Nari Katgara, Director, Jeena Global express his regards on Logistics Day and says, “As we celebrate Logistics Day, we reflect on the incredible journey of the logistics industry, which has seen remarkable evolution. Logistics is the backbone of our daily lives, a beautifully designed and well-knit supply chain that ensures everything runs smoothly. From fuelling the economy to delivering your daily cup of coffee, logistics is at the core of it all. Global trade has long been a cornerstone of economic growth, and the recent focus on enhancing logistics within our country has provided the industry with a much-needed boost. Enhanced technology, improved infrastructure, and significant investments from both government and private sectors are driving this transformation. As we talk about the logistics day let us also recognise the importance of continued investment in infrastructure, digitalization, and sustainable practices to further elevate India’s logistics sector. Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to every individual who plays a crucial role in making each process successful. The future is bright, and with the government’s upcoming announcements, the Indian logistics sector has much to look forward to.”

C K Govil, President, ACAAI says, “National Logistics Day celebrates the importance of the logistics sector in the economy and recognises the critical role logistics professionals play in ensuring the smooth flow of goods and services. National Logistics Day is a significant occasion that underscores the indispensable role of logistics in the global economy. It promotes recognition, education, and innovation within the sector, while fostering collaboration and advocacy efforts. As the logistics industry continues to evolve, the observance of this day will remain crucial in highlighting its progress and addressing its ongoing challenges.”

Uday Sharma, Chief Commercial Officer, Allcargo Gati Limited on the occasion of National MSMEs day shares, “The logistics sector is currently undergoing significant reforms to tackle infrastructure and technology challenges. The logistics and supply chain industry serves as a critical lifeline for the MSME sector, enabling these businesses to deliver their products efficiently to the market. Given the constraints in capital and resources that MSMEs often face, they rely significantly on the seamless operations of their third-party logistics providers to enhance their market competitiveness and profitability. Our aim is to cultivate an ecosystem where MSMEs can thrive, supported by robust logistics infrastructure and sustainable practices. Our commitment extends beyond providing logistical solutions; we actively engage in initiatives that enhance the operational efficiency and competitiveness of MSMEs. Through various programs, including capacity-building workshops and digital transformation initiatives, we support the growth and sustainability of MSMEs. Our express distribution business, under Allcargo Gati Limited, offers last-mile delivery services tailored to the specific needs of MSMEs, ensuring their products reach all corners of the country. By connecting SME clusters with efficient logistics solutions, we help streamline their operations and unlock new market opportunities.” Furthermore, Allcargo Gati Limited is dedicated to green and sustainable logistics practices. We leverage cutting-edge technology to optimize supply chain efficiency, reduce carbon footprints, and promote eco-friendly transportation solutions. Our sustainable initiatives ensure that SMEs not only benefit from efficient logistics but also contribute to a greener environment. By fostering a collaborative approach, we can create a resilient and future-ready logistics network that empowers India’s MSMEs to achieve lasting success.”

  Honda’s divisions of Motorcycle and Power Products Operations have strategically selected BuyCo and  FourKites to streamline their container shipping operations. With a focus on boosting efficiency and enhancing visibility, Honda’s collaboration with these industry-leading technology providers marks a significant step toward advancing its supply chain. Leveraging BuyCo’s extensive ocean carrier network, Honda can now easily access shipping schedules from its carriers and select the optimal option based on criteria, such as CO2 emissions, cost, ETA and allocations. Booking is then sent directly from the platform, enabling Honda to save working time for bookings. Moreover, BuyCo empowers Honda with strong key performance indicators to improve processes, optimize inventory and reduce costs. By closely monitoring CO2 emissions, Honda is able to reduce its carbon footprint, while detention and demurrage tracking and alerts allow them to minimize costs.  In tandem, FourKites plays an instrumental role in providing Honda with an unparalleled visibility and container tracking solution. With direct access to major ocean carriers, real-time AIS data, terminal insights and dray carriers’ integration, Honda gains reliable visibility over both land and ocean transportation, allowing the company to closely monitor its containers, and proactively avoid or react faster to exceptions.  “The importance of international shipment visibility continues to increase across our customer base, especially with ongoing disruptions such as port strikes, global conflict and climate-related changes,” said Mathew Elenjickal, founder and CEO of FourKites. “Our partnership with BuyCo helps customers improve the management of ocean shipping and react quickly to drive agility and adapt to such disruptions. We are honored to have been selected by Honda to achieve its digitization objectives.”   Moreover, FourKites is working closely with its exclusive partner in Japan, Mitsui Knowledge Industry Co., …

CJ Darcl Logistics has leased over 1.25 lakh square feet of warehousing space in the Narasapura Industrial and Logistics Park of IndoSpace, for a period of 9 years. IndoSpace is India’s largest developer of Grade A industrial and logistics real estate with 52 logistics parks spread across 58 million square feet delivered and under development across 11 cities. A leading diversified logistics service provider in India, CJ Darcl offers multimodal capabilities and is a market leader in the full truckload (FTL) segment. The company has built an extensive pan-India network covering road/FTL, rail/multimodal, air cargo, and shipping/coastal transportation with a ‘technology-first’ approach. The Warehousing and Distribution (W&D) division of CJ Darcl, which has leased the space from IndoSpace offers, services such as shelf-life maintenance, product mixing, packaging, cross-docking, bar-code scanning, order-fulfilment and other ancillary services.   The IndoSpace Narasapura Industrial and Logistics Park is in a flourishing industrial area. Built on a plot spread across 64 acres, the park is strategically located just 54 kilometres from Bengaluru city centre. It is equipped with superior infrastructure, world-class amenities, and sustainable solutions, making it an ideal choice for businesses seeking to expand their operations in the region. The logistics park has also achieved the prestigious Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) Platinum Rating, reflecting IndoSpace’s dedication to environmentally friendly practices.   Rajesh Jaggi, Vice Chairman – Real Estate, The Everstone Group, stated that “We’re thrilled to announce our partnership with CJ Darcl, extending a warm welcome to their team at our cutting-edge facility in Narasapura. This collaboration not only symbolizes our shared commitment to excellence but also strategically positions CJ Darcl to leverage IndoSpace’s expansive reach across 11 cities and 52 parks, facilitating their growth …

