Jeena & Company announced the merger of the 67-year-old JBS Group based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. This strategic move aims to provide comprehensive logistic services, encompassing both international and domestic sectors. JBS Group, founded in 1957 by Mr. J B Shah, stands as an ISO-certified, AEO group with diverse entities specializing in Customs Clearance, Multimodal Transport Operations, and IATA cargo handling. JBS Group holds its own Customs Broking License, IATA accreditation, and nearly 30 years of experience in FMC registered Bill of Lading. This addition brings an extra 95 pin codes to the existing 300+ PAN-India pincodes. Post-merging, J B Shah Logistics will assume the name JBS JEENA Logistics, combining the esteemed legacies of the 67-year-old JBS Group and the 124-year-old Jeena Group. With this development, JBS JEENA Logistics anticipates a 100% projected growth, leveraging the combined expertise and resources of both legacy entities. As a part of the merger, Jeena & Company will acquire the customers, team, and assets of the JBS Group and expand its Custom Clearance footprint in Gujarat. With JB Shah Logistics’ impactful presence in Gujarat, Jeena aims to leverage its freight forwarding business. Speaking on this, Sam Katgara, Partner, Jeena & Co. said, “As a brand, we are moving in the direction that we envisaged and it is giving us positive results. With the merging of the JBS Group, we inked a partnership that brings together two esteemed, legacy organizations with a rich history and complementary capabilities, positioning us as a leading provider of end-to-end logistics solutions in the region. Together as JBS Jeena Logistics, we feel greatly confident to create value for our customers and stakeholders through our combined force.” JBS JEENA Logistics is poised …

Air India and Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) have entered into an agreement intended to develop Bengaluru as a premier aviation hub for southern India. As part of this initiative, Air India has also signed MOU with the Government of Karnataka to establish MRO facilities at BLR airport. The initiative also aims to boost air travel connectivity to and from India over the next few years. The agreement marks a significant milestone in the Indian aviation industry. Air India (along with other Tata Group airlines – AIX and Vistara) and BIAL will collaborate to enhance international connectivity, operational efficiency, and passenger experience over the next five years. This includes strengthening the group’s presence at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (KIAB or BLR airport) through an enhanced network and establishing a dedicated domestic lounge for premium and frequent travellers of Tata Group airlines Air India and Vistara. This underscores Air India’s commitment to strengthening its presence in Bengaluru and over time, expand its global footprint to meet the growing demand for direct long-haul routes originating from Southern India. This partnership will stimulate the MRO ecosystem and is projected to generate over 1,200 new job opportunities for highly skilled individuals in the state. Campbell Wilson, Managing Director and CEO of Air India, said, “Airline-airport synergy is key to elevated customer experience and efficient operations, while Bengaluru is highly attractive as an origin and destination market as well as a connecting hub. We are therefore delighted to be strengthening our relationship with BIAL with a view to developing a greater presence at the airport, expanding air connectivity as well as building a major MRO center. This partnership agreement is a significant milestone in the …

Construction work on the State’s first multi-modal logistics park began recently in Tiruvallur district. It is being built at a cost of ₹1,500 crore on 181 acres of land. The work is being carried out in build operate transfer (BOT) mode and the first phase, during which road connectivity would be provided, will be completed in two years. “We already have a four-lane wide road, which is the State Highway. It will get some upgrades, including a flyover, and will be connected to the Chennai Peripheral Ring Road,” said officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) implementing the project. Apart from road connectivity, the park will also get rail connectivity. “We have begun acquiring lands for laying the 10-km-long railway line to connect it with the Kadambathur railway station,” the officials said. The park is being built on an all-open, dry land with no structures. The rail connectivity work will take at least four years to complete. The park, which is coming up as part of the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, the objective of which is to offer smooth intermodal freight movement, will have facilities that include automated warehouses, cold storage and customs facilities, cargo terminals, and truck terminals. Various commodities, including textile, apparel, grain, electronics, consumer goods, and automobiles and automobile components may be handled at the logistics park. Over a period of 45 years, this facility is expected to cater to a cargo volume of 7.17 million tonnes.

