Peter Musola, Head – Cargo Commercial, Kenya Airways shares, “We are all set to launch our freighter Boeing 737-800 in Mumbai on January 25 to cater to Pharma market. We also have plans to expand our network and destinations, in India, but we are starting operations with Mumbai. India is a Pharma hub and we see lot of potential in Indian market. India is a great trade destination and lot of Pharma is being moved to and from Africa, with our hub in Nairobi. Kenya Airways is looking at enhancing regional connectivity and capacity but due to global economic slowdown and crises in Africa, things are not in our favour at the moment as there are lots of complexities. But we are very focused and we look at India as a major market and have growth prospects for our main Nairobi Hub so we will definitely expand here.

3SC Solutions, a leading data analytics company, launched GAURI – a transformative chatbot powered by unparalleled Generative AI capabilities. GAURI marks a monumental shift in risk management within the supply chain industry. Offering comprehensive insights, actionable recommendations, and the capability to respond to any supply chain query, GAURI’s agile interface traverses the complexities of supply chain management with ease. Key Highlights of GAURI: Comprehensive Risk Management It integrates with and analyzes clients’ supply chains, identifying potential risks and giving resilient solutions and recommendations. Versatile Chatbot Interface Serving as an encompassing tool, GUARI addresses supply chain inquiries, offers analytics-based insights, and notifies with actionable recommendations to enhance resilience. The generative AI chatbot is a high-powered resource that can navigate the intricacies of the supply chain as it offers a versatile solution that goes beyond the traditional paradigms. It can identify potential risks, take mitigative actions, and act as a guide for supply chain inquiries. In addition to this, the chatbot integrates with systems to execute strategies and create a responsive value chain ecosystem.

The Warehousing Association of India (WAI) organised a workshop on Empowering Women in Logistics which Unveiled Strategies for Inclusion and Excellence on Empowering Women in Logistics. There was another workshop on Standardisation, Grading, and Rating of Warehouses in India. Inaugural ceremony had speakers, including Hoe Yun Jeong and Sumita Dawra, who gave insightful welcome remarks and a unique address. Hosted in Delhi by ADB, DPIIT, and WAI, the event aimed to shed light on the challenges faced by women in logistics and presented strategies to overcome them. Sanjam Gupta, Founder of Maritime SheEO, provided a comprehensive overview of the workshop. The workshop’s objectives included addressing gender diversity challenges, fostering inclusive work environments, and introducing the Survey on Diversity & Inclusion.

ECU Worldwide, Allcargo Logistics’ wholly-owned global subsidiary and leader in LCL consolidation announces release of its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) FY 2022-23 report with the theme ‘Navigating the Green Horizon.’ Th e report highlights ECU Worldwide’s commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040, the company’s ESG goals and commitments which include energy and emissions, Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), community development, labour practices and human rights, cybersecurity, and corporate governance. Shashi Kiran Shetty, Founder & Chairman, Allcargo Group said, ” With the launch of the report, we have set out on a mission to instill sustainable practices in our operations, aiming to minimize our ecological & social impact while delivering seamless logistics solutions. We at ECU Worldwide, are committed to moving further towards a sustainable and resilient future with our ESG journey. Being a global logistics conglomerate with presence in 180 countries, we recognize our responsibility to transform operations and actively contribute to reducing emissions. In line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs), Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) 2021 Standards, we have set out to achieve carbon neutrality and adopt 100% renewable energy at all owned facilities by 2040. We firmly believe that collective action will help in solving challenges and achieving a sustainable supply chain, as we look to collaborate with our customers, strategic partners and suppliers.”

Pramod K Agrawal, Principal Chief Commissioner of Customs, Mumbai said, “We are facilitators of trade. Transparency, cost-efficiency, connectivity and process-integration plays key role in today’s logistics business scenario, and we are working hard in this direction. Recently, we had invited the industry stakeholders to apply for Authorised Economic Operators (AEO) certification, but we didn’t get a good response. I urge the traders to cooperate and collaborate with us to make trade seamless and efficient.” Agrawal, while speaking at the India International Cargo Show as Guest of Honour also mentioned that technology is set to bring a revolution in the Indian logistics business scenario. There’s lot of progress happening in terms of investments and implementation. As part of National Logistics Policy, govt introduced ULIP to improve operation efficiency cut costs and improves agility. Also, there’s need to cut costs but without compromising on the time, quality and security of shipments.”

