EXIM NEWS

Cabinet approves MCA for PPP in port projects

The Union Cabinet has approved the adoption of the Model Concession Agreement (MCA) for public-private partnership (PPP) projects primarily in Major Ports, it was reported.

The MCA replaces the Model Licence Agreement (MLA) of March 2000, which had been in use in the major port projects since March 2000.

The Cabinet decision is expected to benefit the enhanced bankability of private sector projects, primarily in Major Ports, on account of improvements effected in the model vis-à-vis the MLA 2000.

The MCA will lead to standardisation of financial and commercial terms for award of concessions for port projects, speedy decision making, equitable and efficient allocation of risks between the contracting parties.

It will protect user interests through adherence to performance standards, the report added.

As per the MCA, the port tariff ceilings will be fixed upfront and the competitive bids will then be invited from private companies wanting to build and operate the terminals.

The tariffs charged at Major Ports will now be linked to the efficiency of services provided by the terminal operators, or port authorities.
 

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Par 100 posts (V.I.P)
SHIPPING

SCI, Allcargo Global bag Seatrade Awards 2007
Attractiveness of Vizhinjam as a Mega Container Transhipment Terminal
Samsara Group commences services between Ankleshwar and JNP
Schenker India handles biggest charter shipment
Intermarine vessel delivers heavy-lift for Jamnagar project

NEWS BRIEF :

Tuticorin Port achieves single-day cargo handling record
GGL Line starts direct Singapore-Bangalore service
MPT handles record cargo traffic
Kulpi port project may take off in January
MICT sets yet another GCR record
Singapore stays as world’s biggest container port
OOCL upgrades KTX-1 service capacity
CMA CGM increases frequency of Vasco Express Service
Gateway Distriparks commences operations in Kochi
 

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Par 100 posts (V.I.P)
Uniworld emerging as most versatile logistics service provider
1st container train of ETA Freightstar flagged off from ICD-Loni
Sical Distriparks celebrates 10th anniversary in grand style
CONCOR begins BCN rakes operation
BDG International opens office in New Delhi
 

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Par 100 posts (V.I.P)
Aviation

Victorious, Vigilant & Visionary
Air India expands Cargo Fleet
Airports to mushroom in 2008
New airport policy to take shape
India, China to fuel passenger growth

NEWS BRIEF :

AI to turn Boeing 747-400s into cargo jets
Chinese airline to restart services to India
Jet Airways to launch cargo airliner
Kingfisher explores fresh destinations
Delta adds Boeing 777 to Mumbai
Air cargo to spin in Mangalore
GoAir expands its fleet
Patel upbeat on Indian aviation
India high on Swiss WorldCargo’s chart
Deccan seeks Int’I Skies


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Victorious, Vigilant & Visionary


Pacesetter Cochin International Airport lays down Expansion Plans

Trendsetters don’t take up a path; they pave a path for others to follow. The perfect example of which is the Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL). Born in 1999, the young and dynamic spirit of CIAL touched the heights of success when it became the country’s first airport to have implemented the public-private partnership (PPP) model. An iconoclast, in its own unique way, CIAL gave a new parlance of growth to the Indian aviation industry. Being a perfect paradigm of greenfield airport in India, it has transformed the benchmarks for Indian airports to towering echelons.

CIAL’s success can be measured by its financial results. In 2005-06, its turnover was Rs 100 crore, with PAT of Rs 31 crore. In 2006-07, it was Rs 112 crore, with PAT of Rs 34 crore, which is about 30 per cent.

With an 11,000 ft. runway, which is the second largest in India, and a full-length rapid taxi track, the airport handles traffic of 438 aircraft per week. Total aircraft movement in 2006-07 in international sector rose by 23.8 per cent and domestic sector by 73 per cent, indicating a collective growth of 46.23 per cent.

The airport also operates a contemporary and world-class air cargo complex, which carries the entire gamut of activities from pre-and post-processing of all the cargo to the loading of the cargo onto the aircraft. CIAL has the capacity to handle 50,000 MT per annum. Its domestic cargo has achieved a 15 per cent growth in traffic in each quarter.


Cochin International Airport

CIAL is also in the process of setting up a Rs 60-crore centre for perishable cargo with a Rs 15-crore grant from the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda), which will handle 30,000 MT of export-import cargo a year. The authorities are already in talks with airlines like Etihad and Emirates to start a dedicated cargo service from Cochin.

After 8 years of streamlined success, CIAL is not the one to rest on its past laurels. The company has drawn plans to develop international terminal with 43 check-in counters, 23 emigration counters, 20 immigration counters and 4 baggage carousals. It is proposed to have separate gate, which holds for the 5 aerobridges and an exclusive transit lounge for the transit passengers. The new international terminal, with a built up area of 4.78 lakh sq.ft, will cater to 24 lakh incoming and outgoing passengers simultaneously.