Delhi International Airport Ltd is committed to delivering all visitors a seamless and stress-free experience. In pursuit of this objective, DEL has recently unveiled Aero Hub – a Public Amenities Complex at Cargo City. This meticulously designed facility is a game-changer, catering specifically to the needs of our esteemed cargo service partners. With a focus on providing top-notch amenities, the Aero Hub sets a new standard for convenience, ensuring that our trade and service partners have access to world-class facilities unmatched elsewhere. Here is all you need to know about the Aero Hub at Cargo City, Delhi Airport!  Visit: https://bit.ly/DEL_AeroHub

ICRA expects the revenues of the Indian road logistics industry to remain range-bound and grow at sedate pace of 3-6% in FY2025, given the limited ability of players to increase the freight rates, expected softening in Government capex during the elections (given the Model Code of Conduct requirements) and moderation in consumer demand sentiments amid high inflation and interest rates. The outlook for the sector continues to be Stable, fuelled by a sustained momentum in economic activities, enhanced traction of organised trade and continued support from varied segments like e-commerce, FMCG, retail, pharmaceuticals, and industrial goods. Mr. Suprio Banerjee, Vice President & Sector Head – Corporate Ratings, ICRA Limited, said: “ICRA’s sample set witnessed a modest revenue growth of 2.3% in 9M FY2024 on a YoY basis amidst tapering demand due to high inflation, an uneven monsoon, a high interest rate regime and relatively muted festive season. Thus, on an elevated base of FY2023, ICRA estimates a low single digit growth of 2-5% in FY2024. The growth for road logistics sector in FY2025 is expected to be in the range of 3-6% , owing to the impact on demand from high inflation, high interest rate regime and soft (though improving) consumer sentiment. The industry operating profit margin contracted to 11.2% in 9M FY2024 (down ~150 bps YoY), on account of increase in operating costs (ex-fuel) due to the high inflationary regime, and pressure on realisations, given the sticky retail diesel rates, limiting any formula-driven price rise. ICRA expects the margins to remain in the range of 10.5-12.5% in FY2024 and FY2025 over 12.4% in FY2023 amidst inflationary headwinds and despite benefits of efficiency gains due to increasing digitalisation and value-added …

“Indian govt. has taken initiatives to improve multimodal transport and connectivity in order to increase efficiency and promote economic growth,” says Sandeep Kulkarni, COO, Allcargo Gati. He adds, “Initiatives like the Bharatmala Pariyojana, Sagarmala Programme, Make in India, and Dedicated Freight Corridors have been critical in improving road, maritime, and rail infrastructure. Despite significant improvements, persistent issues continue, particularly as National Highways account for 40% of India’s road traffic despite comprising only 2% of the total road network. To address these challenges, ongoing efforts include increasing the road network initiatives through the National Highway Development Programme and the Bharatmala Pariyojana. Furthermore, the Logistics Efficiency Enhancement Programme (LEEP) intends to improve logistics efficiency by developing Multimodal Logistics Parks. While progress has been made in modernising facilities, there are still places that require further development, and challenges such as fragmented infrastructure and last-mile connection continue to prevent seamless freight flow. Overcoming these obstacles is critical for optimising supply chains and lowering costs across various transportation modes, resulting in a more efficient and robust logistical framework for India’s economic development.”

Global air cargo market demand rose over 11 percent year-on-year for a third consecutive month in March as buoyant e-commerce volumes and concerns over the impact of conflict in the Red Sea region on ocean freight services delivered an unexpected first quarter bonus for forwarders and airlines, according to the latest weekly market data from Xeneta. In what are typically weaker months of the year for the airfreight industry, these higher volumes outpaced growth in capacity supply in Q1, which increased by +8% YoY. In turn, this produced a jump in the global dynamic load factor, which is Xeneta’s measurement of cargo capacity utilization based on volume and weight of cargo flown alongside capacity available. Load factor in the opening three months of 2024 rose +2% pts YoY to 59%, and March performance has shown similar growth, edging up to 61%. “While this latest monthly data should be balanced against the lower base recorded in the corresponding month of 2023, when we saw weakened global manufacturing activities, Q1 2024 has still seen a surprisingly busy airfreight market. The level of demand in the first quarter doesn’t indicate a market which is running out of steam so far,” said Niall van de Wouw, Xeneta’s chief airfreight officer. “The question is, should we be surprised by it, or should we get used to it? Although the market didn’t benefit immediately, the Red Sea disruption was clearly a factor in these latest figures. Airfreight growth was primarily driven by increased volumes from the Middle East and South Asia as shippers shifted services from ocean to air to avoid Red Sea delays. We also cannot underestimate the importance of e-commerce growth, which shows no …

