Category Archives: Supply Chain

Safexpress, India’s largest supply chain & logistics company, has launched its ultra-modern Logistics Park in Navi Mumbai. This state-of-the-art facility is strategically located near to Mumbai Goa National Highway 66. Navi Mumbai is a hub for various industries in India, and several well-known brands have their manufacturing plants located here. Being one of the largest industrial hubs of Maharashtra, Navi Mumbai is a crucial location from supply chain & logistics perspective. Keeping this in mind, Safexpress has established its state-of-the-art Logistics Park at Navi Mumbai. This Logistics Park will serve as a nodal point for supply chain & logistics in the region. This facility is based at a strategic location and has strong connectivity with all Indian states.

DB Schenker, the global leading logistics service provider that is 100% owned by Deutsche Bahn Group (Euro 39.90 Billion), today announced the expansion of its digitally forward innovation, connect 4.0. The platform allows customers to book air freight shipments quickly and conveniently online. Streamlining the logistics process as easy as Click. Ship. Done., the connect 4 air platform will provide hassle-free logistics services and meet all the real time tracking needs of a customer, including access to the company’s global transportation network. The platform is an online portal that streamlines shipping processes to deliver a seamless interface for customers. With this expansion, the company has combined the Ocean and Air transport activities on a single platform, offering customers a unique experience by helping them customize shipping services like getting real-time instant quotes, as well as booking and tracking a shipment with 24/7 online visibility from pick up to delivery

With the easing of lockdown restrictions and pickup in the domestic economic activity, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), one of the premier container handling ports, recorded a throughput of 441,984 TEUs in June 2021 as compared to 289,292 TEUs in June 2020. A growth of 52.78% as compared to the same period last year. In terms of rail operations, JNPT handled 88,849 TEUS of ICD traffic from 548 rakes in June 2021, and the Rail-Coefficient is 20.10%. Commenting on the performance, Shri Sanjay Sethi, IAS, Chairman, JNPT, said, “We are proud to see the efficiency of the entire JNPT ecosystem improve, resulting in increasing numbers in container handling, overall container traffic, and throughput even during a pandemic. At JNPT, we appreciate the efforts taken by our talented and skilled workforce, esteemed and valuable Stakeholders. Our ever-aiding Trade Partners have shown in maintaining JN Port’s position as a major contributor to India’s economic growth and the nation’s fight against Covid-19 by relentlessly handling the evacuation and procurement of Medical Grade Oxygen and other Medical accessories and supply”.

PLUSS Advanced Technologies (PLUSS) in collaboration with Apollo Supply Chain (part of the Apollo International Group), has set up a 20,000 sq ft state-of-the-art facility in Hyderabad, for packaging boxes for temperature sensitive vaccines, pharmaceuticals and biologics. The boxes maintain inside-temperature without electricity at desired levels for over 4 days, using ‘phase change materials’ technology. The facility has the capacity to condition boxes for transporting equivalent of 3 to 5 million vaccine doses per month, and will cater to the various vaccine and pharma manufacturers in and around Hyderabad. “With the installation of this facility, the burden of creating a cold chain logistics infrastructure for pharmaceutical companies can be reduced. It also allows optimal use of resources between companies and gels with the PLUSS goals of being ‘Plusstainable’ – the ability to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising on the requirements of the future. Shared resources always make a lot of sense, in the long run it reduces costs and expenses for everyone in the endeavour to increase access to temperature sensitive healthcare products. The boxes come pre-fitted with temperature sensors and monitoring of temperature is seamless,” said Samit Jain, CEO, PLUSS.

FIATA and PayCargo have teamed up to develop and launch Freight-Pay, a digital platform that enables FIATA members to carry out online transactions. Freight-Pay allows FIATA members to send and receive money to and from other members who have joined the platform. Benefits for members using the platform include: reduced transaction fees, flexible payments and end-to-end encrypted transactions. Stephane Graber, FIATA director general, commented: “Freight-Pay is meant to simplify the freight forwarder’s day-to-day business and we are excited to introduce this new tool to our members. As we dive deeper into the digital world, we must continue to equip our members with hands-on resources that make their daily practice easier. That is why we collaborated with PayCargo to develop the Freight-Pay solution, so that FIATA members can have an efficient and secure platform to transfer money among themselves at a reduced cost.”