Construction on Centre for Perishable Cargo (CPC) is also in progress and will be commissioned shortly. It is claimed to be one of the best in India, with a capacity of 30,000 MT per annum. The Phase II of expansion of CPC and Air Cargo Complex will include provision of an exclusive freighter-parking bay along with freighter handling equipment, agri-information centre and a conference hall, with focus on agricultural development.


Departure area of Cochin Airport

In tandem with the above development, re-modelling of the existing cargo complex will be done resulting in exclusive export bay for general cargo movement, separate import bay, storage facility, etc. for import cargo and a separate bay for transhipment cargo.

CIAL will also undertake a major expansion programme for the development of an Aerotropolis in its vicinity. The plan for the project has been chalked out, and will involve investment of around Rs 3,500 crore over the next 10 years. The project will come up on 450 acres of land. The master plan of the Aerotropolis includes building of an aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility, aviation academy, 18-hole golf course along with a sports complex, IT park, 5 star/budget hotels (3 nos) including health resort, business/convention centre, super specialty hospital (which will include state-of-the-art Allopathic and Ayurvedic care), warehouse/logistics facility, educational institutions related to aviation, shopping arcades, amusement park and a cultural village. The work on the MRO and aviation academy, golf course, IT park, business/convention centre and hotels is under way.







Air India expands Cargo Fleet


By March 2009, Air India Cargo, a wholly-owned subsidiary of National Aviation Company India Ltd (NACIL), has estimated a 10 per cent growth in revenue, which amounts to about Rs 1,000 crore. To expedite this growth, the company is also planning fleet expansion.

Air India Cargo will have a fleet of 10 dedicated freighters by the end of the next financial year, informed Mr V. Thulasidas, Chairman and Managing Director, NACIL. Besides, it also aims to convert all its Boeing 747-400s into cargo jets.

Currently, the company fleet consists of two Boeing 737-200s and one Airbus A310. Additional two Boeing 737s are expected to be added by the end of this year. It has ordered 68 Boeing and 43 Airbus aircraft, which are expected to come by 2011, and a fresh order will be placed within the next six months to ensure deliveries between 2011-16.

Air India Cargo is planning to have its cargo hub at Nagpur where Air India will also have a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility that would also cater to other airlines. This MRO facility would attract other airlines, which would fly in cargo and passengers on their way to various destinations.

Air India Cargo has collaborated with express majors like Gati, which will handle logistics and the front-end operations of domestic cargo. While, Air India Cargo will look after back-end operations including aeronautical operations, ground handling and international cargo operations.

NACIL is looking for expanding its international cargo operations to destinations like Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Seoul, Dubai, Doha, Frankfurt, Paris, New York, Seattle, Sydney, Melbourne and Johannesburg.







Airports to mushroom in 2008


The 40 per cent increase in the domestic air traffic during the first nine months of 2007, has encouraged the Union Civil Aviation Minister, Mr Praful Patel, to undertake projects to boost aviation infrastructure. Mr Patel has decided to make 20 national airports operational next year. About 80 airports are currently operational, and by 2008 the Minister has targeted to make 100 airports operational in the country.

The greenfield airports in Bangalore and Hyderabad, plus several smaller ones like Durgapur and Asansol, are expected to go operational next year. The Minister is also optimistic about the growth in cargo traffic.

He has urged both public and private airlines to add more cargo planes and estimated that the country will need 1,000 aircraft by the end of next decade.







New airport policy to take shape


The Ministry of Civil Aviation is expected to bring out the new policy on airports in the first half of the next year. The need to revise the existing policy arose since the demand for multiple airports in metro cities to handle the rapidly growing traffic was put forward. The issue had also been raised at the recent meeting on infrastructure chaired by the Prime Minister and is supported by Parliamentary consultative committee. The existing guidelines require a minimum distance of 150 km between an existing airport and a new one.

The proposed policy will also look into the matter of private airport operators facing tough competition with multiple airports being developed in metros. The GMR group-led Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) think that the timing of constructing a new airport near Greater Noida is not appropriate as the total annual capacity of Delhi airport by 2026 would be 100 million, more than the demand at that time. And the proposed airport is likely to divert air traffic from the airport, thus, reducing the revenue of DIAL.

Though, the move is in line with the operators of the upcoming airports, the airlines, too feel that multiple airports in a city would mean competition between the operators and, hence, reduction of landing and parking charges for them.







India, China to fuel passenger growth


The air traffic in India and China are indicating growth in the next five years. Domestic passenger demand is expected to grow by 1.77 billion in 2011, reports International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) annual five-year forecast.

