Category Archives: Shipping

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 …

Berlin-based log-tech start-up InstaFreight successfully closes Series B funding round of more than US$ 40 million. With the new investment, the company will make supply chains strained by the pandemic and Ukraine war more resilient. Using its digital business model InstaFreight is making more capacity available and will handle land transport more efficiently. InstaFreight, one of Europe’s fastest growing log-tech start ups, is announcing the successful closing of a $ 40 million Series B funding round. The financing round is led by Heliad and the European Investment Bank (Europäische Investitionsbank [EIB]). All previous investors of InstaFreight have also participated in the new financing round. The commitment of the investors and the current events in logistics and beyond show the outstanding potential that lies in an efficient and sustainable shaping of European land transport. With its digital solutions, InstaFreight offers efficient and digital transport services as well as transport management solutions – holistic digital logistics concepts for industry and trade that are unique in Europe in terms of their simplicity and transparency. “The truck logistics market is vast, highly fragmented and still dominated by non-digital players and overall inefficient, often paper-based, processes. InstaFreight, through its freight forwarding solutions and Transportation Management product, has seen tremendous growth over recent time, having made the company an integral part of this essential industry. Its fully digital and holistic platform solution empowers carriers and shippers equally. We are very excited to create together with the stellar team behind Philipp Ortwein and Maximilian Schäfer and among a strong investor base, a market leading solution to improve the logistics industry”, says Falk Schäfers, CEO of Heliad. EIB-Vice President Ambroise Fayolle emphasizes: “Transportation still remains a major obstacle …

Logistics platform FreightFox recently announced a partnership with Yale researchers to develop a responsive index-based pricing model that facilitates dynamic transportation decisions. The new freight contract and pricing model will take into account the most important factors that influence truck placement, such as seasonality in industry and agriculture, significant skewness in month and dispatches, and limited trucking inventory. The contract model will be designed to ensure best placement of trucking fleets at different times to minimise movement disruptions and maximise truck dispatch fulfilments. This will not only keep operations flowing but also support better visibility, allowing manufacturers to plan shipments better and have contingency options in case of failures elsewhere along the supply chain. At the same time, both manufacturers and transport partners can be assured of fair pricing. With reference to the partnership, Dr Ryan, Assistant Professor of Economics, Yale University and an affiliate of the Economic Growth Centre said: “Failures in shipping and trade are a major concern for firms in India, and offering improved contracts could make shipping more reliable, lower-cost, and raise people’s incomes. The intention of the project is to innovate in new contracts and see if that reduces the costs of trade.” “We are delighted to collaborate with researchers at Yale to develop such innovative freight contracts and are committed to deliver superior logistic contracting methods by leveraging technology, data and the know-how available at Yale,” said Nitish Rai, CEO and Co-founder of FreightFox. A memorandum of understanding guiding the research was signed in January 2022. Given the fragmented nature of the Indian economy, manufacturers often encounter logistical issues when it comes to procurement and freight contracts. Most freight contracts are static one-year affairs …

Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA), India’s premier container port, announced that it has undertaken multiple projects aligning with the PM’s initiative of ‘Gati Shakti.’ JNPA highlighted the progress and the outcome of these developmental projects in line with PM Gati Shakti- National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity. Sanjay Sethi, IAS, Chairman, JNPA, led the briefing event in the presence of senior officials from Railways, Customs, PSA Mumbai, IPRCL, NHAI key and JNPT Hods. The briefing event was virtually attended by various key participants from the Central & State Ministries. PM Gati Shakti aims to reduce logistics costs, develop world-class infrastructure to make EXIM efficient, and benefit citizens by saving cost and time and fastening the pace of development in the country. It will play a major role in the integrated economic growth of the country. It is based on seven engines of growth – roads, railways, airports, ports, mass transport, waterways, and logistics. Stressing on JNPA’s projects and its features contributing towards the aim of Gati Shakti, Sanjay Sethi, IAS, Chairman, JNPA stated, “The projects like JNPA-SEZ, Fourth Container Terminal, additional Liquid Cargo Jetty, etc. will be a catalyst for port-based industrialization in India and make the EXIM trade even more efficient with ease of operation. JNPA is the leading port in the country that provides state of the art facilities. These projects under Gati Shakti will contribute to all-inclusive progress and development of the nation.” Aligned with the PM Gati Shakti – National Master Plan, JNPA has undertaken various projects like Coastal Berth, JNPA SEZ, Centralized Parking Plaza, Fourth Container Terminal, Road Widening, Dry Port at Wardha & Jalna, Berthing facility for ROPAX/RORO, Common Railyard, Additional Liquid Cargo Jetty …

