airport, states that cargo services will commence from the airport soon. In a stakeholders meeting, it was identified that agro, marine, fish, soft crab and pharmacy shrimp would be the main cargo. The committee will submit a report to the central government for clearance relating to operation of cargo services and the operations will be commenced shortly. Kishore further says, “There were abundant opportunities for cargo services from the airport as rice, vegetables, fruits, coconuts, aqua, fish and coir can be transported across the world from this airport and it is centrally located between Amaravati and Visakhapatnam.”

Blue Dart Express announced its General Price Increase (GPI), effective January 1, 2020. The average shipment price increase will be 9.8 per cent as compared to 2019, dependant on the shipping profile. The price increase will apply to all customers signed up until August 31, 2019, those signing up between September 1– 30, 2019 will continue to enjoy benefits at the existing rates, till December 31, 2020. A GPI free period of September 1-30, 2019 for new customers also announced first time ever. This is generally applicable to sign ups between October to December of the previous year. Customers signing up from October 1 to December 31, 2019 will not be impacted by the price increase. Commenting on the announcement, Balfour Manuel, Managing Director, Blue Dart, said, “The price adjustment will allow us to further enhance our capabilities and enable us to delight our customers by providing them high quality solutions and services, best-in-class technology and innovative products”. Ketan Kulkarni, CMO & Head – Business Development, Blue Dart, adds, “Blue Dart has made strategic investments ahead of the curve to remain agile and adaptive in a dynamic environment. These include expanding our reach, improving transit times, network optimisation, infrastructure and technology solutions and focusing on emerging markets, SMEs and key sectors”. Blue Dart adjusts its prices annually, considering inflation, currency dynamics, fuel cost fluctuations and other rising regulatory and mandatory costs, such as expenses related to compliance for the workforce with enhanced security regulations across the large number of locations its services.

Digital integration and technological remodeling are imperative for simpler, cost-effective, convenient, transparent and accurate implementation of supply chain functioning. LogYcode has launched the mobile app to serve the need of the hour. With the app, the user can now check and compare live market freight rates, book shipments, refer to tariffs, create and manage freight documents, track shipments, get bill invoices, book transportation, 24×7 chatbot and customer service, on the go using the LogYcode Mobile Application which is freely available on Google Play store for download. This is the 21st century, which is mushrooming towards technological infinity, positioning people’s expectation at the zenith degree. Logistics industry is no exception in terms of technological advancement. The industry is enduring the progress steadily, however, still lags for handy and consumer friendly processes. It is high time the cargo fraternity experiences easy access platforms and applications to effectuate supply chain tasks. Why not have pocket logistics services!

The Union Government is conducting a nationwide survey to identify delay points in the cargo movement. The survey is being conducted simultaneously across 15 ports — sea, air, land and dry — that account for 81 per cent of bills of entries for import and 67 per cent of shipping bills for export. From August 1-7, surveys were conducted for seaport and inland container depots and for air cargo, the survey is getting conducted in the first week of September. The exercise to identify bottlenecks and their removal is supposed to expedite the cargo movement and escalate the trade. The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), under the Department of Revenue, is carrying out the survey. The nationwide survey will look at causes of delays in movement of consignment caused by regulatory constraints, logistical issues in supply chains, or lack of infrastructure.