In a recent report titled ‘Exploring India’s thriving logistics and warehousing landscape’ by JLL, the warehousing sector in India demonstrated remarkable growth in 2023, with a 15% year-on-year increase in total stock of Grade A and B spaces across eight major cities. The cumulative warehousing space reached 371 million sq ft by the end of the year, showing a significant rise from 329 million sq ft in the previous year. Yogesh Shevade, Head of Logistics & Industrial at JLL, noted, “The Indian warehousing sector has been on an exceptional growth trajectory since 2017.” He attributed this growth to a 15% YoY increase in total warehousing stock, reaching 371 million sq ft. The sector experienced a net demand of approximately 40 million square feet in the same period, with 70% of this demand being accounted for by Grade A spaces. Shevade emphasized the shift towards quality facilities to meet the evolving demand for efficient logistics and supply chain solutions.

The Bolloré Group and the CMA CGM Group announce the completion today of the sale of 100 % of Bolloré Logistics to CMA CGM, it being specified that the transfer of Bolloré Logistics Sweden AB to the CMA CGM Group remains subject to the latter obtaining foreign investment clearance in Sweden. The purchase price is 4.850 billion euros, on the basis of the estimated debt and cash on the completion date. As a leading transport and logistics company in France, and one of the main players in the sector worldwide, Bolloré Logistics achieved in 2022 a turnover of 7.1 billion euros, transported 710,000 TEUs of ocean freight and 390,000 tons of air freight, along with a storage capacity of 900,000 m2. This is CMA CGM’s largest acquisition since its creation in 1978 and constitutes a major step in the CMA CGM Group’s logistics development strategy, complementing its historical maritime transport line of business. Mr. Rodolphe Saadé, CEO and Chairman of the CMA CGM Group, declared: “I would like to thank the Bolloré Group for the trustful dialogue we have established over the last few months to successfully finalize this acquisition. Within the CMA CGM Group, we are proud to welcome a French flagship built on years of work and experience. The new entity, made up of CEVA and Bolloré Logistics, is the world’s number 5 in its sector. We will now be able to offer our customers a complete range of services and extend our expertise to new businesses. On behalf of the CMA CGM Group and my family, I would like to welcome the 14,000 employees who are joining us today. Together, we will combine our talents and accelerate …

Ethiopian Airlines inaugurates e-commerce logistics facility, the first of its kind in Africa with an investment of USD 55 million for global operations. The inauguration of this specialized warehouse dedicated solely to e-commerce goods, mail, and courier logistics services, will revolutionize the industry in the African continent and positions Addis Ababa to be the cross-border e-commerce logistics hub for Africa and beyond.

BharatX, a leader in buy now pay later (BNPL) and affordability solutions for merchants, and ClickPost, a pioneer in e-commerce logistics technology, announced a strategic partnership to focus on increasing conversions for merchants selling higher-value goods online, according to the release by Clickpost. “Clickpost and BharatX’s partnership reflects a strategic move to leverage each company’s strengths to improve the e-commerce landscape,” says Prashant Gupta, Co-Founder, ClickPost. “This partnership seeks to improve the online shopping experience, making it more transparent and customer-friendly, leading to higher brand trust amongst online shoppers for retailers.” Mehul Jindal, Co-Founder and CEO, BharatX adds: “In India, consumers don’t trust EMI & credit options from traditional banks & NBFCs but this creates a large problem for merchants who want to sell high value goods. BharatX offers a credit solution for brands to provide instant trust to their users. They can white-label BharatX’s credit platform, similar to how firms like Ola and Amazon have done with Amazon PayLater and Ola Postpaid. ClickPost’s D2C expertise enables access to this option for a broader range of e-commerce merchants.” Apart from Sleep Company, D2C brands like Mokobara and Snitch have been leveraging the benefits of this strategic alliance and driving positive outcomes.

The Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) reported positive early-year traffic figures for January 2024, indicating a promising start with substantial increases in international passenger and cargo traffic, spurred by strong demand preceding the Lunar New Year celebrations. In January, airlines in the region transported a total of 27.0 million international passengers, marking a significant 49.4% growth from the same period last year. This brought traffic volumes to 82.0% of the pre-pandemic levels of 2019. In terms of revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), there was a 48.3% increase in demand year-over-year, showcasing a solid demand for regional travel. The available seat capacity also saw a growth, up by 51.3% compared to last year, even though the international passenger load factor slightly decreased by 1.6 percentage points, settling at an average of 79.9% for the month. Furthermore, the air cargo market continued to expand in January, driven by demand associated with the Lunar New Year festivities. The international air cargo demand, measured in freight tonne kilometres (FTK), experienced a robust 22.5% growth year-over-year, continuing the upward trend observed in the last quarter of 2023. However, the increase in available freight capacity, which went up by 25.8% year-on-year due to the recovery of belly-hold capacities in international passenger flights, caused a 1.6 percentage point decrease in the average international freight load factor to 57.5%. Commenting on the results, Mr. Subhas Menon, AAPA Director General said, “The year started on a positive note for Asia Pacific airlines, as both international air passenger and cargo markets saw robust growth, supported by the timing of the Lunar New Year festive period. Travel demand was boosted by a rise in leisure travellers, while cargo markets benefitted from …

