NICDC Logistics Data Services Ltd. (NLDSL) announces the launch of Unified Logistics Interface Platform (ULIP) Hackathon 2.0, a competitive event aimed at fostering innovation and developing digital solutions to tackle pressing challenges in the logistics industry. The Hackathon was officially launched at an event held under the chairmanship of Shri Rajeev Singh Thakur, Additional Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), at Vanijya Bhawan. The launch event witnessed more than 1800 attendees joining the kick-off physically and virtually, reflecting widespread industry interest in the initiative. Hackathon 2.0 marks a significant step in leveraging innovation and technology to reshape and streamline India’s logistics and supply chain sector. Building on the success of ULIP Hackathon 1.0, which resulted in the development of cutting-edge solutions, Hackathon 2.0 invites developers, start-ups, and industry players to come together once again. The focus of this year’s hackathon is on addressing key logistics challenges such as sustainability, complex supply chain processes, unified documentation, and multimodal logistics optimization. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Rajeev Singh Thakur, said, “We are excited to launch ULIP Hackathon 2.0, an initiative that fosters creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration. With the tremendous success of Hackathon 1.0, we are confident that this year’s event will generate even more innovative solutions to shape the future of India’s logistics ecosystem.” As part of its ongoing commitment to transforming the logistics sector, NLDSL also announced the launch of the Track Your Transport (TYT) application powered by ULIP. This app is designed to empower small-scale transporters and traders by addressing various facets of logistics management, from providing tracking of cargo via all modes to verification of vehicles and drivers.  TYT eliminates the need for heavy IT …

Robinsons Global Logistics Solutions (RGL) has inked a deal with IndoSpace to lease a 30,000 sq. ft. sustainable Grade A warehouse in Bavla, an industrial area situated in the Ahmedabad district of Gujarat. This lease for five years represents a key milestone in RGL’s expansion plan. The park adds to RGL’s footprint of over one million sq. ft of warehousing space across India. Located in the thriving industrial hub of Bavla, this warehouse is equipped with cutting-edge technology and sustainable practices, the facility is primed to optimize operations for customers across sectors, including FMCG, automotive, retail, e-commerce, edtech, and more. It underscores RGL’s drive to integrate top-tier infrastructure with environmental responsibility. With a total land parcel of 50 acres, the industrial and logistics park at Bavla is in proximity (15 km) to the Changodar industrial area, which is the largest and most preferred industrial location of Ahmedabad. The park also offers good accessibility to the major ports of Kandla and Mundra (300-350 km), making it well-connected via multi-modal transport to the consumption markets of the neighbouring states such as Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh.

The State government is set to sign a ‘Letter of Intent’ with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Goa Institute of Management (GIM) for the establishment of the Goa Centre of Excellence (CoE) on Logistics, says reports.  This agreement was formalised during the 10th edition of the CII Goa Logistics Conference recently. The aim is to advance Goa’s logistics sector, a key pillar of the State’s economic growth strategy. The CoE will play a crucial role in implementing the recently launched Logistics Policy, driving the strategic development of logistics infrastructure, enhancing policy support, and facilitating capacity building within the sector in Goa.

The Indian Railways has unveiled the first look of the Vande Cargo Train, a significant advancement in the country’s logistics and transportation sector. This innovative freight train aims to revolutionise the way parcels are transported, drawing inspiration from the efficiency of air travel. With the promise of streamlined delivery processes akin to that of an airplane, the Vande Cargo Train is set to enhance the movement of goods across the nation. The introduction of the Vande Cargo Train comes on the heels of several other ambitious projects by the Indian Railways, including the Vande Bharat Express, Amrit Bharat Train, and Vande Metro Train.

Nihar Parida, Air Cargo Consultant says, “ In the Indian context, expanding the Open Sky Policy for air cargo is an essential step toward improving the nation’s logistics network, boosting export efficiency, and enhancing global competitiveness. It aligns well with India’s broader economic ambitions and has the potential to transform India into a key player in global air cargo logistics, provided there is concurrent investment in infrastructure and technology.” He adds, At the same time India should carefully consider the scope of an Open Sky Policy for air cargo, balancing the potential benefits of increased efficiency and global connectivity with the risks of market saturation, security concerns, and the need to protect domestic airlines and infrastructure. A more calibrated approach—allowing selective access to foreign airlines, strengthening domestic infrastructure, and ensuring national security—may be a wiser strategy for fostering long-term growth in the air cargo sector. India should keep in Mind: 1. Impact on Domestic Airlines and Logistics Companies 2. Risk of Overcapacity and Market Saturation 3. Security Concerns 4. Underdeveloped Infrastructure 5. Regulatory and Operational Complexities 6. Economic Imbalance a. Asymmetrical Trade Benefits: Many foreign airlines may use Indian airports as hubs to transport cargo between other countries, rather than primarily serving Indian exporters or importers. This may not result in significant economic benefits for India in terms of job creation or local investment. b. Revenue Loss: If Indian airlines lose market share to foreign competitors, it could result in a loss of revenue for the domestic aviation industry and reduce the potential for job growth within India. 7. Strategic Economic Protection: Some degree of protectionism may be necessary to ensure that key industries, such as logistics and aviation, remain …

