Category Archives: Shipping

To offer expected time savings of 40 per cent with a 30 per cent reduction in the cost of trade, the first pilot transports under TIR (Transports Internationaux Routiers or International Road Transport) between India and Iran along International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC) have been set for early 2018 at strategic talks recently held in Mumbai. The two-day meeting gathered 20 high level representatives from India and Iran’s transport industry as well as representatives from Customs. The goal of the meeting was to discuss the implementation of TIR and to establish cooperation between representatives of the public and private sectors to activate the use of TIR along the INSTC.

The JNPT will be shifting its imported cargo to Mumbai port’s warehouses from January to save Rs 14000 transaction cost per container and one-day transit time. The imported goods of about 0.4-0.5 million TEUs meant for Mumbai alone will be shifted to nearby Mumbai port warehouses via barges. After that it will be moved to MOD warehouse. According to JNPT, this will not only decongest roads but also reduce transit time by half leading to transaction cost savings of about Rs 14,000-15,000 per container. This will also help to Mumbai port for revenue generations.

Chabahar Port open a new strategic transit route for Iran, India and Afghanistan bypassing Pakistan. India is likely to manage and operate the port till the second phase is complete. The completion of the internal procedures on the ratification process by Iran is expected to lead to full and early operationalisation of the Transit and Trade arrangement between the three countries though the Chabahar Port. The Ministers of India, Iran and Afghanistan also held talks to speed up the efforts to operationalise the complete port at the earliest. For India, the investment in Chabahar was important since the port will bolster a trade route for land-locked Central Asian countries that would bypass rival Pakistan. Last year, India committed up to $500 million for the development of the Chabahar port along with associated roads and rail lines.

The countdown for the FIATA World Congress 2018, which is scheduled to take place from September 25-29 in New Delhi, has begun with commencement of formal registration procedure at the 56th FIATA World Congress held from October 4-8, 2017 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Federation of Freight Forwarders’ Associations in India (FFFAI) has kick-started the campaign and registration for the forthcoming ‘FWC-2018’, happening for the first time in India. Welcomed by Ashish Pednekar, Chairman, FFFAI and other office bearers/leaders of the Federation, the stall was inaugurated by YB Dato’ Sri Liow Tiong Lai, Minister of Transport, Malaysia. The FFFAI stall spectacularly demonstrated Indian culture, tourist attractions and opportunities in logistics industry. Online registration through FWC 2018 website www.fiata2018.org will start very soon.

Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Government of India unveiled three new highways routes worth Rs 8 lakh crore under the Bharatmala Pariyojna (BMP). Gadkari said that the ambitious programme of establishing a network of 42,000 km of roads and highways across the nation would be rolled out under three categories – Economic Corridors, Inter-corridor Routes and Feeder Routes.

Vaibhav Vohra, Managing Director, Continental Carriers, was awarded with the prestigious ‘Face of the Future’ award. After completing his graduation in Entrepreneurship and Finance from Babson College, Boston, USA, Vohra joined his family business and took a tough task of transitioning the first generation business culture to the third generation. His innovative thought process has brought about progressive changes within the organisation in a short span of time. He also initiated and successfully completed restructuring HRD and ERP implementation. Vohra’s positive initiatives have helped secure and align the future path that now enables his company to compete efficiently in the changed economic environment. His maturity and clarity of vision to provide strategic guidance would definitely help the industry in the future.

The esteemed ‘DDP Game Changer’ award went to Samir J Shah, Immediate Past Chairman, FFFAI; Partner JBS Group and Chief Mentor, JBS Academy. With 33 years of experience in international freight forwarding and customs, Shah is a part of many national and international trade associations and chambers. Armed with BSC degree in Chemistry, an LLB and a senior Management Programme at IIM –Ahmedabad on Strategic Port Management, he has leaped on to become a partner in the JBS Group of Companies. He is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport UK and has been awarded a Certificate of Competence from FIATA.  He has conducted more than 150 programmes pan India for Customs related training to Exporters, Importers, Cutoms Brokers, Shipping Agents, Interntional Freight Forwarders, IATA Agents and Custodians. He is the only Indian to receive a certificate for continued support to port of Antwerp in India. Shah aims to set up supply chain and logistics education centre’s at various cities in Gujarat and other parts in India to make education accessible across the length and breadth of the country.

M. Afzal Malbarwala, Managing Director, Galaxy Freight, was awarded with the prestigious ‘Gallery of Legends’ award. With his rich experience in the freight forwarding industry, he has taken Galaxy Freight to a top position in airfreight and sea-freight industry. Malbarwala strongly believes that success is the product of competitiveness and high standards of quality. The Honorary Secretary General of ACCAI, Malbarwala, is a Commerce graduate and has a genuine, persuasive and interpersonal style that ensures trust to strengthen relationship among clients. He started his career in 1977 in the freight forwarding and logistics industry and started his own company soon after. Galaxy Freight handles approximately 1000 tonnes of airfreight export shipments per month. With more than four decades of experience in the freight forwarding industry, Malbarwala has developed the ability to adapt and cater to different client requirements; thereby, delivering hassle-free solutions.

The third edition of the India Cargo Awards – West & South celebrated the accomplishments of the extraordinaire leaders of cargo industry from the West & South regions of India at Crowne Plaza Ahmedabad City Centre on October 14, 2017.  Gautambhai Navalchand Shah, Mayor, Amdavad Municipal Corporation, was the Chief Guest for the glorious evening. The ceremony saw the august presence of Dr. Marisha Kaul, Gladrags Mrs India North 2017, along with the leaders of the cargo industry. India Cargo Awards honoured the real runners of the industry. The 32 winners were chosen after a fair and unbiased selection process which includes an online voting platform.

CMA-CGM began the new INDIAMED service to Mumbai with the arrival of the 5,009 TEU capacity at APM Terminals Mumbai. The weekly service provides the fastest transit times between India and CMA CGM hub ports in the Mediterranean and Arabian Gulf, and expands the transhipment network through the MEGEM (East Mediterranean to/from Middle East destinations) and MEDEX (West Mediterranean to/from Middle East and Indian Sub-Continent) services.