The Pune Airport has crossed 100 metric tonnes of cargo movement in a single day on 24 October 2024. The airport managed by AAI Cargo Logistics and Allied Services created history by becoming the first non-metro airport from the network to break the 100 MT barrier. “This is a proud moment for Pune airport, as it reflects the growing cargo potential of the region and our commitment to operational excellence. We are grateful to our partners and customers for their trust, and we look forward to continuing this momentum,” Santosh Dhoke, Airport Director, Pune airport said. Pharmaceuticals, automotive parts, and perishables are the major commodities which are handled at the airport.

As per the ‘India Market Monitor Q3 2024-Industrial & Logistics’ report released by the consulting firm, CBRE South Asia Pvt. Ltd., the leasing in the Industrial and logistics sector surged 48 per cent during July to September period. The total absorption across Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Pune, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Chennai stood at 11.4 million square feet as compared to 7.7 million square feet in Apr-Jun this year. During Q3 of 2024, 3PL players accounted for 38 per cent of the leasing activity, followed by engineering and manufacturing at 19 per cent, retail at 17 per cent, e-commerce at 10 per cent and FMCG at 6 per cent.  

The Uttar Pradesh government has allocated ₹15.14 crore for renovation of 21 warehouses across 10 districts of the state. The initiative will be led by the Uttar Pradesh State Warehousing Corporation aiming to modernise the infrastructure along the repairing and enhancing of the storage capacity space. As many as 21 warehouses located in Fatehpur, Gorakhpur, Etawah, Farrukhabad, Ghaziabad, Bulandshahr, Ghazipur, Mahoba, Shahjahanpur and Hardoi districts will undergo transformation as part of the initiative.  

Union Home Minister Amit Shah opened a newly established terminal and a cargo gate, Maitri Dwar at the India-Bangladesh Border in West Bengal’s North 24 Paraganas district. “The Land Port Authority of India is making a significant contribution to India’s development, along with improving relations with neighbours. The establishment of the new terminal and cargo gate, Maitri Dwar will enhance legal trade activities between the two nations,” Shah said. The Petrapole-Benapole border is a vital gateway for trade exchanges between India and Bangladesh as 70 per cent trade and commercial movements between India and Bangladesh take place here.

Sanjay Karkera, AVP Contract Logistics & Logistic Engineering, Flyjac Logistics says, “Ensuring safety of cargo inside the warehouse is critical and utmost responsibility of the 3PL handling the warehouse. It is crucial consideration for the companies. It consists of protocols based on industry practices to ensure Safety of cargos in warehouse. Some of the effective strategies to safeguard the stored Cargos are, 1. Proper storage solutions : Use of appropriate shelving, racks and pallets designed for the weight and dimension of the cargo. Maintaining uniformly distributed loads while storing the cargos in the warehouse, store heavier items at lower levels to prevent falls. Ensure right products are stored in right designated place. For temperature sensitive cargo, maintain proper climate controls to avoid spoilage or damage. Regularly monitor and document temperature and humidity levels in storage areas. 2. Regular Inspections: Conduct regular safety inspections of storage areas and equipment to identify potential hazards. Schedule routine maintenance for all equipment, including forklifts and pallet trucks. If these equipment’s fail while handling material, can have potential to damage the cargo. 3. Employee Training: Train employees on safe lifting techniques, proper and right use of equipment, and emergency procedures. 4. Accurate Labelling: Clearly label all cargo, including hazardous materials, to ensure proper handling. Use barcodes or RFID tags to streamline inventory management and enhance tracking accuracy. 5. Inventory Management: Maintain accurate inventory records to track the location and status of cargo. Implement a first in first out (FIFO) system to reduce the risk of damage and spoilage. 6. Insurance: Invest in comprehensive insurance coverage for your warehouse and cargo. Review policies regularly to ensure coverage meets evolving risks.”

Group A Logistics Team successfully Handled Heavy Lift ODC Cargo Door to Door Delivery. “Our experienced project handling teams handle all aspects of project management, custom clearance, transportation, and worldwide charter services, ensuring timely delivery and successful global travel,” said an official LinkedIn Post. “Our commitment & service motto is being endorsed time & again for commendable services which are advanced in nature & proven to be fully customer centric complementing the international logistics requirements of our valued customers for whom we are always prepared to walk the extra-mile to ensure end customer delighted in the end,” the post added.

FedEx organised innovative competition, Digithon 2024 to harness creative problem-solving and smart technology solutions to build more resilient supply chains.  Held across regional offices in India, the event 2024 saw FedEx team members addressing real-world challenges presented by FedEx leadership, including advanced sentiment and topic modeling techniques to predict customer pain points. “At FedEx, innovation is key to our mission of creating smarter supply chains for all. Initiatives like Digithon 2024 encourage cross-functional collaboration and empower team members to propose transformative ideas that enhance customer experience and operational effectiveness, shaping the future of logistics,” Nitin Navneet Tatiwala, Vice president of marketing and Air Network, MEISA said.

With the handling of more than 65 million metric tonnes (MMT), Major ports recorded a cargo demand growth of 6 per cent in the month of September. The demand growth is primarily driven by crude oil cargo shipments and a surge in miscellaneous commodities. There was a 9 per cent growth in EXIM cargo and a decline of 1.9 per cent in coastal cargo during previous month. As of now, the Major Ports have handled 414 MMT of cargo in the Fiscal Year 25, with a growth of 5 per cent Year-on-Year. Coastal cargo reached 93 MMT in FY 25, recording a 4 per cent YoY growth.

The Air Cargo Agents Association of India (ACAAI) members Keshav Tanna, Past President and Rajen Bhatia, Regional Chairman attended the IMC’s Logistics and Transportation Committee meeting in Mumbai along with other eminent committee members. The meeting covered various topics such as new projects at (Navi Mumbai Airport and Vadhavan Port), customs monthly meetings, upcoming webinars, representations and sustainability.

      As part of a long-term contract spanning seven years, Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) has leased out warehousing space in Bhiwandi, spread across an area of 5.93 lakh sq. ft. As per the reports, the HUL has rented the space at an initial monthly rent of INR 1.54 Cr. It is of the biggest agreements for the leasing of warehousing space in Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), in past few years. Bhiwani has evolved as a warehousing hub near Mumbai as many top firms have leased out warehousing space.