IATA has also projected that in 2011, the air transport industry will handle 2.75 billion passengers and 36 million tonnes of international freight. The sharpest growth in international passenger traffic will be from Middle East. Around 6.8 per cent growth driven by GDP expansion along with significant new routes and capacity has been predicted.

The Asia-Pacific region would see a rise in traffic, with India experiencing a rise of 8.6 per cent in international/domestic passenger traffic and China by 8.8 per cent.

The total international passenger traffic in Asia will rise by 87 million by 2011, the report highlighted. It further notes that though China and India will fuel much of the increased passenger growth, the relatively low economy would mean there would be more scope for growth of domestic and short-haul travel in years to come.





NEWS BRIEF

AI to turn Boeing 747-400s into cargo jets


Air India (AI) is considering converting all its Boeing 747-400s into cargo jets in a phased manner, Air India’s Chairman, Mr V. Thulasidas, said.

AI, which has already converted two of its four Airbus 300s and two of its five Boeing 737-200s into freighters, would start air cargo service from six metros—Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad—from the middle of 2008.

The airline would make Nagpur its cargo hub for both domestic and international operations. For domestic cargo operations, Boeing 737-200s would be utilised. With the growing demand for cargo, Air India might also look at leasing as well as going in for new cargo aircraft, he elaborated.







Chinese airline to restart services to India


China Eastern Airlines has decided to resume flights from Mumbai, disclosed representatives from the airline.

The airline will also shortly start flights from Kolkata to Kunming, capital of Yunnan province in China, three times a week.

The two-way flight from Kolkata to Kunming is expected to cost Rs 12,000. The airline is also eyeing either Bangalore or Chennai, where they hope to start flight operations by next year.

It currently operates four flights a week from Delhi to Shanghai and Beijing.









Jet Airways to launch cargo airliner


Jet Airways plans to launch a cargo airliner by next year, according to a senior official.

At present, freight contributes to 6-7 per cent of Jet Airlines’ revenues. The airline is targeting 10 per cent this fiscal.

The company is also examining locations in Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore to set up an MRO facility.










explores fresh destinations

Knitting India into a closer network, Kingfisher Airlines is gearing to connect virgin markets like Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Hubli and Surat to the mainland. The airline has already stepped in places like Thiruvananthapuram, Agatti (Lakshadweep), Kochi, Goa and Kandla.

According to Mr V. Raja, Global Sales Head, Kingfisher Airlines, "The idea is to trigger demand in these destinations since they can prove to be potential revenue earners."

Besides introducing flights on these routes, the airline is also planning tie-ups with hotels in these cities to boost business as well as leisure and tourist traffic.







Delta adds Boeing 777 to Mumbai


From April 2008, Delta Airlines will introduce Boeing 777-200LR aircraft on its daily non-stop Mumbai-JFK flight. This will also provide added cargo capabilities for shippers and freight forwarders.

To serve its long-haul non-stop routes the US carrier has ordered six more B777-200LR.

Based on a survey, Delta has decided not to offer first-class seats in India, as their second-class seats are good enough to compete with the first class seats of Indian airlines.

The airline is also looking for a joint venture with an Indian aviation player.







Air cargo to spin in Mangalore


Mangalore Airport lounge

Mangalore’s trade fraternity is extremely positive of contributing a sizable share of air cargo few years from now, even though it currently lacks an air cargo complex. The region is looking at Gulf countries to boost the export of its horticulture and agricultural produces and other perishable goods.

According to a study by the Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Mangalore region can generate five tonnes of air cargo a day during the initial stage. If steps are taken to set up an air cargo complex at Mangalore, the region can export around 45,000 tonnes of air cargo a year by 2011-12. By then, the region will be in a position to export around 150 tonnes of air cargo every day.

Meanwhile, the construction of new integrated terminal at Mangalore airport, which will handle both domestic and international traffic, is expected to be complete by 2008.

Covering an area of 18,200 sq. metres, the terminal will be able to handle 500 passengers at a time. The building will have two aerobridges and 28 check-in counters.







GoAir expands its fleet

Jeh Wadia’s GoAir expanded its current fleet by adding A320 aircraft to its network recently. This is the second delivery of the $ 1.2-billion order that the airline had placed with Airbus last year. The airline will now operate 561 weekly commercial flights under the winter schedule.

GoAir is said to have completed its expansion programme of doubling its flight operations in November-end. However, the airline has also no plans to add new destinations to its current network during the fiscal.







Patel upbeat on Indian aviation


The aviation industry is a sunrise sector, which over the next decade would see an increase of more than 1,000 aircraft and would also attract investment of $ 150 billion, stated the Minister for Civil Aviation, Mr Praful Patel.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation is considering a proposal to allow more than one airport in a particular region. Currently, the government policy does not allow an international airport to come up within 150 km of an existing airport.

