Category Archives: Technology

Bengaluru & Chennai customs begin faceless cargo assessment for imports

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC) has announced the first phase of ‘all-India roll out of faceless assessment’. With the objective of speedy clearance, transparency in decision making and ease of doing business, the board decided to implement the next generation reforms in the customs clearance process under ‘Turant’ customs. The Board has decided to begin faceless assessment in phases beginning with Customs stations which already have the experience of the pilot programs. Therefore, the first phase would begin from June 8, 2020 at Bengaluru and Chennai for items of imports primarily covered by Chapters 84 and 85 of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975. The phased rollout plan envisages that Faceless Assessment shall be the norm pan India by December 31, 2020.

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DBS Bank India introduces digital payments to Indian trucking sector

DBS Bank India in partnership with TCIL has introduced the DBS RAPID (Real Time APIs by DBS) solution for truck drivers, thereby enabling them to receive payments instantly. Given the large volumes of transactions, and round-the-clock nature of the operations, the bank proposed setting up a UPI-based real-time payments solution which is available 24x7x365. With this solution, TCIL truck drivers receive an instant credit into their bank account, which they can then swipe at terminals or withdraw cash using ATMs. Through DBS Bank India’s custom API solution, TCIL will now be able to save 45 lakh hours annually. DBS RAPID (Real-time APIs by DBS) and UPI payments, provides a seamless integration with the company’s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. The solution has been set up under the aegis of National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).

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Skyways Group launches sKart as a one-window solution for all logistical requirements

In its pursuit for innovation and pioneering efforts in the technological application tools, Skyways Group launched a web-based business venture sKart. S.L Sharma, Chairman, Skyways Group stressed on the importance to move proactively on the digital journey which has changed the logistics landscape. Skart is 100 per cent cloud-based logistics industry software which will enable every small, SME and even big-ticket company to procure best in industry services for courier and express shipments to expand their businesses at a place of their convenience. The software has ERP which enables its customers to generate labels, provide real-time information, manages records etc. It manages all databank of KYC, labels, MIS etc online which allows its customers to access them at any time.

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Shell launches fleet solutions range in India

Aiming to reduce the total cost of ownership (TCO) for fleet owners, provide better control over operations and increased protection against fraud, Shell has launched Shell Fuels, Shell Fleet Prepaid program and Shell Telematics. Parminder Kohli, GM – Business Development, Marketing and Operations for Fleet Solutions, Shell, said, “Our mission is to be our customers’ first choice for sustainable mobility solutions. We would like to achieve this through understanding their fleet management problems and then providing customised solutions addressing their pain points.”

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Special Secretary – Logistics, Sivasailam, to grace India Cargo Awards 2019 as Chief Guest

N Sivasailam, Special Secretary – Logistics, Department of Commerce, Government of India has kindly consented to grace the India Cargo Awards 2019. India Cargo Awards 2019 are scheduled to be held on January 27, 2020 from 7 pm to 10 pm at the Crowne Plaza Greater Noida. Sivasailam is an officer of the 1985 batch of the Indian Administrative Service allotted to Karnataka Cadre. He graduated in Mechanical Engineering from Delhi College of Engineering, University of Delhi. He did his Master’s in Business Administration at the Faculty Management Studies, University of Delhi, and Master’s in Social Policy & Planning from the London School of Economics and Post Graduate Diploma in Intellectual Property Rights Law (IPRL) from the National Law School of India University, Bangalore. Prior to this assignment, he served as an Additional Chief Secretary in the Department of Public Enterprises, Government of Karnataka. He has served in the Departments of Health & Family Welfare and Medical Education, Forest, Ecology & Environment Departments of the Government of Karnataka as Principal Secretary.

