has signed an MoU to invest INR 3,000 crore in Karnataka to boost its warehousing and logistics sector. The MoU is signed for a period of seven years and promises to generate 14,000 new jobs in Karnataka. The announcement was made at the Invest Karnataka 2022 summit at the Bengaluru Palace grounds and was presided over by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai. This investment by IndoSpace will help attract further investments in the state and help meet the increasing demands of industries linked with warehousing and logistics, said official release. Rajesh Jaggi, Vice Chairman – Real Estate, Everstone Group, said, “Karnataka has a vibrant and growing base in sectors like automobile, electronics, aerospace, agriculture, textiles and engineering. We want to help enrich these industries and provide them with world-class warehousing and logistics facilities. Our investment, which is the largest ever in Karnataka, will work towards enhancing the industrial infrastructure in the state. IndoSpace already has significant presence in the state, and we have enabled tenants from sectors such as electronic, automobile, e-commerce, fashion, supply chain and more to grow. At IndoSpace, we are committed to strengthening the Indian economy by meeting the country’s ever-rising demands around industrialisation and the supply chain ecosystem. We look forward to support from the Karnataka government and make a positive impact in the state.”

S A Mohan, Founder Director, Warehousing Association of India (WAI), CEO & Director at Armes Maini Storage Systems shared his views on National Logistics Policy and said, “NLP is the first step towards a unified approach to the logistics industry. There are several elements in logistics such as multi-modal transportation, warehousing & related infrastructure. NLP has specifically set out the agenda for Digitization, Unified Platform, all of which are directed towards a transparent system visible to stakeholders across all modes of transport and regulatory authorities. As the platforms go live, ease of doing business will be enabled resulting in improved efficiency and speed. Cost of logistics will drop over time when overall system begins to function seamlessly.” He added, “Modern Warehouse Infrastructure is another significant element for efficient logistics and growth of the economy. The release of E-Handbook for Warehouse in collaboration with Warehouse Association of India is the first step towards standardization of Warehouses. The handbook is a key resource for development of Modern Warehouses for developers and related stakeholders including end users.” “Along with development of Modern Warehouses, size and scale will be significant to drive improved efficiencies in operations and costs. Well designed, safe Storage Racking & Shelving Systems, efficient Material Handling Equipment, Conveyors, High Speed Sortation Systems, Cargo Lifts etc., will facilitate cost and operational efficiencies at scale for Warehouses. Modern Warehouses will allow deployment of Automated Material Handling solutions. Automation is available from entry level to sophisticated solutions depending on business needs,” he further noted. Summarising it, Mohan said, “NLP and E-Handbook for Warehouse is a good beginning to develop Logistics Infrastructure for India’s growth towards US$ 5 Trillion Economy and beyond.”

Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC and Asia-pacific focused real estate services and investment company ESR Group have entered a strategic partnership to set up a $600 million or Rs 4,964 crore joint venture to acquire income-producing core industrial and logistics assets in India. The sovereign fund will be holding 80% equity in the joint venture (Core JV), while the Hong Kong Stock Exchange-listed ESR will control 20% equity. This joint venture is an extension of the of the existing partnership in India between the two, which was initiated in 2020. With the new arrangement, the capital pool available to invest in development and core logistics and industrial opportunities across the country stand over $1 billion. With the new arrangement, the capital pool available to invest in development and core logistics and industrial opportunities across the country stand over $1 billion.

Qatar Airways Cargo has launched a new freighter service to Saudi Arabia as it looks to capitalise on demand to and from the country. The new twice-weekly freighter service to Riyadh started on November 1 and will utilise a B777F offering around 100 tonnes of capacity per flight. The service is in addition to bellyhold operations in the country covering 96 flights per week to the cities of Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Qassim and Medina. In total, the carrier will now offer around 900 tonnes of cargo capacity to/from Saudi Arabia per week. The addition of the freighter service increases the weekly cargo capacity to 900 tonnes from Saudi Arabia. “Riyadh is the capital and largest city in Saudi Arabia. The majority of the imports and exports consist of general cargo, followed by valuable/vulnerable cargo and live animals,” said the airline. Qatar Airways chief officer cargo Guillaume Halleux said, “We have had a very successful 2022 so far and I am pleased to announce the freighter services to Riyadh. The launch of these services will not only provide a consistent and reliable freighter service but also contribute to the economic and trade growth between Qatar and Saudi Arabia.”

A.P. Moller, Maersk continues to invest in its airfreight operations following the introduction of Maersk Air Cargo in April. The company, which uses Billund Airport (BLL) in Denmark as its main air cargo hub, has been looking to expand its reach. “We want to create more routing options and flexibility for customers looking to improve their air cargo supply chains,” Mike Meierkort, regional head of Maersk North America Logistics and Services, said in a statement. “Our new Chicago Air Freight Gateway offers an integrated supply chain solution to time critical shipments and order fulfillment deadlines,” he added. Earlier this month Maersk began operating its second airfreight hub in Chicago at O’Hare International Airport (ORD). The hub, which offers direct planeside recovery with immediate transfers for time-critical shipments, serves Maersk’s air cargo hub at Rockford International Airport (RFD) as an import and export consolidation center.