Meanwhile, Mr Patel informed that the work on upgrading Chennai and Kolkata airports would begin by March next year. He also said that from next year, international airlines would be permitted to land at the Calicut airport since there has been a 100 per cent increase in international and domestic airlines operating to and from Kerala since 2004.







India high on Swiss WorldCargo’s chart


Eyeing vast opportunities in the burgeoning northern region in India, Swiss International Airline’s airfreight subsidiary, Swiss WorldCargo has began a new daily flight to and from Delhi.

Departing Zurich at 12.30 hrs, the flight arrives in Delhi at 00.35 hrs the next day, while the westbound flight leaves Delhi at 02.00 hrs to reach Zurich at 06.25 hrs.

The flight using Airbus 330 will offer 18 tonnes of additional capacity to and from Delhi. It already has 22 tonnes of capacity between Zurich and Mumbai.










seeks Int’I Skies

UB Group’s Kingfisher Airlines is ready to get linked to all major international routes connecting India through Simplify Deccan, which will complete five years of domestic operations in August 2008. The airline is said to have sought the government’s ‘in-principle’ approval to operate on almost all Gulf routes.

Mr Ramki Sundaram, CEO, Air Deccan, has sent a written request to the government for an ‘in-principle’ approval so that the airline can start the process of investing in preparatory work for the international operations.
 

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Par 100 posts (V.I.P)
PORTS

JNP sustains growth momentum
Vizag Port steps into a bright future
Shanghai likely to become the 2nd busiest port
NMP posts 14 pc rise in cargo traffic in H1
Risk Management System introduced at Kandla, Mundra Ports


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JNP sustains growth momentum

Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNP) has sustained its momentum of growth as the country's leading container handling facility by registering a throughput of 2.3 million TEUs during the first seven months of 2007-08, with all three terminals attaining new performance highs.


At the event are Mr S. S. Hussain (left) and Ms Maya Sinha

This was highlighted by Mr S. S. Hussain, Chairman of Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), on the occasion of releasing a new corporate documentary on JNPT.

Also present on the occasion was Ms Maya Sinha, Deputy Chairperson, JNPT, all Port Heads of Department and senior officials as well as a galaxy of prominent personalities from the maritime sector, Customs and Railways.

Interacting with the media on the occasion, Mr Hussain said that the intention behind making the corporate film was to provide an informative overview on the Port, which was prompted by the many queries that Port officials had been receiving about operations and other aspects of the facility.

The Chairman also disclosed the half-yearly financial performance highlights of the Port. The physical performance for the first seven months of the current financial year (up to October 2007) and major developmental plans of the Port were also explained to the media by the Chairman.

Physical Performance

JN Port handled 30.56 million tonnes of cargo, including 2.30 million TEUs, during the first seven months of 2007-08. The throughput of Jawaharlal Nehru Port Container Terminal (JNPCT) was 0.72 million TEUs, DP World Nhava Sheva (NSICT) 0.86 million TEUs and Gateway Terminals India Pvt. Ltd (GTIPL) 0.71 million TEUs during this period.

Container handling at JNP constitutes about 93 per cent of the total traffic at the Port.

The dry bulk cargo handled during the period was 0.35 million tonnes and the liquid bulk cargo handled was 1.8 million tonnes.

The total traffic handled at JN Port during the same period last year was 24.85 million tonnes, including 1.82 million TEUs. Thus, there was an overall growth of 23 per cent and an increase of 26 per cent in container traffic during the current year over the previous year.

Mr Hussain highlighted that all the 3 terminals crossed the 1-million TEU throughput mark during the period January to early October this calendar year, signifying that it was a combined effort that was taking JNP to new heights.


The Chairman releasing the JNPT corporate film

Financial Performance

Operating income during the first six months of 2007-08 (April to September 2007) stood at
Rs 405 crore, with operating expenditure at Rs 150 crore. Operating surplus during the first six months of the current fiscal was Rs 255 crore. However, the profit after tax for the first six months of 2007-08 works out to Rs 214 crore (Rs 189 crore).

Port's Developmental Plans

Deepening and widening of harbour channel: The channel will be dredged to accommodate vessels up to a draught of 14 metres, with 6,000 TEUs capacity, using tidal window in the first phase. The projected expenditure in the first phase is Rs 800 crore. Work on the first phase is likely to start in early 2008, with the completion period expected to be 27 months from the date of award of contract. The project has already been tendered and selection of the successful bidder is on.

Development of fourth container terminal and marine chemical terminal: When fully developed, the capacity of the terminal would be 4.4 million TEUs and 15 million tonnes of liquid cargo, at an estimated cost of Rs 5,000 crore.