Mahindra Logistics is set to broaden its footprint in West Bengal. As part of this expansion, Mahindra Logistics will commence operations of a 1.1 lakh sq. ft. fulfilment centre in Malda, West Bengal, dedicated to handling fulfilment and last-mile deliveries. This centre is a critical part of Mahindra Logistics’ supply chain network and will execute efficient and timely deliveries through end-to-end fulfilment and distribution capabilities. Additionally, Mahindra Logistics is also adding 14 last-mile delivery stations, touching approximately 15,000 households daily. Tailored for grocery & e-commerce customers, the expansion in the network is the cornerstone of the company’s comprehensive logistics solutions integrating fulfilment, express, as well as mid-mile and last-mile services. As part of the expansion in the Eastern region, the centre is strategically positioned to serve Northern West Bengal, Eastern Bihar, and parts of the Northeast. The facility is a beacon of optimized deliveries with a daily processing capacity of 10,000 orders and an inventory capacity exceeding 15 lakh units; designed to meet and exceed the growing demands of the region. The establishment will generate over 750 job opportunities, including the 350 dedicated personnel for the last-mile network. Mahindra Logistics continues its commitment to diversity, aiming to fill 25% of the fulfilment centre roles with women and individuals from the PwD and LGBTQIA+ communities. Integral to Mahindra Logistics’ vision of expanding its presence across the country, this expansion enhances the company’s warehousing footprint in West Bengal to 3.3 lakh sq. ft. Mahindra Logistics also services full truck load, part truck load and integrated services to nearly 2000 pin codes in the region.

The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) has launched a platform aimed at finding available training solutions throughout the industry – the Air Cargo Training Library. The Air Cargo Training Library provides a convenient global repository for training courses from many different training providers. The listings will be submitted by members and partner educational institutions that offer training on technology, sustainability, safety and security, management, logistics, live animals, industry knowledge, global trade, dangerous goods and air cargo. “We are very excited to launch this platform as we see that it links directly with our Sustainability Roadmap and continues to drive forward a sustainable future. The platform promotes quality education and decent work that in turn is tied to economic growth. We look forward to watching this library expand.” Steven Polmans, Chair, TIACA. The platform is open access and available to all industry stakeholders that want to view the training courses available. Members have the opportunity to list several training courses free of charge; while non-Members will pay a small fee to list their courses. “Today’s air cargo industry is complex with ever changing customer expectations, regulatory requirements and evolving industry standards. High quality training is a key enabler to keep staff engaged, empowered and motivated to build a great career within the industry. The problem is where to find the training and that is where the Air Cargo Training Library comes in. It is a convenient search tool that lists training for the industry. We invite members and training partners to submit their courses to the portal.” Glyn Hughes, Director General, TIACA.

LogiMAT India 2024, the biggest exhibition focused on intralogistics solutions, Material Handling, Transportation, Supply Chain and Process Management opened in Greater Noida on Feb 28. Organised by Messe Stuttgart India, the three-day event will offer profound insights into the future of logistics innovations, and collaborations to drive the logistics and supply chain industry forward. With over 100 exhibitors and 15,000+ expected visitors, LogiMAT India 2024 presents a comprehensive overview of the latest trends, crucial face-to-face interactions, lead generation, business conversions, and the establishment of long-term partnerships, and best practices shaping the logistics and supply chain industry. From intralogistics solutions and transportation management to warehousing technology and automation, visitors can explore a wide range of exhibitors and gain valuable insights to optimize their operations and stay competitive in the market.

Accio Robotics unveiled, AccioPick Air at the ongoing LogiMAT 2024 trade show in Greater Noida. AccioPick Air is a cutting-edge Mobile Automated Storage and Retrieval System (mASRS) that robotically combines the strengths of fixed and flexible automation to redefine operational efficiency and adaptability in medium to high throughput applications. AccioPick Air offers a set of key features that redefine warehousing automation. The robot’s unique capability to latch onto storage aisles and climb vertically enhances space utilisation and retrieval speed. Its core functionality lies in the seamless, reliable, and accurate retrieval and delivery of bins to the induction station. Employing a hybrid automation approach, Accio Pick Air integrates fixed and flexible automation elements, ensuring stability and adaptability to various storage layouts. Furthermore, the decoupling of bin retrieval and transportation allows dynamic task allocation, enabling any child robot to retrieve a bin and dock with any available mother robot, effectively reducing wait times. The system simplifies operations by eliminating the need for specific tote-to-robot pairings, thereby reducing tote marrying complexity. The mother robot efficiently transports the child robot and tote, streamlining the retrieval and delivery processes. Accio Pick Air’s continuous retrieval and return process minimises idle time, ensuring consistently productive robot operations. The system further addresses the challenge of aisle congestion by allowing empty child robots to travel underneath aisles without totes, optimising space usage. Its flexibility and scalability shine through dynamic task allocation based on robot availability and location, providing an easily scalable solution for varying demands. Tuhin Sharma, Co-Founder, Accio Robotics, said, “AccioPick Air marks a veritable paradigm shift in warehousing automation, seamlessly blending innovation with efficiency. Its unique features are set to push and redefine the possibilities of operational …

Modern Logistics is all set to take delivery of a second 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighter (BCF) in the first half of this year. The Brazilian integrated logistics company and cargo airline acquired its first 737-800BCF in October last year and expects the freighter to enter service in March. These two aircraft are expected to support Modern Logistics’ efforts to expand into other Latin American markets, particularly Argentina, Colombia, and Central America, as well as establishing a facility in Miami, says reports. Leased through Babcock & Brown Aircraft Management (BBAM), the 737-800BCFs have passed certification by PCA Airworthiness and have received final approval by ANAC, Brazil’s aviation regulator. Modern Logistics’ chief executive Cristiano Koga said, “We are very excited about the addition of two advanced (freighters) to our fleet. The additional capacity and efficiency of the new aircraft will assure the future success of the company by hastening entry into international markets and better responding to the needs and requirements of our clients.” The introduction of the new 737-800BCFs is part of a fleet renewal initiative by the airline to enhance operational efficiency.