Category Archives: International

The visibility platform company for shippers and logistics service providers project44 has analysed data for supply chain, indicating that berthing delays are causing a huge build-up of export containers within port terminals and creating a big spike in container dwell times globally. “Berthing delay is defined as the time it takes a ship between its arrival at anchorage until the time it is berthed to commence cargo operations. If there is a queue of ships waiting for a berth, the ships wait at anchorage until it is their turn to berth,” explains the company. According to the latest data from project44, export containers at the Port of Los Angeles took an average of 11.85 days to be loaded on a ship between October and November 2021 while its twin Port of Long Beach took an average of 10.98 days. With export containers taking about twice as long to move through US West Coast ports as import containers, project44 analysts claim that the problem appears to be getting containers off of docks and onto ships.

Ship operators must work alongside the companies they charge with maintaining engine condition in order to ensure a smooth transition to using alternative fuels. That is the challenge laid down by Lubrizol’s Technical Manager for Marine Engine Oils, Ian Bown, as the company explores how it must adapt lubricants to protect ship engines burning alternative fuels. Shipping’s long-term environmental targets are propelling the industry’s quest for new, cleaner fuels. But while the big target – cutting greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 percent compared with 2008 levels – is still 29 years away, time is short for the task at hand. Engine technologies for many of the candidate fuels have yet to reach even the pilot stage in commercial shipping, but the lifespan of vessels means that fuel choices will need to be made very soon for newbuilds that will likely still be trading by 2050. The long development cycle for cylinder oils is another challenge. “It is well recognized within the industry that while changes come quite quickly in some areas, lubricant development is sometimes not as fast,” says Bown. “That’s because we have to understand the impact of these fuels when they’re in service.”

Blue Dart announced the launch of two exciting offers ahead of the end-of-the-year festivities – ‘Merry Express’ and ‘Assured Gift’ offer. The ‘Merry Express Offer’ can be availed from December 20th, 2021 until January 15th, 2022. The offer includes an exceptional discount of 40% on all gift shipments including, but not limited to, festive sweets, gifts and apparel weighing between 10kgs to 20kgs. This offer will be applicable on Non-Doc Shipments for Domestic Priority and International shipments. Over and above this, the express logistics provider has also launched the ‘Assured Gift’ offer which can be availed until March 31st, 2022. The exciting offer is in association with Spykar and is available to all retail customers booking a domestic or international shipment at any of Blue Dart’s stores across the nation. Availing this offer would enable customers to redeem a free Spykar Gift of their choice, with only having to pay for the shipping & handling charges. Gifts include but are not limited to, stylish watches that are sure to accentuate your look and handy yet trendy trolley bags & duffle bags that are sure to make travelling even more fun. Blue Dart’s Customer Centricity has always been a key market differentiator in a highly competitive environment. This coupled with its premium capabilities – it’s fleet of Boeing 757-200 freighters, technology-based solutions, an incomparable ground network facilitating trade to over 34,000 locations across India as well as its team of industry experts, all work towards enhancing customer delight by leaps and bounds.

For the second consecutive year, Sanjam Sahi Gupta, Founder, Maritime SheEO, and Birgit M Liodden of The Ocean Opportunity Lab co-organized the world’s largest maritime diversity conference on November 25th, 2021. The conference held digitally brought together prominent maritime professionals, government officials, marine lawyers, port captains, pilots, shipowners, business entrepreneurs, seafarers and women professionals in the maritime industry from around the world to celebrate change makers, diversity, and long-term solutions. The event drew an astounding 3500 +attendees from 77 different nations. Speaking at the Maritime SheEO conference, keynote speaker Kitack Lim, IMO Secretary-General, said, “The inclusion of women in the workforce and in leadership roles is fundamental to our global economies resilience”. In his opening speech, Bjornar Selnes Skjaeran, Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Policy Norway remarked “to ensure that the maritime industry can develop further and be part of the solution to end the climate crisis, we have to be able to recruit the best talents, the best hearts, and the brightest mind”.