With the launch of direct flight to Bengaluru from San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York JFK and Seattle via London Heathrow and second daily flight to Mumbai, Virgin Atlantic is now offering an additional 25,000 tonnes of cargo capacity from the fashion, pharmaceuticals and tech sectors. “With five daily services, Virgin Atlantic Cargo will offer 43,000 tonnes of space available to and from India, which is a 336 percent increase in capacity versus 2019,” says an official release. Beginning October 27, 2024, the second daily Mumbai services will operate on the airline’s state-of-the-art Airbus A350-1000, the release added. Virgin Atlantic has a strategic partnership with IndiGo, India’s leading airline, and the partnership offers 36 additional destinations. “There is a huge opportunity for us in India, it has a dynamic, fast-growing economy and we’re anticipating a huge growth in demand for international travel to and from the region,” says Juha Jarvinen, Chief Commercial Officer, Virgin Atlantic. “We know both our customers and people love travelling to India and we have a rich history in the destination. Next year marks 25 years of operations and the first time that we’ll offer more than one million seats to India via London Heathrow with optimal connectivity for our U.S. customers from key tech hubs including San Francisco and Seattle. The launch of Bengaluru and doubling of our Mumbai services reaffirms our strong commitment and will allow our customers to travel seamlessly throughout India and beyond, flying on one of the youngest fleets in the skies, with our signature personalised service, delivered by our amazing people.”

“Construction of new regional airports and developing dedicated cargo terminals will help increase cargo volumes and transportation, says Jaideep Mirchandani, Group chairman, Sky One. He adds, “There is need for launching more freighters on high-demand routes. Nowadays, most Indian airlines primarily use the belly cargo space in their fleet for cargo movement. “Inclusion of more wide-body aircraft and also rolling out more dedicated freighters can propel the growth of the cargo sector further. There is need to focus on exploring new routes and strengthening the existing ones through bilateral agreements with key trading partners to enhance cargo movement. A collaborative effort between various stakeholders focusing on technology adoption, infrastructure development, policy reforms, and skill development is necessary to maintain the growth momentum of the cargo sector.” “Upgrading existing road and rail linkages and developing multimodal logistics parks and a greater number of warehouses, will also result in the growth of the sector. Using technology to streamline customs clearance processes, automation to reduce paperwork, and switching to digital solutions for streamlining the whole process is also necessary,” he shares.

Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (HACTL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Westwell Holdings (Hong Kong) to introduce Autonomous Electric Tractors (AETs) to its ramp operations this year. HACTL aims to develop autonomous vehicles which, in addition to the relatively simple task of towing cargo dollies, automatically couple and uncouple the dollies, and adjust to their differing specifications, according to the press release from HACTL. Once testing and final on-site tuning and mapping to HACTL’s specific requirements are completed, the AETs will be integrated into HACTL’s current driver-controlled tractor fleet, and will initially tow loaded import ULDs on a 1km route between the outdoor ULD staging area, and the main terminal ULD system intake deck of SuperTerminal 1. AETs will be used on longer and more complex routes in due course. Safety is the major consideration in operating the new vehicles. Each AET is equipped with a highly accurate GNSS system and uses multiple HD cameras and LiDAR sensors to detect all objects and avoid collisions. The AETs have similar capabilities to the current diesel-powered tractor fleet, but operational speeds will be restricted to 8kph as an additional safety measure, the release added.