Category Archives: Shipping

MSC joins White House FLOW project to boost supply chain data sharing

MSC is pleased to be part of the Freight Logistics Optimization Works (FLOW) data-sharing initiative, launched at the White House on March 15, 2022. This major project will help to clear supply chain bottlenecks by improving freight information exchange between key stakeholders and consumers, leading to faster delivery times and reduced costs for consumers. A diverse taskforce representing many stakeholders FLOW includes 18 initial participants, with the aim of welcoming more in the future. Representing diverse perspectives across the supply chain, partners include US-based port authorities, terminal operators, private businesses, logistics, and warehousing companies, as well as the ocean carriers MSC and CMA CGM. The FLOW partners will work together with the US Administration to develop a more efficient and transparent way of sharing information. The idea is to create a new digital tool where each company can share accurate, cargo-related data in real-time. “We are pleased to join and support the FLOW initiative led by the US Department of Transportation, as we strongly believe that a common and interoperable digital infrastructure throughout the container shipping industry is a critical step to making supply chains more efficient, secure, and resilient. Collaboration with governments and other key industry stakeholders is of paramount importance to MSC, and there is no doubt that this initiative will strengthen the foundation for the seamless, end-to-end exchange of information we all need to keep global trade moving today – and tomorrow,” said André Simha, Chief Digital and Information Officer at MSC. Shaping the future, together MSC is committed to building strong, cross-industry partnerships that pave the way towards a better future for shipping by taking advantage of digitalization opportunities. Examples of the company’s recent collaborations include …

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Dredging Corp inks Ship Building Agreement with Cochin Shipyard

The Dredging Corporation of India has signed a historic Ship Building Agreement for the first Make in India project for the construction of the first Beagle Series 12 Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger of 12000 Cubic Meter capacity at Cochin Shipyard Limited today in the presence of Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, MoS Shripad Naik, and Secretary for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Dr Sanjeev Ranjan. Speaking on the occasion, Sarbananda Sonowal said the Ministry, noting the importance of dredging for the operation of ports, has issued Dredging Guidelines for Major Ports. He said the need for sufficient dredgers is of utmost importance for timely completion of dredging and that the new dredgers would be able to bring in the much-needed efficiency and timely completion of dredging. He said this in turn would enable the smooth operation of vessels. Sonowal said the dredger built under the ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’ concept is one of the largest initiatives under Atmanirbhar Bharat and is a true reflection of international collaboration for Make in India. He said the Ministry, under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, would be able to fulfill the objectives of the Maritime India Vision 2030 with well-equipped dredgers for the operation of ports to bring down the logistical cost of the cargo. Sonowal said that this Ship Building Agreement would also benefit from the Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Policy (SFAP) (2016) of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways for Indian Shipyards for shipbuilding contracts secured between 01.04.2016 and 31.03.2026. Financial assistance is granted under this policy to Indian shipyards equal to 17 per cent of the lower of “contract price” or “fair price” or “actual payments received”, …

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RU-UA crisis is severely disrupting global supply chains: FIATA

The FIATA Multimodal Transport Institute (MTI) gathered to address the implications of the ongoing events in Ukraine for freight forwarding and logistics spanning sea, rail, and road transport. Aside from the catastrophic human repercussions, which the industry is particularly sensitive to, global supply chains, which have already been weakened by the effects of the pandemic and the current maritime crisis, are being severely disrupted. Driver shortages, difficulty transporting freight within the impacted zone, and capacity challenges have all been cited. Rising fuel prices are projected to be a concern for the whole industry. It was observed that multimodal solutions are critical to guaranteeing the movement of commodities throughout the impacted area during this war, with border crossings apparently feasible by rail transit via Moldova and the Port of Galati, or via Romania, which gives port access. Trans-Caspian routes are projected to be crucial. Members of FIATA should be aware of the sanctions imposed by certain countries in reaction to the conflict, and should visit the appropriate government pages on a regular basis. Countries currently enforcing relevant sanctions include, among others, Australia, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It is understood that more sanctions are being considered.

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Major Port Authorities Act, 2021 to enable setting of port services’ tariffs

The Major Port Authorities Act, 2021 regulates, operates, and plans major ports in India and vests administration, control, and management of such ports in Major Port Authorities Boards. The legislation enables these ports to operate more efficiently as a result of improved decision-making autonomy and modernisation of their institutional framework. These ports have been given the authority to establish a scale of rates for port services and assets. Tariffs can be set by PPP concessionaires based on market conditions, for example. The compact Board of Directors, comprised of experienced independent members, is capable of boosting decision-making and strategic planning. Prior to the implementation of the Act, the overall capacity of major ports and the volume of cargo handled were as follows: *million tonnes per annum Connectivity is a vital enabler for ports since it is the end-to-end efficacy of the logistics chain that promotes industrial competitiveness. The Sagarmala initiative features a particular pillar of port connection projects to improve connectivity between ports and domestic production and consumption hubs. Under Sagarmala, 190 road and rail connectivity projects costing Rs 1.22 lakh crore have been identified for execution, with an emphasis on connecting large and minor ports. Fifty of these projects have been finished, while the remaining 140 are in different phases of development and execution. The Ministry of Road, Transport, and Highways (MoRTH), major port authorities, and other state organisations are principally in charge of implementing these projects. The government has launched a number of programmes aimed at port modernisation, automation, and digitalisation, with a focus on ease of doing business. This includes the implementation of web-based e-forms, direct port delivery, container scanners, radio frequency identification-based technologies for gate automation, a …