Time critical forwarder time:matters has partnered with cargo.one on the use of its online booking platform. The partnership will give time:matters’ team the ability to quote and book capacity from over 60 airlines on a 24/7 basis, which the company hopes will reduce the time it takes to quote. “The significant savings in team time allows the company to redeploy its logistics experts to focus on more complex, customer-facing tasks,” the company said. The platform will be implemented across time:matters’ offices in the US, Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Singapore and China. Lars Krosch, chief operating officer at time:matters, said, “By further digitalising our buying rate process and leveraging more agile quotation and booking capabilities with cargo.one, we are taking another significant step towards enhancing our customer experience. This partnership is in line with our long-term strategy to strengthen our competitiveness, improve the efficiency of our teams and deliver continuously more value to our customers.”

  Air France KLM Martinair Cargo (AFKLM) launched a new freighter to Hong Kong after as carriers are moving capacity to the Asia Pacific market to capitalise on strong cargo demand. The flight was operated by Martinair on behalf of KLM between Schiphol and Hong Kong utilising a 110 tonne capacity Boeing 747-400 freighter. The service will initially operate three times per week before increasing to four weekly flights at the start of the winter season on October 27.

Sumitomo Electric Hardmetal India inaugurated its new warehouse at an event in Mumbai. The meeting began with an address by Atsushi Murayama, Chairman of Sumitomo Electric Hardmetal India, who introduced the chief guest, Toshihiro Kaneko, Chief Consul of the Consulate-General of Japan. Kaneko’s presentation highlighted the long-standing cultural and trade relations between India and Japan, which have spanned over 130 years. Kazuyoshi Kimura, General Manager of the Hardmetal Division at Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd., spoke about the company’s rich 400-year history and its advancements in the machining industry. He also shared future development plans for the sector. Michinari Asano, Managing Director of Sumitomo Electric Hardmetal India, discussed the infrastructure and detailed plans for expanding Indian operations. Technical General Manager Tetsuya Hamada presented new tools set to launch soon, while Samir Kumar, General Manager of Sales, discussed emerging sales trends. With over a year of operations in India, Sumitomo Electric Hardmetal India is set for significant growth in the Indian cutting tool industry, focusing on innovation and expanding its market footprint.

Ground handler SATS and freight forwarder Sinotrans will work together to add a series of new airfreight hubs. The two companies said the partnership will see them create gateway hubs for Sinotrans’ airfreight arm, Sinoair, in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and Belgium. Sinoair currently has regular charters operating between China, Liege and Dubai International Airport and is looking to expand further to the rest of the world. They are also in talks for SATS to manage Sinoair’s new e-commerce hub in the Chinese city of Hangzhou, expected to be ready in 2026. “This Memorandum of Understanding will pave the way for the two companies to create long-term sustainable value for their respective stakeholders by working together in some of the world’s busiest and most important airports,” the new partners said. SATS chief executive of gateway services Bob Chi said, “We look forward to working with Sinoair to leverage our respective networks to give customers even better global network connectivity to and from China, which has one of the world’s fastest growing air transportation sectors, to cities worldwide.”

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) signed MoU with Rorix Holdings, Abu Dhabi-based global trade facilitation and finance company, to integrate technologies into their logistics and trading platforms. The MoU was signed during the UAE-India Business Forum. As per APSEZ’s stock exchange filing, both companies are aiming “to leverage the strengths of both organisations to integrate advanced technologies into their logistics and trading platforms and create synergies that will transform the commodities market ecosystem”. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, executive chairman of Rorix Holdings, stated, “By combining our expertise in regulated financial platforms and market infrastructure with Adani Ports’ strength in logistics and port management, we aim to revolutionise the way commodities are traded, stored, and managed.”