Apollo Supply Chain has partnered with Classic Legends (CLPL), the parent company of Jawa and Yezdi motorcycles, to optimize the logistics of Jawa Yezdi Motorcycles, bringing efficiency, and ensuring seamless distribution of their motorcycles across India with improved availability. Under this partnership, Apollo Supply Chain will undertake the logistics management for Jawa and Yezdi motorcycles, including transportation of finished goods from the manufacturing plant to various delivery points and multi-echelon inventory management. Additionally, Apollo Supply Chain will have the responsibility to manage the operations of in-plant warehouse and various transit vehicle points located across India to ensure seamless movement of these motorcycles across the supply network. This strategic partnership brings numerous benefits to both Jawa Yezdi Motorcycles and its customers. As part of the assignment, various transit vehicle points are identified to enable hub and spoke operations and bring in efficiencies in logistics operations. Primary distribution cost is optimised using specialised trailers designed to carry high loads. For secondary distribution, tech solutions such as load and route optimisation tools are utilised to maximize vehicle space utilisation and minimize vehicle travel distance and time through efficient route planning.

Oman Air launched its maiden freighter services from GMR Hyderabad International Airport, operating its first Boeing B737-800BCF connecting Hyderabad and Muscat. The freighter service will operate two weekly flights, on Tuesday and Saturday. The flight will depart from Hyderabad at 14:00 hours. With a one-way capacity of 22 metric tons, the freighter will add an additional weekly capacity of 88 metric tons from Hyderabad Airport. This service is poised to boost the export of pharmaceuticals and hatching eggs shipments from the city. Pradeep Panicker, CEO, GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd, said, “The Oman Air freighter services from Hyderabad Airport will not only link our diverse industries and the thriving market within the city but will also provide opportunities for the businesses in the surrounding regions access to the global market. As global cargo demand continues to grow, we have emphasized and developed infrastructure and innovative capabilities, digital solutions, and added multiple value additions. We look forward to adding more cargo routes in the coming years.”

The India International Cargo Show (IICS) kickstarted in Mumbai on 13th December with focus on Digitalisation, sustainability and collaboration. Experts discussed, “E-commerce is growing exponentially and driving air cargo business and capacities. Air freight market is evolving, the industry will be dynamic in 2024. There will be huge focus on cost without compromising on the time and quality. India as a Pharma hub will also grow exponentially in next 10 years. Platforms like ULIP will also take industry forward.”

The India International Cargo Show (IICS), country’s biggest cargo & logistics exhibition opens today in Mumbai. The three day exhibition will continue till 15th Dec at Jio World Convention Center. The eveny will have insightful panel discussions on multimodal logistics enabling supply chain efficiency, pharma logistics, airports infrastructure, tech driven growth, embracing next-gen air cargo operations and lot more. The inaugural session will host distinguished ministers and leaders from the logistics industry, sharing their visionary perspectives and insights to pave the way for a future of innovation and collaboration in the dynamic world of logistics. IICS will be the only platform in the country to bring the entire cargo and logistics fraternity including air, ocean, road, logistics, warehousing, ground handling, supply chain, technology, etc. under one roof. With over 200 brands showcasing their products and services, the IICS Show is the perfect platform for logisticians to network with key players in the industry.

Nari Katgara, Director, Jeena Global shares his outlook for 2024 and says, “In 2024, global trade dynamics may shift towards shorter regional supply chains, particularly in critical industries. This could be driven by geopolitical factors, trade tensions, and efforts to reduce carbon footprint.” He adds, “The global supply chain faced significant challenges this year, with disruptions caused by the war. These disruptions highlighted the critical need for resilient and adaptable supply chains. In this evolving landscape, Jeena & Company remains committed to providing our customers with the highest quality service. We are actively exploring opportunities in New Zealand and the United States while further strengthening our operations in Australia. This expansion allows us to better serve our customers and position ourselves for continued growth in the years to come. Looking ahead, we recognize that consumers will continue to demand faster and more convenient delivery options. This will require logistics providers like ourselves to adapt our offerings by investing heavily in technology in order to cater to specific customer needs.”