DHL Express and Singapore Airlines (SIA) have deployed the fifth and final freighter as part of a tie-up signed in 2022. The Boeing 777 freighter, which offers a payload capacity of 102 tons, will be based in Singapore and be used to expand capacity between Asia and the Americas. In total, the five 777Fs will operate 12 flights each per week with a total payload capacity of 1,224 tons per aircraft per week. Following the addition of the final aircraft, three of the five freighters will ply the Singapore-Bangkok/Taipei-Incheon/Nagoya-Cincinnatti-Honolulu-Sydney-Singapore route seven times a week. The other two will cover the Singapore-Nagoya-Los Angeles-Honolulu-Singapore route five times a week.

Skilling is a very important subject and absolutely it’s a shared responsibility, says Jivisha Joshi (IRTS) Deputy Secretary, DPIIT at an event organised by Air Cargo Forum India (ACFI) to emphasise upon ‘Skilling – A shared responsibility to propel air cargo.’ She adds, “Skilling is one of the most important pillars of government’s comprehensive logistics master plans. Be it National Logistics Policy or Gati Shakti initiative, skilling is an integral part of it and time to time stress has been laid upon identifying the number of institutions across India imparting education on logistics and supply chain business. We have been trying to educate officers about the new policies, we are educating workers at group level about policy implementation or execution guidelines. We also work with Logistics Skill Council (LSC) to understand the logistics courses and curriculums, and number of logistics aspirants enrolling yearly. I thank ACFI for continuously promoting skilling as a subject. We need skilled and trade manpower to take the industry forward and we are there to support the trade throughout.” Many other dignitaries from government department and industry participated in the event wherein ACFI honored and felicitated ACFI trainers who have been the backbone of ACFI initiative to skill the logistics industry.

Sanjiv Edward, CEO- Cargo, GMR Group says, “Current air cargo traffic in India is approx. 3 MMTs per annum, 30% of 10MMTs target, giving us ample head room to grow. Growth is actuated by India’s GDP, in 2030, poised at $7.3 Trillion from current levels of $3.7 trillion. Given that national growth will be at twice the size, opportunity is complimentary to its speed and volume. Adding, international trade, adoption of updated digital & physical infrastructure will be the key strategy. Tier 2 & 3 Airports needs better connectivity – Transport & Digital Highway. However, non-compliance of regulations, maze of non-standard processes and ignorance to ESG can impede our trajectory and speed.”

Cyrus Katgara, Partner, Jeena & Company shared his expectations for the budget announcement this year. He says, “The government’s substantial capital expenditure on infrastructure, particularly in roads, railways, and airports, has already spurred momentum in the logistics sector. This, coupled with the ongoing prioritization of logistics infrastructure development across roads, warehouses, and ports, has garnered enthusiastic support. The industry anticipates the Union Budget to further solidify the Digital India Act, promoting digitalization through artificial intelligence, data analytics, and 5G technology. Higher investment in digital upskilling and reskilling programs for the workforce to ensure the logistics industry remains competitive and resilient in the global digital age is anticipated. Additionally, enhanced regulatory frameworks that facilitate seamless cross-border logistics operations would be greatly welcomed, promoting smoother international trade and connectivity.”

Mahindra Logistics Limited (MLL) announced the opening of its state-of-the-art warehousing facility in Phaltan, near Pune. Encompassing an expansive area of 6.5 lakh sq. ft., this facility will be developed in two phases. The first phase, comprising 3.5 lakh sq. ft., is scheduled to be operational by the end of 2024. Spread over an area of 25 acres at Phaltan, the new facility will be an important part of Mahindra Logistics Ltd. nationwide network of multi-client facilities. Phaltan is a strategic location in close proximity to key customers in auto OEM & components through this warehouse, Mahindra Logistics will manage inbound logistics to manufacturing and distribution solutions of diverse clients in automotive and manufacturing sectors, located in the region. The facility will be integrated with MLL’s national network of warehouses, full truck load, and express parcel service. Phase 1 has been contracted to a manufacturing customer and will function as their national logistics centre and will go live by Q3, 2024-25. Amongst the largest warehouses by logistics service providers in the region, the facility will be designed as per Mahindra Logistics Ltd. sustainability standards. These include measures such as decarbonisation, utilization of renewable power, adherence to green warehousing standards, and active participation in local community development. As a part of this announcement, Mahindra Logistics Ltd. also plans to dedicate resources to skill development initiatives, creating employment opportunities for more than 500 individuals in the region. The company and its partners are set to invest Rs. 170 crores in capital across multiple phases for the development of the new facility and related infrastructure. Mr. Rampraveen Swaminathan, MD & Chief Executive Officer, Mahindra Logistics Ltd. said, “To enhance our capabilities and meet …

GMR Aero Technic (GAT), MRO division of GMR Air Cargo and Aerospace Engineering Ltd. (GACAEL) signs MoU with Lufthansa Technik AG (LHT) and Spirit Aero System to bring the innovative technology utilized by Cyclean jointly at Indian airports for the operators in the region. Cyclean® is an efficient and eco-friendly engine cleaning system that saves water and fuel and cuts down on emissions by washing aircraft engines. The system guarantees a clean and safe collection of all waste water without any negative impact on the environment. A strategic partnership was forged with Spirit Aero Systems, one of the world’s foremost manufacturers (ORM) of aero structures as well. This groundbreaking partnership establishes a cutting-edge Aircraft Nacelle component repair service at the GMR Aero Technic Base Maintenance Facility in Hyderabad. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in GMR Aero Technic’s MRO journey, establishing its role as a one-stop destination for Nacelle repair services. Ashok Gopinath, President & Accountable Manager, GMR Aero Technic said, “The partnerships with Lufthansa Technik AG and Spirit Aero Systems exemplify our commitment to delivering exceptional value through innovation using the latest technology solutions in providing enhanced operational efficiency for our MRO customers. With these augmented capabilities, the strategic move will position our MRO facility as a go-to hub for customers. This service offering is a value add for our base maintenance customers.”