Dr A Sakthivel, the new elected President of FIEO welcomed the stimulus package of Rs 6,28,993 crore announced by Hon’ble Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs, Ms Nirmal Sitharaman to support Indian economy in fight against COVID-19 pandemic during these difficult and challenging times. This includes expansion of the scope of an emergency credit guarantee scheme, that offered relief to a large number of MSMEs, from ₹3 trillion to ₹4.5 trillion and guarantees to banks for their loans to micro lenders for lending up to ₹1.25 lakh per person. These will further help in increasing liquidity for micro and small businesses across the country, said Dr A Sakthivel. New FIEO Chief added that yet another initiative to give a boost to the exports sector by the FM is the announcement of Rs 33,000 Crore for Project Exports through National Export Insurance Account (NEIA). This will facilitate both goods and services exports as many economies are opening up with large investment to propel project exports from India. Further Rs 88,000 crore boost to Export Insurance Cover through Export Credit Guarantee Corporation (ECGC) will address the rising credit risks, during and aftermath of the pandemic, thereby providing relief to the exporters in terms of liquidity, reiterated Dr Sakthivel.

Indian multinational conglomerate Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) is investing in building state-of-the-art supply chain infrastructure across India by linking all major sourcing and consumption locations. “An automated, modular, reliable and scalable warehousing and logistics ecosystem will enable us to deliver products anywhere across the country in the shortest possible time,” announced Chairman of RIL, Mukesh Ambani during the 44th Annual General Meeting. The chairman said that the company’s retail business is on a hyper-growth trajectory and it is in a position to be able to provide 10 lakh jobs in the near future.

FM Logistic will introduce its new tagline, “Supply Change”, in an event on sustainable supply chain models on June 29th. The new tagline was created by FutureBrand, a brand consultancy. The new signature acknowledges that supply chains must transform to foster a more responsible consumption and sustainable economy. It also reflects FM Logistic’s commitment to contributing to that change. Finally, Supply Change speaks to the evolution of FM Logistic. “FM Logistic aims to become a reference partner in the field of sustainable, omnichannel supply chains. The double whammy of the pandemic and business disruption urges us to rethink the way supply chains work. They have to become more sustainable and cooperative, while meeting demands for solidity, resilience, speed and cost-efficiency. Our new signature, “Supply Change”, speaks to our commitment to working alongside our customers and business partners in this direction and to making a collective impact,” said FM Logistic’s CEO Jean-Christophe Machet

In a bid to protect thousands of Customs Brokers, their staff and family members, Delhi Customs Brokers Association (DCBA) has organized a 4-day COVID-19 vaccination camp at New Customs House (NCH), near IGI Airport, New Delhi from June 15 to 18, 2021. Supported by the Office of the Chief Commissioner of Customs (Delhi Zone), the vaccination camp is being conducted by Medanta Hospital. The vaccination camp was inaugurated by Smt. Ranjana Jha, Chief Commissioner of Customs (Delhi Zone) along with Smt. Simmi Jain, Principal Commissioner of Customs, Air Cargo Import and Shri Manish Kumar, Commissioner of Customs, Airport & General. Customs Brokers are one of the vital components of the logistics & supply chain system and recognised as frontline warriors in respect of the fighting against COVID-19 pandemic through their immensely valuable services. Risking their lives, the Customs Brokers are working 24×7 to clear all urgent Covid related cargo/material including oxygen concentrators, oxygen cylinders, ventilators, PPE kits, vaccines, etc from airports, ports and ICDs.

As the world economy recovers from COVID-19 disruptions and demand for exports rises, container prices at major ports, such as Chennai, Mundra and Nhava Sheva, remain high.The average price of a 20-ft dry container at the Chennai port stood around $1,600 (Rs 116,736, at Rs 72.96 to the dollar) at the end of May, compared to around $1,083 (Rs 79,015) in May 2020. The average price of a 20-ft dry container in Mundra at the end of May stood at around $1,550 compared to $1,163 recorded in June 2020, while for Nhava Sheva in Navi Mumbai, it was at $1,700 in May against $1,075 in June 2020. Demand for exports, especially vaccines, medical equipment like masks, personal protective equipment kits, and oxygen concentrators, has risen in the past few months, shipping companies said. “Many companies are likely to get into bidding wars to extradite their export and import cargo, and this is likely to lead to higher tariffs,” another Mumbai-based shipping analyst said. Demand for white goods has also picked up in the last few months.