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine two weeks ago, the global seaborne commodities trading map is still being rebuilt at a breakneck speed. The US announced a ban on Russian oil and other energy imports. In remarks from the White House, President Joe Biden declared, “We’re prohibiting all imports of Russian oil, gas, and energy.” “This means Russian oil will no longer be accepted at US ports, and the American people will give Putin’s war machine another heavy blow.” This will only apply to energy imports into the United States. The United Kingdom plans to enact such a prohibition “before the end of the year.” Other European allies are not expected to join the US in the ban, at least for the time being. German chancellor Olaf Scholz said that although Berlin supported tough measures against Moscow, Russian energy supplies remained “essential” for daily life in Europe. Russia exported 114.2 million tonnes of crude oil to the European Union in the same year, accounting for 53.9 percent of Russia’s seaborne crude exports, plus another 40 million tonnes through pipeline. It sent 4.3 million tonnes of clean oil products to the United States last year, accounting for 6% of Russia’s seaborne clean product exports. Russia sent 41.9 million tonnes of clean oil products to the EU in the same year, accounting for 57.9% of Russia’s seaborne clean product exports. The European Commission outlined plans to rid the continent’s dependency on Russian natural gas by two-thirds by the end of the year, in a plan called REPowerEU. Meanwhile, the war and subsequent sanctions are seeing ships and cargoes pile up at ports across Europe. Leading liners – with the notable exception of COSCO …

Dr A V Ramana, Chairman of the Additional Mangalore Port Authority, announced that three new projects worth Rs 695 crores will be implemented under PM Gati Shakti. Mechanization of Berth No.14 for handling container and other cargos on a DBFOT basis in partnership with JSW, construction of new Berth No.17 for handling bulk and dry-bulk cargos at Rs 217 crores, and development of fishing harbour at Kulai at Rs 197 crores are among the projects. The PM Gati Shakti, a National Master Plan for Multi-Modal Connectivity, was released in October 2021 at a cost of Rs 100 lakh crores with the goal of developing infrastructure while lowering logistics costs and boosting the economy. This includes 16 various ministries such as shipping, waterways, railways, roadways and so on for integrated planning and coordinated implementation of infrastructure connectivity projects. Dr. A V Ramana, speaking at a press conference here, said that the PM Gati Shakti combines infrastructure schemes from various Ministries and State Governments, including Bharatmala, Sagarmala, Inland Waterways, Dry/Land Ports, UDAN, textile clusters, pharmaceutical clusters, defence corridors, electronic parks, industrial corridors, fishing clusters, and agri-zones. He also stated that the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways has identified 101 projects to improve port connectivity with consumption and production centres as part of the National Master Plan. In addition, he mentioned that 111 waterways in 24 states around the country have been designated as National Waterways. “Due to semi-mechanized handling of containers, there was tremendous need for the augmentation of the port capacity in handling containers. Mechanized handling of containers at Berth No. 14 will satisfy this and boot the economy of Karnataka’s hinterlands,” he

As Russia continues its military assault on Ukraine, the Western economies and their allies have retaliated by imposing harsh sanctions on the Russian economy, practically paralysing it. The shipping industry would be particularly affected, as delays and shipping prices are projected to rise as a result of interruptions in the global supply chain. Approximately 15 maritime ports in Ukraine were closed when the war broke out. Cargo loading and unloading has ended. Around 140 ships berthed in Ukrainian ports at the time have remained in the ports ever since. So yet, none of the ports or the ships berthed in them have been attacked. Two ships were attacked while in anchorage leading traders to avoid Black Sea routes for their ships. The ship, which contains electricity, food, and the ability to create water, is always the safest place for sailors in the event of an accident. According to Sanjay Prashar, managing director of VR Maritime Services, while bunkers in ports have been discovered for safely lodging seafarers, ship crews have not moved out of their ships. One of the company’s ships has become trapped in a port in Ukraine. Indian crews are on board some of the stalled ships at Ukrainian ports.