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Zero COVID-19 lockdowns will harm China’s supply chain more than Russia-Ukraine crisis

In the two weeks since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, there seems to be a negligible impact on container prices and leasing rates in China. Container availability has improved from soon after the Chinese New Year until Friday across key ports in China. However, with the announcement of nationwide lockdowns, the supply chain must prepare for more turmoil in the coming months, impeding the flow of container movement as importers worldwide prepare for the peak season later this year. At the port of Ningbo, average prices for a 40-foot high cube container fell by 10%, approximately from $5930 on February 14th to $5329 on February 27th. As of March 10, this price stood at $5248. Similarly, average prices fell by 10–15% at the ports of Shanghai, Qingdao, and Shenzhen till March 11. Shenzhen witnessed a drop of 8% in the past two weeks. However, the lockdowns in Shenzhen, Zhejiang, Shanghai, Jilin, Suzhou, Guangzhou, and Beijing (19 provinces as of Sunday, probably more to come in a few days) imposed now will clearly heavily restrict container movement at these ports, which will, as we’ve seen in the past, prove to be further damaging to the global supply chain. Clearly, 2022 has not brought any cheer to the supply chain industry. On top of this, war will just prove to be another disruption amongst the other innumerable factors for China’s supply chain. Freight rates and container prices were already at a record high even before the invasion started, and what happened immediately due to the war was that the Russian ports were not being called by the national shipping lines anymore, the Black Sea being somehow closed, and the Asia-European railway being quite …

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Operation Seafarer was a success, with 45 Indian seamen rescued

With the joint operational efforts of Fleet Management Limited, a maritime services conglomerate, and Elegant Marine Services, a manpower agency, 45 Indian seafarers have been rescued from Ukraine. Late in February this year, seafarers arrived in the port of Mykolaiv aboard two vessels for a cargo operation. But as the military operations escalated on account of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the cargo operation was aborted by the Ukrainian officials, and the entire crew was held up. Elegant Marine Services officials contacted the defence attaché and the Indian embassy in Ukraine after 45 Indian seafarers faced a food and provisions crisis and the imminent danger of being in a war-torn territory. Both the attaché and the embassy swiftly responded and came up with an evacuation plan. A bus was arranged to pick up all crew members and allow their passage through the exit gates with the proper approval of port authorities. The bus was escorted by a security party to the Moldova border. The embassy in Moldova further facilitated entry procedures and transported all the crew members safely to Romania. With the Indian tri-colour clearly visible on the bus windshield, the crew members made it safely to Romania.  Kishore Rajvanshy, Managing Director of Fleet Management Limited, a third-party ship management company headquartered in Hong Kong, said: “We are deeply concerned with the situation in Ukraine and our thoughts are with all those who have been affected by the conflict.” Despite this very frightening circumstance, the crew displayed an enormous amount of courage and bravery, and we are very relieved that both ships’ crews have been safely evacuated out of Ukraine, with one part of the crew already home in India and the …

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GEODIS gets GDP accreditation in China, bolstering its position in healthcare market

GEODIS has obtained Good Distribution Practice (GDP) Accreditation in China as the company ramps up its logistics services to meet the demands of the growing healthcare market. With COVID-19 exposing the emerging risks and weaknesses of the pharmaceutical industry’s supply chain, this accreditation underscores GEODIS’ commitment to ensuring the quality and integrity of pharmaceutical products for its customers across the logistics ecosystem.  The implications of the accreditation are extensive, given the stringent requirements published by the Chinese Ministry of Health (MOH) in 2013. The GDP certification requires comprehensive audits of all operational procedures in warehouses, ensuring that they are compliant with the highest industry standards for handling pharmaceutical products. This review process further highlights the role that logistics service providers play as vital partners in the healthcare supply chain.  “GEODIS is fully committed to ensuring our pharmaceutical and healthcare customers’ success in maintaining their delivery standards and reputation for high-quality products,” said Onno Boots, President and Chief Executive Officer, Asia Pacific, GEODIS. “This GDP accreditation demonstrates our continued dedication to providing industry-leading solutions and services in every aspect to meet the high standards set by China’s Ministry of Health.”  India, Korea, Thailand, and Singapore are also in the process of receiving certification from the IATA Center of Excellence for Independent Validators in Pharmaceutical Logistics (CEIV Pharma), which ensures international and national compliance to safeguard product integrity, whilst specifically addressing the requirements for air cargo handling and transport.