Extension of container berth by 330 metres: The container berth towards the north side of DP World Nhava Sheva will be extended by 330 metres. This will add to capacity by 6 lakh TEUs per annum.

Acquisition of three rail-mounted quay cranes (RMQCs): The Port would be acquiring three super post-Panamax RMQCs by April 2008 for JNPCT. Subsequently, two of the terminal's old RMQCs would be shifted to the shallow water berth in order to commence mechanised operations at the berth.

Acquisition of six rubber-tyred gantry cranes (RTGCs): The Port would be acquiring six RTGCs by 2009 for yard operations at JNPCT.

With the completion of these development plans, the Port would be in a position to handle 10 million TEUs by 2015-16, Mr Hussain emphasised, which was two-and-a-half times the current scale of operations at JNP.


Dignitaries present at the event

Elaborating on the achievements, the Chairman pointed out that JNP handles about 60 per cent of the total container traffic handled by all ports in India. It had handled 44.81 million tonnes of cargo, including 3.3 million TEUs, in 2006-07.

The Port ranks 25th among the top container ports in the world, is ISPS compliant and ISO 9001:2000 certified. It is also the greenest port in India.

The Chairman complimented the Port officers and employees for their efforts in bringing the facility to such a high standard. He also expressed his gratitude to DP World Nhava Sheva, GTIPL, BPCL, Customs, CONCOR, Port customers and associated Port-related agencies for their regular support to JNP, which has facilitated it in achieving the various landmarks.








Vizag Port steps into a bright future


Mr K. Rathna Kishore

Visakhapatnam Port has a bright future and is taking steps to facilitate the trade further through improved infrastructure and increased efficiency in the coming years.

Mr K. Rathna Kishore, Chairman of the Visakhapatnam Port Trust (VPT), gave this assurance at a trade meet organised at Visakhapatnam recently, which was also a curtain raiser for the year-long (October 2007 to September 2008) Platinum Jubilee celebrations of the 74-year-old facility.

With 18 berths in the inner harbour and six deep-draught berths in the outer harbour, the Port was fully utilising its present capacity of 58.5 million tonnes, the Chairman said, adding that by 2012 capacity would be increased to 80 million tonnes.

He highlighted various infrastructure augmentation plans proposed for the period 2007-12, including construction of three new berths, expansion of the iron ore terminal and development of a container terminal at the outer harbour.

Mechanisation conversion projects worth Rs 550 crore and installation of new handling machinery at a cost of Rs 250 crore were also on the anvil by 2010, Mr Rathna Kishore pointed out.

He announced that VPT would be allowing private tug operations in the harbour.

Mr M. S. Rao, Deputy Chairman, while pointing out that the Port had always been user-friendly, sought the cooperation of the trade in running it more efficiently. "When compared with other ports, VPT has always been ahead in handling cargo, having an efficient administrative team and dedicated staff. Issues, if any, are sorted out amicably".

Capt. Sriram Ravi Chander expressed optimism of achieving the 3-lakh-TEU mark in three years time, given the positive economic developments taking place in its hinterland and other areas. The terminal was now receiving regular ICD traffic, he underscored, with many private box train operators evincing interest in utilising this important gateway on the East Coast.

Mr Sam McElroy, Technical Director of VSPL, the bulk terminal operator at the Port, said the terminal was effectively implementing infrastructural developments and could easily handle 4 million tonnes of cargo per annum. He highlighted that VSPL's commencement of barge handling operations in the outer harbour was immensely benefiting the trade.

A large number of Port users, including stevedores, shipping agents, CHAs, exporters and importers, attended the trade meet. The Heads of Department of VPT were also present.

VPT sets national record in monthly cargo handling


An aerial view of Vizag Port

Visakhapatnam Port has established a national record in monthly cargo throughput by handling 5.83 million tonnes in October 2007, according to a press release issued by VPT.

Vizag Port emerged as the first Indian port to handle 5.83 million tonnes of cargo in a month. Kandla Port had handled 5.69 million tonnes in May 2007 and Vizag Port surpassed its own record of 5.65 million tonnes handled in March 2006.

Also, a record number of 210 vessels (including 9 vessels meant for other purposes) sailed during October 2007, surpassing the previous best of 203 vessels (including 5 vessels meant for other purposes) that sailed in March 2006.

Continental opens warehouse at VPT


Vizag Port

The Continental Warehousing Corporation Ltd, the flagship company of the NDR (N. Dasaradharami Reddy) group of companies, opened a warehouse at VPT recently.

Dr Chandrapal Singh, MP and Chairman of the Krishak Bharati Co-operative Ltd (Kribhco), inaugurated the warehouse in the presence of Mr Rathna Kishore.

The warehouse at Vizag is the Group's first project and has an area of 72,000 sq. ft, which was built at a cost of Rs 8.5 crore.