WestJet Cargo has signed a deal to use the SmartKargo cargo management platform as it prepares to ramp up operations with the addition of its first freighters. The SmartKargo platform is cloud-based and links with the carrier’s existing systems through API connections. It offers business intelligence, real-time information and machine learning, said release. The carrier has four B737-800 converted freighters ready to start operations on intra-Canada services. The start date of operations will be announced soon, the carrier said. “The innovative SmartKargo platform empowers us to develop a very reliable and flexible air cargo business,” said Kirstin de Bruijn, WestJet, executive vice president, cargo. “As we enter a pivotal new chapter for WestJet Cargo, SmartKargo’s cutting-edge cloud platform will propel WestJet Cargo forward by providing a complete solution that includes innovative technology and expertise that will assist us in growing our business to its full potential,” she added.

The global Air Cargo market size is projected to reach USD 111810 Million by 2027, from USD 82570 Million in 2020, at a CAGR of 4.0% during 2021-2027. Key drivers of the air cargo market include the growing demand for faster delivery of cargo, stated Global Air Cargo Market Size, Status and Forecast 2022, “Increasing cross-border eCommerce and low costs related to insurance premiums will drive the growth of the air cargo market during the forecast period. Further, the rapid expansion of the pharmaceutical industry and the need to transport temperature-sensitive goods such as drugs, medicines will aid in market growth. Trends Influencing the Global Air Cargo Market includes consumer demand for faster delivery of cargo. The demand for air cargo is growing as transportation of goods by air takes much less time in comparison to other modes of transportation such as railways, roads, and shipping. There is a fixed arrival and departure time with minimal or no scope for delays. The warehouse requirement is less and clearance is fast. The shipment of goods always arrives on time. Thus the above factors are creating consumer demand for air cargo thereby driving the growth of the air cargo market during the forecast period, Expansion of cross-border eCommerce and low insurance premiums and Growth of pharmaceutical industry and need for transporting temperature-sensitive goods,” he added.

The government of Tripura has proposed the center for setting up one more multimodal logistics hub in the state to boost trade between Bangladesh and India. The proposal to establish such a facility at Udaipur in Gomati District has been sent to the central government, said official reports. Work is in full swing for establishing the states first multimodal logistics hub in the south Tripura Sabroom, where a special economic zone (SEZ), and integrated check post, and a food park will be set up for promoting trade and business with Bangladesh, reports added. In addition, the state government has already proposed the center for setting up another MMLP in Udaipur on the bank of Gomati river as the Sonamura-Daudkandi route has already been declared as the protocol route for island waterways,” sadded reports. Around 20 acres of land has already been identified for the proposed project while a process has been initiated to identify 30 acres more. Road, railways, waterways and air route will be constructed for the proposed project to facilitate trade, commerce and tourism.

“Our partnership with Airbus for Freighter programme will help strengthen our CarGo business and act as a strong engine of economic growth for the country. We have received our first A321 Freighter aircraft, converted from passenger jet to a full freighter configuration,” informed Mahesh Malik, Chief Commercial Officer- CarGo, IndiGo. The A321P2F (Passenger-to-Freighter conversion) is the most efficient narrow-bodied freighter available, offering 24 container positions and supporting a payload of up to 27 tonnes.” “These have been converted through a programme involving ST Engineering and Airbus with their joint venture, Elbe FlugzeugWerke (EFW). The aircraft is uniquely capable for IndiGo, using our current vast pool of A320 family pilots, and able to service markets between China in the east and the Gulf in the west. IndiGo leased the aircraft from funds serviced by Castlelake Aviation Holdings (Ireland) Limited, part of a global alternative investment firm with 17 years of tenure investing in, financing, and managing aviation assets. IndiGo inducted its first dedicated cargo aircraft in September and will induct the next two by October 2022 and another two in 2023. We have now initiated a proper freighter programme after using our passenger aircraft for cargo operations during covid. We are in the process of converting 4 A321CEO to freighters with a capacity of 25-27 tonnes by 2023. Indian airlines are increasing their cargo capacity, with the segment emerging as a critical and promising revenue stream in the last two years. India’s dedicated freighter fleet has seen a dramatic rise in numbers—from just five to 28 aircraft. The number is set to rise further as airlines are looking to add aircraft only for cargo operations, as it fared better than the …

“We certainly recognise the importance and potential of India as a key trading nation and major air cargo market. We are continually reviewing our programme to provide the services that our customers require, and this includes giving them the best service and experience,” said Alex McEwan, Country Manager- South Asia, Virgin Atlantic. “We have operated service to India, for 22 years, serving both Mumbai and Delhi with daily and double daily frequencies respectively.There is a broad range of commodities flying to India including consumer goods, hi tech, e-commerce and machinery. Exports from India include pharmaceuticals, garments, machinery and perishables.” Earlier this year in June we launched the second daily flight on London-Delhi route. This is our largest ever flying programme in India. We are always exploring partnership opportunities across the globe and it is an inherent pillar of our growth strategy.“Sustainability will be a key driver for the air cargo sector. At Virgin Atlantic Cargo, sustainability, digital distribution and new product development will be key initiatives for us. “Delivering these initiatives, combined with our reputation for high service standards and strong customer relationships will ensure our continued growth in 2023 and beyond.”