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More than 3500 business meetings conducted at 2nd LOGIX India 2019

The second LOGIX India 2019 – International Buyer Seller Meet was held on December 12, 2019 at New Delhi, launched by the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) with the active support from Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India. The three days mega event saw well over 3500 business to business meetings along with parallel sessions on different issues, challenges and above all opportunities about the logistics sector across India and the world. Inaugurating the event, Som Parkash, Minister of State for Commerce & Industry, Government of India, said, “Logistics is the backbone of any trade and industry. Currently the logistics cost in India is 30-40 per cent higher than the global benchmarked logistics cost. And therefore, it is a big challenge for the government. However, the government aims at reducing it to 10 per cent of the GDP. The government is also planning to invest around 100 lakhs crore in logistics infrastructure in the next five years. We are also in the process of coming out with a new National Logistics Policy and creating data bank by getting feedback from different stakeholders.

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Government to propose ‘road trains’ to cut logistics cost

In its attempt to reduce logistics cost, the government has decided to allow introduction of ‘road trains’ on select routes and between identified points.The transport ministry’s draft rule for road trains comes at a time when the Centre is putting more focus on building 2,500 km of greenfield expressways like the Delhi-Mumbai corridor. The draft specifies the length, height and width of the roads. Even state governments are constructing more such roads. The NHAI has also been tasked to take up building economic corridors on priority, which would connect major manufacturing hubs. This move will encourage multi-container transport on the road, simultaneously reducing logistics cost. This mode of transporting freight is popular in countries including Australia, United States and in Europe to move huge quantity of cargo. Road trains consist of a conventional prime mover – truck – pulling two or more trailers. One road train in India can replace at least three trucks and is expected to prove beneficial for movement of freight.

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DMICDC launches container tracking service at Paradip and Mormugao Port

DMICDC Logistics Data Services (DLDS) has announced the launch of its container tracking service ‘Logistics Data Bank’ (LDB) at Paradip International Cargo Terminal (PICT) in Odisha and Mormugao Port Trust in Goa. The extension of LDB’s services to India’s eastern corridor and Goa comes after it has tracked 20 million EXIM containers in three years. With an 11-digit tracking code, the container tracking solution helps supply chain operations to reduce the port dwell and transportation time of export and import shipments. LDB is a single-window ICT-based container tracking solution of DLDS currently operational across 24 port terminals in India since it began operations at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) in 2016. In 2017 it was extended to Hazira and Mundra ports of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ).

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Indian customs department to go paperless soon

In order to take the ease of doing business initiatives to next level, customs department is rolling out the concept of faceless assessment of cargo across the country in next few months. The consignments will be assessed by virtual group irrespective of where the Bill of Entry is filed. Baswaraj Nalegave, Commissioner of Customs (City and ICD), Bengaluru, says, “We are moving ahead with the concept of faceless assessment,” in adding, “From now onwards, in a phased manner, we will ensure that the assessment of cargo need not be done at the same place where the Bill of Entry is filed,” he stated. “We have already started the pilot in Bangalore. So, all machinery will be assessed by a virtual group no matter where the Bill of Entry is filed. In Chennai, it’s already being done. It’s a matter of a few months before it is rolled out across the country,” he noted.

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GreyOrange deploys 12000 per hour Sorter for QuadX

GreyOrange has announced the deployment of its 12,000 picks per hour Sorter. The new sorter is a first-of-its kind automated solution by GreyOrange for QuadX, Philippines. The GreyOrange Flexible Automation system has been deployed to provide an enhanced and seamless shopping experience for customers, along with the ease of payment and delivery. The 12,000 per hour Sorter, is a combination of two 6,000 per hour sorters, each having 11 arms and capable of sorting up to 480 and 240 unique destinations with and without pre-sorting respectively. It can sort up to 150,000 packages within 12 hours of operation. Speaking about the partnership, Vivekanand, Country Manager, India & APAC, Grey Orange said, “GreyOrange technology will help QuadX realize their vision of re-inventing the shopping experience for customers by optimizing operations and throughput. By effectively sorting packages for the company’s hubs across Manila and Philippines, this solution will help QuadX meet customers’ order delivery timelines more efficiently and complete orders with less manpower than before.”

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