Jet Freight, one of India’s leading freight forwarders, appoints logistics veteran, Joy John, as its Director for Air and Sea Freight effective March 1, 2022. Joy will be responsible for Pan India Sales and Operations of Jet Freight Logistics Ltd. Joy brings over 30 years of comprehensive experience in airfreight management, freight forwarding, cross-border operations, sales support, business development, and team management skills from his previous roles. He is renowned as a keen planner, strategist, and implementer with demonstrated abilities in accelerating business growth in line with the board’s business plans. As a veteran in the logistics sector, Joy is an effective communicator with excellent relationship-building and interpersonal skills. He is distinguished as a leader with proficiency in analytical and problem-solving competencies. Jet Freight is considered among India’s most renowned freight forwarders, with global operations controlled from offices in India and Dubai. Jet Freight has over 10 regional offices across the country and continues to spread its logistic efforts for superior last-mile delivery solutions. Jet Freight is a technology-enabled company and is on the road to becoming a top choice for freight forwarding and supplying logistics distribution services to its clients. Jet Freight plan to extend seamless and environment-friendly deliveries for their customers. According to Richard Theknath, Chairman and Managing Director, Jet Freight, “We are happy to have Joy John on board with Jet Freight as Director Air-Sea Freight. Given his vast experience in the freight forwarding industry, we are confident that he will take Jet Freight to greater heights and are keen to leverage his leadership skills in enhancing our sales and operations. His competitive selling strategies to improve brand and service awareness will help us enhance our existing …

After two years of disruption, the logistics sector is riding on a growth wave as COVID-19 wanes, with the giant logistics provider DTDC leading this wave with a special focus on healthcare. The national player is taking the logistics game a notch higher and upgrading their infrastructure, launching several warehouses for positive growth and expansion. After the pandemic struck and several lockdowns, the demand for doorstep delivery of medicine and vaccines has soared. In order to meet this demand and facilitate people with speedy services that meet their life-saving medical requirements, DTDC is now on a mission to reach every large city and the remotest of villages in the country. Rolling this mission into action, DTDC has begun with the Guntur district in Andhra Pradesh. They have opened a new warehouse with state-of-the-art facilities and high-end technology-enabled. Partnering with e-commerce giants, the logistics provider is all set to provide enhanced deliveries across categories across the urban and rural segments of the state. “To further enhance our services and streamline operations to serve our customers better, we are building major logistic hubs across the country to facilitate business growth and deliver value to customers across the length and breadth of the country,” says Subhasish Chakraborty, Founder, Chairman and Managing Director of DTDC. “We are happy with the way the people of the country have supported us in the last 32 years. We started from Karnataka but are all over India today. With the trio element of service, support, and advanced infrastructure, we are sure to take care of everyone’s needs in the coming future. Moreover, we also run a foundation called SSCF (Shri Subhasish Chakraborty Foundation), where orphanages and the aged …

Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), India’s premier container port, has accomplished an all-time high record handling of 5.15 million TEUs in the financial year of 2021-22, compared to the previous 5.13 million TEUs in FY 2018-19. It is the highest ever traffic handled in any financial year since the inception of the port as it depicts JNPT’s growth in the trade, maritime, and port sectors. Commending the robust growth and achievement of the port, Shri Sanjay Sethi, IAS, Chairman, JNPT, said, “JNPT’s spectacular performance in the financial year 2021-22 has taken the port’s business to new heights irrespective of the pandemic. The record handling which we have achieved is because of the collective efforts of every employee. I congratulate all our stakeholders, as JNPT is performing exceptionally well even in the post-pandemic era by implementing a host of measures to make the business sustainable, efficient, economical and convenient. JNPT will continue to ensure timely and safe movement of EXIM trade with modern infrastructure, and novel technologies.” Earlier, in January 2022, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), India’s premier container port, continued its steady surge in cargo handling in CY 2021 with total container traffic of 5.63 million TEUs (5,631,949 TEUs) as against 4.47 million TEUs (4,474,878 TEUs) in CY 2020, growth of 25.86% over last calendar year.