Another warehouse, with an area of 56,000 sq. ft, for which the foundation stone was laid, would be built at a cost of Rs 3.5 crore soon, he revealed.

Mr Reddy disclosed that the Group has plans to build a container freight station (CFS), wholesale market yard at Visakhapatnam with cold storage units, grading centres and all other facilities, including a rail siding.

The Group would invest Rs 120 crore for the project and was looking for suitable land near the Port.

He reminded that the company had taken up such projects at Jamnagar, Chennai and Panvel near Mumbai. "Work is in progress in all those places and we are keen on taking up the Vizag project as early as possible", he added







Shanghai likely to become the 2nd busiest port


Shanghai Container Terminal

Shanghai is expected to overtake Hong Kong as the world's second-busiest container port this year, helped by rising throughput at the multibillion-dollar Yangshan deep-water port, according to a senior port official.

The Chinese city port's container volume is expected to top 25.5 million TEUs this year, lagging only Singapore, whose volume is estimated to be 27.6 million TEUs this year.

Shanghai International Port (Group) Co., China's biggest port operator, controls Shanghai port's major assets.

Yangshan port has played a big role in boosting Shanghai's container volume. Its full-year volume is estimated at 5.8 million TEUs.

Yangshan's capacity was 4.3 million TEUs as of the end of 2006 when the first two phases were completed. Construction of Phase 3 of the deep-water port is going smoothly, with four additional berths to be in place by the end of this year and three more by the end of 2008, increasing its total number of berths to 16.

Phase 3 is estimated to push up Yangshan's handling capacity to 15 million TEUs by 2012.










NMP posts 14 pc rise in cargo traffic in H1


Mr P. Tamilvanan

New Mangalore Port (NMP) has recorded a growth of 14 per cent by handling 17.98 million tonnes of cargo during April-September 2007-08, as against 15.77 million tonnes during the same period of 2006-07.

Mr P. Tamilvanan, Chairman of the New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT), attributed the growth to various factors, such as the increased volume of traffic in iron ore, POL, LPG, crude, petroleum products, coal and container cargo.

Besides, the rail-bound traffic also witnessed a growth of over 100 per cent during the period.

During the first half of the fiscal, the Port handled 26.30 lakh tonnes of rail-bound traffic, as against 12.01 lakh tonnes in the corresponding period of 2006-07, registering a growth of 119 per cent.

On the container front, during the first six months of the current fiscal, the Port handled 9,980 TEUs, as against 8,025 TEUs in the corresponding period of the previous year, thus registering a growth rate of 24.36 per cent.

Further, Mr Tamilvanan stated that a new feeder container vessel, connecting Jawaharlal Nehru Port with the New Mangalore Port, had commenced operation.

The first gearless vessel, m.v. Navios Gemini S, had called at the Port to load 67,055 tonnes of iron ore to China.

Over 556 vessels (503 vessels) were handled at the Port in the first six months of the fiscal, recording a growth of 10.53 per cent during the six-month period.









Risk Management System introduced at Kandla, Mundra Ports


The Risk Management System (RMS) of assessment of the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) has been introduced at Kandla and Mundra Ports by the respective Customs authorities with effect from November 26.

It is already under implementation at nine other locations, including ports and cargo facilities.

CBEC had introduced RMS, a system of assessment based on risk analysis, some time back with a view to facilitate speedier clearance of cargo through Customs with less human intervention.

According to a release from the Commissioner of Customs, Kandla, the objective of RMS is to strike an optimal balance between facilitation and enforcement and enable low-risk consignments to be cleared based on the importer's self-assessment and without examination. This will enable the Department to enhance the level of facilitation and speed up the process of cargo clearance without compromising on revenue.

With the introduction of RMS, the practice of routine assessment, concurrent audit and examination of almost all Bills of Entry will be discontinued and the focus will be on quality assessment, examination and post-clearance audit of selected Bills so that the resources of the Department are utilised more effectively, the release underscored.
 

purush_tiwari

Par 100 posts (V.I.P)
SHIPPING

Seaways Group inducts m.v. Seaways Prestige into E. Coast service
Pentagon Marine Services & Finaval consolidate strengths
STX PanOcean announces launch of CSI service
Caravel Shipping carves out niche in logistics sector
TS Lines joins CSI service to provide full S-E Asia/FE port coverage ex-Nhava Sheva

NEWS BRIEF :

SCI plans to become world-class shipbuilder
New bauxite loading record set at Porbandar port
90 TEUs loaded in record 15 minutes at JNPCT
MPT invests Rs 500 cr. to expand cargo handling capacity
16,000-TEU behemoth!
Railways haul 370 MT of freight during April-Sept. 2007
Paradip Port banks on SPM to boost cargo throughput
China develops sea-river intermodal containership
96 TEUs in 6 mins at GTI


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inducts m.v. Seaways Prestige into E. Coast service


Capt. P. V. K. Mohan
Dr A. K. Chanda

The Hyderabad-based shipping company, Seaways Group, has strengthened its hold on the East Coast, by inducting one more container vessel—the 629-TEU m.v. Seaways Prestige—into service.

