Allcargo Logistics has entered into an agreement with ONE Line India to partner in transiting containers to Nepal from the ports of Kolkata in West Bengal and Vizag in Andhra Pradesh. “Given our global scale and repute on account of being the widest CFS-ICD operators in India, we emerged as the preferred partners for expediting Customs clearance solutions and boosting ONE Line’s ex-im business in Nepal. With an operational presence in Nepal as well as Kolkata, we are also strategically positioned to assist ONE Line in ensuring faster clearance of goods, ensuring speedy last mile delivery services and gaining critical leverage and connectivity to the emerging markets and industrial hubs of Nepal,” says Prakash Tulsiani, CEO – CFS-ICD, Allcargo Logistics.

SpiceJet and Gulf Air have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to examine areas of potential synergy, including looking at co-ordinating cargo services, interline or codeshare agreements, shared engineering services and pilot training. The MoU was signed by Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, SpiceJet, and Krešimir Kučko, Chief Executive, Gulf Air. Singh comments, “This agreement is going to play a very important role for airline’s next phase of growth as we continue to explore the innumerable opportunities around us.” SpiceJet’s cargo division, SpiceXpress, took delivery of its first 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighter (BCF) earlier this autumn. The standard-body freighter, the first 737-800BCF to be operated in south Asia, was leased from NGF Alpha Limited, a division of Spectre Cargo Solutions.

In order to take the ease of doing business initiatives to next level, customs department is rolling out the concept of faceless assessment of cargo across the country in next few months. The consignments will be assessed by virtual group irrespective of where the Bill of Entry is filed. Baswaraj Nalegave, Commissioner of Customs (City and ICD), Bengaluru, says, “We are moving ahead with the concept of faceless assessment,” in adding, “From now onwards, in a phased manner, we will ensure that the assessment of cargo need not be done at the same place where the Bill of Entry is filed,” he stated. “We have already started the pilot in Bangalore. So, all machinery will be assessed by a virtual group no matter where the Bill of Entry is filed. In Chennai, it’s already being done. It’s a matter of a few months before it is rolled out across the country,” he noted.

JSW Infrastructure has announced the commissioning of its new iron ore terminal at Paradip Port in Odisha. The 370 meters’ long terminal with a capacity of 18 MTPA has been developed with a vision to handle capesize vessels for iron ore and pellet exports and can load at a rate of 100,000 metric tonne per day. The high load rate is expected to significantly reduce the pre-berthing delays at Paradip as well as allow incremental cargo flow for the port which is all set to be the largest port in the country. The company has invested approximately Rs 750 crore to establish the new terminal at Paradip.

Sichuan Airlines (3U) is commencing freighter services from Delhi to Chengdu, China effective from November 27, 2019. This service will be operated with AB330-200F which offers maximum payload capacity of 60 tonne. After the inaugural flight, the freighter will operate twice weekly service every Monday and Friday to enhance their frequency to four weekly services Sichuan Airlines has built a world-class fleet of 152 aircrafts that connects five continents, improving its network capability and opening more international routes to build a bridge between Western China and the world.

Delhi Customs Brokers’ Association (DCBA) has elected its new managing committee for the ensuing two years at the 36th annual general meeting held on November 24 in Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi. The Office Bearers who have been elected are S Ramakrishna (President), Gurvinder Singh (Vice President), Santosh Kumar Choudhary (Hony. Secretary), Rajbir Singh (Hony. Joint Secretary) and Bhim Singh Jain (Hony. Treasurer). Anil K. Mishra, Devendra Singh Bhadoria, Rajiv Kumar Sharma, Rohit Kapoor, Vaneet Aggarwal, Vijay Raghvan G, Vikrant Gogia and Yogesh Kumar have been elected as Managing Committee Members of DCBA. On taking over charges of President, Ramakrishna said that his primary focus would be skill development and training programmes for the benefit of the DCBA members and CB/FF Community. “More emphasis would be put on conducting regular knowledge sessions to make awareness on changing government policies in terms of export/import, increasing digitisation and artificial intelligence,” he adds.

The 45th Air Cargo Agents Association of India (ACAAI) annual convention was held in Phuket, Thailand. With the theme of ‘End-to-end logistics – A way forward’, the 45th annual ACAAI convention saw an eminent presence of the industry experts from various quarters of the world under one roof. The chief guest of the evening was Fitsum Abadi, Managing Director, Ethiopian Cargo & Logistics Services and the event was also graced by Anis Chakravarty, Partner and Leader, Global Transfer Pricing Center, Deloitte. The convention was formally inaugurated by lighting the lamp and release of convention souvenir by the chief guest Abadi, Sunil Arora, President, Air Cargo Agents Association of India (ACAAI), Anil Vazirani, Chairman, ACAAI Convention 2019 and all other dignitaries.

China Airlines Cargo has announced Group Concorde as the general cargo sales agent for its new Mumbai freighter service starting on November 16. Prithviraj Singh Chug, Director, Group Concorde, said, “The pharma business is the airlines target business for us and it’s important to connect the pharma agents and their shippers with the airline. CI being CEIV certified will have the edge in Mumbai market to carry the goods and safely deliver across Europe, Asia, Oceania & Americas.” The airline will operate four flights a week, two per week coming from Taipei to Mumbai and going forward to Amsterdam, and two per week coming from Amsterdam and going to Taipei.

Dubai-based DP World has launched two services – MIAX (Middle East–India–Africa Express) and IEX (South India Europe Express) to connect its terminals in Nhava Sheva, Chennai and Kochi with European and South African markets. MIAX will connect Nhava Sheva International Container Terminal (NSICT) with West and South Africa; while the IEX will connect Chennai Container Terminal (CCT) and India Gateway Terminal (IGT) with Europe. Rizwan Soomar, CEO & MD, DP World Subcontinent, said “The launch of IEX and MIAX will create stronger opportunities for EXIM cargo and for Indian manufacturers to cater to global markets.”

With a view to improve the ease of doing business at grass root level enabling reduction in dwell time in EXIM trade and to discuss strategic and operational issues currently faced by customs broking industry. The office bearers of the Federation of Freight Forwarders Association in India (FFFAI) headed by its Chairman, AV Vijaykumar met with Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ministry of Shipping and various other ministry officials in New Delhi. The association presented the issues of customs brokers and freight forwarders before the minister for reduction in transaction cost and dwell time by improving infrastructure at various ports and Inland Container Depots (ICDs); increasing connectivity with ICDs and gateway ports and enhancing costal cargo movement.