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.

Pepperfry has launched its first ever built-to-suit home and furniture warehouse in Bengaluru. This automated and tech-led warehouse, located in Hoskote area, is spread across 3,60,000 sq ft, making it the largest built-to-suit facility in the segment, in India. South India forms the biggest market for Pepperfry and the facility will thereby help the company provide best-in-class services to its customers. The facility is located along the highway and is equidistant from key demand centres in Bangalore, which results in a reduction in overall transit time and long-haul movement cost across markets, as well as allows hassle-free movement of vehicles. This improved infrastructure will also ensure overall customer experience will go up with faster delivery rates. The launch is in line with Pepperfry’s aim to build the largest big-box logistics network in India and particularly strengthen its services in South India, which contributes to 40% of the marketplace’s overall business.

DP World plans to make Container Multimodal Terminals (CMTL), its Hyderabad Private Freight Terminal (PFT), as a multi-modal distribution hub for South India cargo. The company has already established private freight terminals and rail-road linkages connecting the city with other trading hubs across the country. The global trade enabler will leverage its rail-road transport connectivity and warehouses. The announcement was made during the conference themed ‘India’s Logistics Sector on the Path of Transformation’ in Hyderabad. The company said Hyderabad will act as the catalyst to drive more trade in the state of Telangana. CMTL houses a Multi-Modal Logistics Park (MMLP) at Thimmapur (near Hyderabad in Telangana state) with proximity to National Highway 7. The MMLP is equipped with a railway siding and over 250,000 sq ft. of warehousing to cater to the needs of both domestic and EXIM trade.

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.

The Federation of Freight Forwarders’ Associations in India (FFFAI) elected new office bearers of the Executive Committee for the period of 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 in its 56th Annual General Meeting (AGM). AV Vijaykumar, who earlier was Chairman-elect, has taken over as Chairman of FFFAI and Shankar Shinde has been elected as Chairman-elect for ensuing two years. PS Atree, Rajesh Verma and Sudip Dey have been re-elected as Vice Chairmen while Vijay Sharma, Alan Jose and Mandava Satyanarayana have become the newly elected Vice Chairmen of the Federation. Dushyant Mulani and Sudhir Agarwal have been elected unopposed Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer respectively. Vijaykumar made it clear that in the days to come FFFAI would play more effective and key role in the growth of ex-im trade as well as logistics industry in the country, through collective initiatives.

According to the warehousing Asia Pacific vision study by Zebra Technologies Corporation, warehousing, distribution and fulfilment operations are undergoing a modern-day makeover as they transform to meet the growing needs of the world’s on-demand economy. 57 per cent of decision makers plan to enable partial automation or labour augmentation with technology in the warehouse. 70 per cent of respondents believe human interaction is part of their optimal balance in warehousing, with 43 per cent citing partial automation (some human involvement) and 27 per cent citing augmentation (equipping workers with devices) as their preference. Decision makers anticipate using robotics for inbound inventory management (27 per cent), packing (24 per cent) and goods in/receiving (21 per cent) by 2024.

FM Logistic has broken ground on its new multi-client logistics facility (MCF) in Jhajjar, near Gurugram, Haryana. The new warehouse will have a storage capacity of 100,000 pallet positions and provide a dedicated area for co-packing and other value-added services. Furnished with best-in-class safety and security features, the warehouse will offer cost efficient, quality storage and handling services. This warehouse, which is expected to be completed in December 2020, is part of the five-year US$ 150 million investment plan the company announced in March 2019. Located on a 31-acre site, the future facility will provide cutting-edge warehousing, handling, value-added and omnichannel services to FM Logistic’s clients in the northern region of India.

Nippon Express has agreed to acquire a 22 per cent stake in Future Supply Chain Solutions (FSC). This transaction is a combination of primary issuance and secondary purchase from an existing Investor. As part of this transaction, FSC will issue 37,89,350 shares to Nippon Express at a price of ₹664 per share (22 per cent premium to the current market price). Through this primary issue Nippon Express will hold 8.6 per cent stake on a fully diluted basis and FSC will raise around ₹252 crore for funding its near-term growth plans. Nippon Express and FSC plan to explore synergies between the two organizations. FSC and Nippon Express will jointly evaluate leveraging Nippon Express’ competency in diverse sectors for the Indian market. FSC plans to leverage Nippon Express’ Japanese and MNC clients for exploring new business opportunities in India, especially for 3PL and express logistics operations. Nippon Express will also have representation on FSC’s Board of Directors, which will further strengthen its board through their strategic direction.

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.