The newbuilding arrived at Kolkata from Singapore on its maiden voyage. its plaque ceremony coincided with the 137th anniversary celebrations of the Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT).

Seaways Group is a major player in the shipping industry and has been successfully operating feeder services on the East Coast and between India and Bangladesh. The company recently extended its East Coast service to connect Singapore and Malaysia, enhancing tonnage deployed to meet the growing demands of the trade.

The KoPT Chairman, Dr A. K. Chanda, HoDs of KoPT, and the Commissioner of Customs, Mr B. B. Agarwal, were present at the plaque exchanging ceremony of the vessel.

The Seaways Group Chairman, Capt. P. V. K. Mohan, other Directors and CEOs of the company, were also present on the occasion.

The Master of the vessel, Capt. Naum P. Arter, and his crew expressed their delight in coming to Kolkata for the first time and said that it was a great experience to undertake the passage on the Hooghly River.


Capt. Vijay Gopal, CEO of the Seaways Group, said that the addition of m.v. Seaways Prestige would enable the company to deploy additional tonnage on the East Coast and connect into the existing service to gain a stronger control on cargoes originating in this sector.

This significant addition of tonnage to its fleet, he added, was another step towards the Group’s commitment to the trade and becoming a formidable feeder operator in this sector.

The Group has been operating feeder vessels since 2005, connecting the East Coast of India with Bangladesh. The company had added its second and third container vessels—m.v. Mir Damad and m.v. Kissama—to the fleet during 2006.

In the current year, Seaways added three vessels, m. v. Kinship Bangar, m.v. Marina Star 2 and m.v. Seaways Prestige, and also extended its services to include the West Coast of India, South-East Asian ports and now Colombo.

The services were highly successful with exporters and main line operators (MLOs) giving an overwhelming response, Capt. Gopal said.








Pentagon Marine Services & Finaval consolidate strengths


Addressing the seminar is Capt. Enrico Rossi, in the presence of (seated from left) Capt. Nalin B. Pandey, Capt. Fabrizio Mazzucchi, Mr Giovanni Fagioli, Capt. Daniele Badalucco and Capt. G. S. Rao

The association between Pentagon Marine Services Pvt. Ltd and the Italy-based shipping company, Finaval S.p.A., Rome, has grown to a new level over the last three years, with Pentagon handling for Finaval activities such as manning, training and business prospecting, among other things.

This was highlighted to The LINK by Finaval President, Mr Giovanni Fagioli, and Capt. Enrico Rossi, Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice-President, Finaval, during a dinner reception organised in Mumbai recently in their honour by Pentagon Marine Services.

Finaval is one of the leading companies in Italy and the entire Mediterranean region.

Capt. Nalin B. Pandey, Managing Director of Pentagon Marine Services, in 2004, when Finaval decided to go in for a change in business strategy, established Pentagon Marine Services, in which was incorporated the entire operations of the Liaison Office. It’s been a mutually beneficial relationship since then.

The visit of the Finaval delegation also coincided with the Finaval Global Seminar on ‘Excellence in Tanker Operations’. The three-day event, jointly organised by Finaval, Tekne Sam and Pentagon Marine Services, saw deliberations on the company philosophy and procedures, duties and responsibilities, safe working practices and future targets with regard to crew policy, coping with the challenges of a shipboard environment, best maintenance and management – An emerging tool for customer satisfaction, lessons learnt from the significant accidents that have occurred, STCW issues, etc.

Besides Mr Fagioli, Capt. Rossi and Capt. Pandey, the seminar was attended by Capt. Fabrizio Mazzucchi, Crew Manager, Finaval, Capt. Daniele Badalucco, Designated Person Ashore, Tekne Sam and Capt. G. S. Rao, Operations Manager, Finaval.

Focusing on crude and products, Finaval currently has an Indian fleet of 9 vessels (of its 15-ship fleet), with 6 more under construction and plans to go in for another 4. Of the 6, it is scheduled to induct into its fleet 2 Aframax vessels each in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

The company only recently forayed into the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) shipping trade, the segment today has its largest owned group type of vessels.

Finaval’s area of operations is primarily the Mediterranean and North Europe, and occasionally the US. Though calls at Indian ports are few and far between, the company is hopeful of improving its business prospects here in the times to come.

The reception was attended by a large cross-section of the maritime fraternity.