V-Trans has inaugurated a state-of-the-art super transshipment facility in Pardi, Gujarat, sprawling over one lakh square feet. Strategically located on NH 48, this facility is seamlessly integrated with key industrial clusters across South Gujarat, promising enhanced logistical efficiency nationwide. Engineered with advanced technology and sustainable infrastructure, including renewable energy sources, the hub epitomizes V-Trans’ commitment to redefining industry benchmarks. This launch signifies a monumental leap forward in logistics capability, offering unparalleled operational efficiencies and bolstering industry competitiveness.

According to a latest analysis from WorldACD Market Data, “The growth of ‘general cargo’ air freight tonnages is outpacing that of ‘special cargo’ products so far in 2024. The demand from air cargo shipments requiring special handling and shipping, has broadly outperformed general cargo in recent years, reveals data. Analysis of the first five months of 2024 by WorldACD, based on the more than 2 million monthly transactions recorded via its database, indicates that total worldwide chargeable weight from January to May 2024 was up +12% compared with the equivalent period last year, with general cargo demand up by +13%, year on year (YoY), and special cargo growth trailing at +10%. “This contrasts with findings late last year by WorldACD that in the first eight months of 2023, general cargo tonnages fell by -12%, YoY, whereas tonnages of special cargo products as a whole grew by +3%, on a worldwide basis, at a time when the market as a whole was down by -7%, YoY,” states WorldACD. According to the analysis, “one factor for this is the strong growth since the start of last autumn in cross-border e-commerce traffic, which often flies in bulk as general cargo rather than within a special product category, as well as conversion of sea freight to air cargo and sea-air resulting from disruptions since last November to container shipping due to the attacks on vessels in the Red Sea. These two factors have contributed to significant YoY rises in chargeable weight in the five months to May 2024 (year-to-date May, or YtD May) from Asia Pacific (+20%) and Middle East & South Asia (MESA, +22%).  

“With the government’s Make in India program, & PLI schemes, there has been a huge push to make sure that there is a sizable increase in the production capacity out of India. We are trying to make India one of the factories of the world and for that, we need to create a larger logistics infra and air cargo must be part of it,” says Yashpal Sharma, President, ACFI and Managing Director, Skyways Group, at a curtain raiser event organised ahead of ACFI’s annual conclave on July 4 in New Delhi. He adds, “Air cargo ecosystem also needs to spread across the country. Under the Udaan scheme, government has rolled out various regional airports.  Over the last 10 years, we’ve seen a huge increase in the number of airports that are functioning in the country. And as these airports grow, it is important that each one of these airports are also looked at from an individual perspective. And their entire ecosystem is also built, which is in line with what the customer needs. So ACFI has been opening these regional chapters to address absolute local micro-level pain points and also share practices with each other, so that we are able to bring them to the standards that the customer needs from around the world.”

CargoAi has launched its latest innovative feature, Allotment, which simplifies & automates batch pre-booking & allotment for regular air cargo across more than 40 airlines across over 130 countries. This new addition to CargoAi’s comprehensive digital ecosystem further streamlines the operational booking process for freight forwarders looking to remove manual repetitive tasks & improved operators’ experience. In an industry where efficiency and precision are paramount, CargoAi’s allotment feature stands out by simplifying & automating the regular booking of cargo space, thus eliminating the repetitive manual shipment-by-shipment process and reducing the potential for errors. This cutting-edge feature allows freight forwarders to secure space in batches on flights seamlessly, ensuring timely and consistent shipment deliveries – cutting down the overall process from days, waiting for confirmations from multiple airlines, down to a few seconds thanks to their batch allotment upload solution & instant confirmation feature. The solution – already adopted by multiple small & large forwarders – offers a plug & play solution into existing processes and helps reducing the operational workload by up to 99% for allotment bookings. “We have been using the CargoAi Pre-Booking and Allotment’s feature since March 2024. This has simplified our pre-booking  process and we get automatic acceptance confirmation on our bookings ultimately saving time for our operations. We also no longer have to remember to chase confirmation on pre-bookings”, said Maxime Boucher, Chicago Export Gateway Manager at Flexport.

CMA CGM launches India East Coast Express (IEX 2), a new service connecting Asia to Southeast East India and Sri Lanka, says reports. This new service is set to commence operations with the departure of the vessel HANSA HOMBURG from Singapore on June 27th, 2024. “The IEX 2 will operate on a dedicated fortnightly schedule, providing a direct shuttle from Singapore to Chennai and Colombo. The port rotation for this service will include stops at Singapore, Chennai, Colombo, and then back to Singapore. IEX 2 will also facilitate the transportation of Chennai exports through Colombo, leveraging CMA CGM’s extensive network to provide enhanced connectivity and convenience for customers,” add reports.