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Jeena Criticare completed milestone of 100 tonnes of vaccine deliveries

Recently, Jeena Criticare, the critical healthcare division of Jeena & Co., India’s trusted and reliable logistics company, recently announced having completed a milestone of 100 tonnes of COVID-19 vaccine deliveries across the country in the last year.  Throughout 2021—the year when the nation was on a fast track to completing COVID vaccination after a devastating 2nd wave—Jeena Criticare was at the forefront of these efforts. Be it as an appointed distributor of Serum Institute of India’s (SII’s) COVISHEILD vaccine deliveries for private hospital supplies across the country or as a part of the strategic collaboration for Asia’s first drone-based vaccine delivery project for the Telangana government, Jeena Criticare has played a pivotal role.  Apart from the above milestone, during the peak pandemic time till the end of 2021, Jeena Criticare has been instrumental in clearing and moving 3,000 MT of COVID care equipment that includes oxygen concentrators, RT PCR kits, PPE kits, hospital beds, medicines, and critical care drugs, masks, vaccines, and ventilators. Jeena’s Pharma Division has also been instrumental in getting fast-track import clearance, from the normal 24 hours to a special 5 hours flat, for COVID Care Aid and other healthcare transportation from countries like South Korea, Germany, USA, Taiwan, China, Italy, and also the WHO. With their global logistics support, Jeena has also been a part of India’s export chain, enabling healthcare to various countries and also for customers like the WHO (World Health Organisation). Jeena & Co., an over-100-year-old logistics company, has always been at the forefront of innovation in end-to-end logistics solutions and continues to be a trusted and reliable supply chain partner.  Speaking about the milestone achievement and the strong thrust on critical healthcare …

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Wiz announces a new business entity, Wiz Bulk, with Punit Oza to join as CEO

Wiz, a tech-enabled full-stack freight forwarding platform for the modern-day, has announced the start of a new business entity exclusively for handling bulk cargo. The business division, headquartered in Singapore, will cater to the niche market of dry bulk shipping. Wiz has also announced that Punit Oza has been appointed as the CEO of Wiz Bulk. He will start his new assignment on April 11, 2022. Punit is a veteran of dry bulk shipping and comes with over 29 years of rich experience in the industry. Over the years, he has held senior management positions in some leading shipping and trading companies. In his previous assignment, he spearheaded the digital transformation of Klaveness Dry Bulk before moving to the board of Klaveness Asia. We are extremely excited to announce Wiz Bulk, a new business entity of Wiz that will cater to the dry bulk cargo market, and we will utilise our tech expertise to improve the customer experience for this market,” said Ramkumar Govindarajan, CEO, Wiz. It was immediately clear that Punit was the right choice to lead Wiz Bulk. I am looking forward to working with him to develop Wiz Bulk as a leading name for dry bulk cargo movements.” Punit Oza said, “I am extremely excited to join the Wiz family and look forward to building a sustainable and customer-centric bulk shipping solution to provide greater transparency and value, leveraging technology to the maximum possible extent.” I am extremely impressed with what Wiz has achieved in the container freight solution space, and I hope that we can achieve the same success in the bulk freight solution space as well. Punit will work with Wiz founders Ramkumar Govindarajan and …

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GTI and JNPA sign TAMP conciliation agreement

APM Terminals Mumbai (GTI-Gateway Terminals India Pvt. Ltd.) and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) have signed a Settlement Agreement to reach an amicable solution and resolve a decade-long pending issue on tariff-related matters pertaining to the year 2012. The principles of the Settlement Agreement were formulated by the Conciliation and Settlement Committee (CSC) as per the guidelines issued by the Indian Port Association (an apex body of major ports under the administrative control of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways) for the settlement of pending issues between the operators and the port authorities at major ports in India. The principles of the agreement have been settled in the framework. The tariff differential will be calculated after the court orders have been issued. The signing ceremony was attended by various dignitaries, including H.E. Freddy Svane, Ambassador of the Royal Danish Embassy to India, Sanjay Sethi, IAS and Chairman of JNPA, Jonathan Goldner, Head of Terminal Asia and Chairman of GTI, Gopal Krishna, Chairman of CSC, Dr. C. Chandramouli, and Shambhu Singh, members of the CSC, and key personnel from JNPA and GTI.  On this momentous occasion, H.E. Freddy Svane, Ambassador of the Royal Danish Embassy, mentioned, “Today’s milestone is an important development in the logistics sector of India. It could not have been possible without the role played by the Conciliation and Settlement Committee, JNPA, and APM Terminals. This is a progressive step in creating an environment of trust and ease of doing business for investors. We are moving towards a future where logistics will play an important role in India’s becoming a major player economically and politically.” He further added, “The need to find a resolution to this issue …

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