Delhi Airport’s Cargo Premise now boasts India’s first Automated Visitor Management System (VMS), integrating Facial Recognition System (FRS) for enhanced security. This advanced system, a joint venture between DIAL and Carico, is set to transform the manual, time consuming process of pass issuance into a swift, digital experience. By reducing Visitor Pass issuance time drastically, the system not only bolsters security but also improves stakeholder experience. The implementation of ANPR further strengthens vehicle monitoring, making Delhi Airport a forerunner in airport security technology. The event was inaugurated by DIAL CEO V.K Jaipuriar, Sanjeev Edward; ED Sudeep Lakhtakia, Head (Security & Vigilance), M Shashi Kanth, Carico MD, Parvinder Singh, and other dignitaries. Key teams including DIAL, DCSC, Celebi, and Carico, along with other important dignitaries, attended the meeting. And, Successful Trial Run: Over 6000 passes were issued during the trial run of the VMS. Online Application Launch: Visitors can now apply for passes online at [https://cargopassdial.in/] ( https://cargopassdial.in/).

Satyaki Raghunath, Chief Operating Officer, BIAL says, “We are poised to achieve a cargo capacity of 1 million metric tons by the end of this decade. Embracing advanced technologies and innovation, BLR Cargo is aiming to set new standards as we are determined to streamline processes, enhance efficiency, and solidify our position as the preferred cargo gateway to South and Central India. Reflecting on the air cargo performance at BLR Airport in 2023, we processed 422,644 metric tons of cargo, which indicates a 2% increase from the previous year. Additionally, BLR Airport continues to be the top hub in India for exporting perishable cargo for the third consecutive year. In line with the Government’s vision for increased cargo throughput by 2030, our strategic investments, including the addition of Menzies Aviation Bangalore Pvt Ltd and WFS Bangalore Pvt Ltd, signify a pivotal moment in our cargo growth story. These partnerships bolster our capacity, efficiency, and overall growth trajectory.”

CBRE South Asia, in its latest report titled, ‘CBRE Industrial & Logistics Figures H2 2023’ shares, Industrial & Logistics (I&L) leasing in Bangalore stood at 4.7 mn. sq. ft. in 2023. The total supply stood at 4.6 mn. sq. ft. During 2023, among the industry segments in Bangalore, 3PL firms drove leasing with a share of about (43%), followed by Retail (23%) and Engineering & Manufacturing (10%). During the Jul-Dec’23 period, Bangalore’s I&L leasing stood at 2.7 mn. sq. ft. while supply stood at 3.0 mn. sq. ft. Eastern Corridor led half-yearly supply and absorption. Small-sized deal closures dominated space take-up in the second half of 2023. Key leasing transactions recorded in the city during Jul-Dec’23: • DMart leasing 240,000 sq. ft. in Avigna Industrial & Logistics Park • Delhivery leasing 140,000 sq. ft. in independent warehouse • Swiggy leasing 140,000 sq. ft. in independent warehouse On a pan-India basis, the Industrial & Logistics (I&L) sector recorded an all-time high leasing activity in 2023, achieving an 8% Y-o-Y growth. Total leasing in 2023 stood at 38.8 mn. sq. ft. across eight cities. The drift towards more structured operational models of industries such as retail, FMCG, and manufacturing is driving an increased demand for efficient last-mile delivery solutions and warehouse solution providers are actively exploring markets to meet this demand.

Wiz Freight, a full-stack digital cross-border supply chain start- up, has raised Series B funding of INR 125 Crore in equity led by Japan-based SBI Investment at a post-money valuation of INR 1400 Crore registering a 50% jump in the valuation from its last round. The round also saw participation from Tiger Global, NIPPON EXPRESS HOLDINGS, Axilor Technologies Fund, Arali Investments, Unikon Shipping Ventures and a few Family offices. The company plans to grow its global operations in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and the US with the new investment and further enhance its technology-driven logistics solutions. Founded in January 2020 in Chennai by serial entrepreneurs Ramkumar Govindarajan and Ramkumar Ramachandran, Wiz helps exporters and importers in emerging markets book and manage their cross-border shipments on its tech platform with e- commerce-like convenience. Wiz’s AI-powered platform offers instant capacity discovery, dynamic pricing, optimised routing, door to door tracking, and automated customizable document workflows, saving countless hours for shippers. WIZ Freight raised in March 2022 a Series A funding of INR 275 Crores (USD 36 million) in a mix of equity and debt led by Tiger Global with participation from Axilor Ventures, Foundamental, Arali Ventures, Alteria Capital and Stride Ventures. WIZ had closed a $3.5m seed round led by Axilor Ventures in August 2021. Arali Ventures and Foundamental had also participated in the round along with angel investors Ramakant Sharma, Co-founder of LivSpace and Daniel Richner, Chairman of M+R Spedag Group, a Swiss based logistics conglomerate. With the funding at this juncture, WIZ is well positioned for expansion of its overseas operations, continued development of the Indian operations and establishing its place as a prominent leader in the logistics sector. The …