Cargo Flash Infotech will be replacing Kenya Airways’ manifold of operations and management systems that were either having limited connectivity options or systems working in silos, in which information sharing is restricted due to systems’ limitations. Kenya Airways’ numerous operations and management systems are currently being substituted by Cargo Flash’s single, next-generation ‘nGen’ system that includes Cargo Reservations (RES) System, Cargo Revenue Accounting (CRA) System, Cargo Handling and Warehouse Management, ULD Management Solution, and Customer Portal. Furthermore, the new and additional systems included as a part of this single ‘nGen’ system are Mail Booking and Handling System, E-commerce (Door-to-Door) System, Target Planning System, in addition to Complaint and Claim Management System. The web-based solutions will further bolster the airline’s scope to reap a seamless, error-free and spontaneous management, accumulating several processes under one roof. “Not only will Cargo Flash’s next-generation systems automate documentation and other cargo management processes but will also streamline Kenya Airway’s operational requirements along with boosting their efficiency and increasing revenue,” added Gautam Mandal, Director – Products, Cargo Flash Infotech. “We are pleased to have joined hands with Kenya Airways and deliver such an integrated solution to tackle the crucial concerns of cargo operation and administration,” he further adds.

Singapore Airlines and WiseTech Global, provider of leading logistics execution platform CargoWise, have partnered to provide a direct exchange of eBookings between their systems, adding significant value to many forwarders across the globe. The integration is the first of its kind for SIA and through the use of custom APIs, allows CargoWise customers, including some of the world’s largest freight forwarders, direct access to SIA to book and modify shipments in real-time from within the CargoWise platform. Chin Yau Seng, senior vice president cargo, Singapore Airlines said, “We are committed to the continued digitalization of all areas of our business. Our partnership with WiseTech Global will result in the integration of our eBooking systems, enabling customers to book airfreight directly with SIA via the CargoWise online platform. This is one of the many steps that we are taking to provide a more seamless experience for our cargo customers.”

LATAM Airlines Group and its cargo subsidiaries have collaborated with a leading digital sales platform cargo.one, making the carriers’ network available for instant booking on the cargo.one platform. This milestone is part of LATAM Cargo’s innovative digitalization agenda, with the aim of diversifying its distribution channels while offering its customers best-in-class direct booking options. “We want to provide customers with reliable and efficient solutions and a broad set of options that allows them to choose what works best for them. The LATAM Cargo carriers’ network and product portfolio are great examples of that. Partnering with cargo.one is fully aligned with this goal as it gives customers access to LATAM’s cargo capacity through an innovative way,” comments Andres Bianchi, Chief Executive Officer of LATAM Cargo.

FedEx Express and the world’s largest express transportation company, and Delhivery, the fastest growing fully-integrated logistics services player in India, announced the strategic alliance transaction signed in July has taken effect, following satisfaction of closing conditions including regulatory approval from the Competition Commission of India. This transaction combines the FedEx global network with Delhivery’s extensive pan-India network and technology solutions to bring the best of both worlds together. The investment and the commercial agreement between the two companies deepens the FedEx commitment to the India market, and signals a significant step in providing innovative services and solutions that aim to improve speed, efficiency, and access for FedEx and Delhivery customers, to unlock India’s international trade potential.

Imperial has opened a new, multi-user logistics facility in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. The launch customer for the new facility will be a long-standing Imperial customer, Lemken, which is a renowned international manufacturer of agricultural machinery. Imperial will transfer Lemken’s spare part logistics operations from Herten to Gelsenkirchen. The opening of Imperial’s new multi-user facility in Germany supports its organic growth strategy, introduced in 2019, which has seen multiple investments in workforce expansion and operating infrastructure to date. According to Hakan Bicil, CEO of Imperial’s Logistics International business, “Our latest multi-user facility provides Lemken with further space for growth, and will also mean that another long-standing customer, KONE, has additional space for its own expansion at our Herten location.”

Even as global trade is resurging in a post-Covid world, supply chain management has emerged as an integral component for businesses. An efficient and effective supply chain, with a robust logistics system at its core, mitigates supply bottlenecks, yields competitive edge, and enhances profitability. While the pandemic heightened the challenges for organisations and drove them to recalibrate their sourcing and distribution structures, Covid-19 also acted as a catalyst for change, accelerating the momentum for a technology-powered transition. Through the pandemic, the e-commerce sector grew exponentially from 13% to 17% of total retail market, while paving the way for continued growth in the years to come. The Indian e-commerce sector is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 27% to reach the USD99-billion mark by 2024. The rise of e-commerce and the digital marketplace phenomenon are changing the dynamics of the market, both, in terms of buyer behaviour as well as business transformation. To thrive in the highly disruptive environment, businesses are re-examining their conventional operations and recalibrating supply chain strategies to improve efficiencies, lower costs and ensure sustainability. For this, an efficient logistics system can be a critical differentiator, and technology can serve as a key enabler.