STX PanOcean announces launch of CSI service



South Korean shipping major, STX Pan Ocean Co. Ltd, has recently announced launch of a new China-India service, China Straits India (CSI), from Shanghai.


Shanghai-Nhava Sheva-Shanghai round voyage in 35 days

The service is in joint operation with prominent carriers such as Samudera Shipping, Evergreen, Yang Ming Line and TS Lines, with each deploying one vessel.

CSI port rotation will be: Shanghai, Ningbo, Hong Kong, Singapore, Nhava Sheva, Colombo, Singapore, Pasir Gudang, Laem Chabang, Hong Kong and Shanghai on a 35-day voyage.

With CSI, STX Pan Ocean will have a total of three services, including the existing KSI and GAX, covering India and the Subcontinent.

Logistic Services Pvt. Ltd (a division of the Parekh Group) is STX Pan Ocean’s general agent in India for container services.








Caravel Shipping carves out niche in logistics sector


Mr Saju Chacko

Caravel Shipping Services, one of the leading multimodal transport operators (MTOs) and non-vessel operating common carriers (NVOCCs), has carved out a niche for itself in the logistics sector through efficient and dynamic services.

Set up as an NVOCC, stevedoring and CHA company in 1994 in Chennai, Caravel has grown beyond all expectations and consolidated its position in almost all areas of the logistics sector.

Two intrepid, young men—Mr C. Jayakrishnan and Mr Saju Chacko—started Caravel Shipping 12 years ago. They viewed customer service from a different angle, i.e. in terms of time, reliability and promptness and placed Caravel in an enviable position within a short span of time.

Caravel’s business units include Caravel Lines, Caravel Freight Forwarding, Caravel Customs house agency, Premier Transport Company, Caravel Domestic Logistics, Seawaves Shipping-Stevedoring Services and Chennai Trucking Services – Inter Terminal Vehicle (ITV) operators for CCTL, Chennai.


Mr C. Jayakrishnan

Caravel Lines is one of the country’s leading freight forwarders and NVOCCs serving the South-East Asia, India and Middle East region.

It has a valid MTO licence and its subsidiary Caravel Lines Pte. Ltd, Singapore, looks after the NVOCC operations outside the country.

Caravel Lines makes annual investment in containers, IT, etc. by developing/acquiring-dedicated software for tracking containers to serve the customers.

Caravel’s Forwarding Division in India and the Middle East—Asian Sun Cargo Services LLC—has close cooperation with both air and ocean carriers, which has helped it to provide better services worldwide.

The NVOCC division has agencies in Malaysia – Fortune Caravel Shipping SDN BHD and Dubai – Asian Sun Cargo Services LLC.

Caravel also coordinates its customers’ air and land logistics needs through its value-added service packages.

The CHA division offers excellent logistics export and import services. It also handles project shipments, its CHA/FF service offerings include airfreight (direct and consolidation) and ocean shipments (containerised or LCL).

Premier Transport Company manages a fleet of 35 container trailers and operates a larger fleet across India.

Caravel Domestic Logistics looks at providing total solutions to move bulk cargo and heavy cargo through containers of 20’ and 40’, LCVs, MGVs and trucks.

Caravel is keen to provide multimodal transport solutions, and its immediate focus is to build a warehouse near Ennore, Chennai, and also acquire warehouses/CFSs at other port locations in India.








TS Lines joins CSI service to provide full S-E Asia/FE port coverage ex-Nhava Sheva

TS Lines (TSL), headquartered in Hong Kong and operating out of Taipei, Taiwan, has imparted a new dimension to its liner services connecting India with the launch of the China Straits India (CSI) service, providing comprehensive port connections linking Nhava Sheva with ports in South-East Asia and the Far East.

TSL has joined hands with Yang Ming Line, Evergreen Line, Samudera Shipping and STX Pan Ocean Co to launch this service, which deploys five vessels of 1,200-TEU each, with a speed of 20.5 knots, thereby breaking ground in providing one of the fastest services between key trading and commercial centres in the most dynamic regions of South Asia and Far East.

The port rotation is: Nhava Sheva, Colombo, Singapore, Pasir Gudang, Laem Chabang, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Ningbo, Hong Kong, Singapore and Nhava Sheva.

TS Lines was established in early 2001 by Mr T. S. Chen, primarily as an inter-Asia container carrier with a full service range operating within North, South Asia and the Far East. It is now spreading out to the most strategic points of North and South China, Far East, Africa and Asian countries, part of which is by its participation in the CSI service.

With a current modern fleet of over 20 container vessels, TSL provides comprehensive coverage through independent, joint and feeder services, especially in the Far East and South-East Asia, Arabian Gulf and Africa covering a wide range of ports in almost all countries in the region.

In India, TSL covers Kolkata, Haldia, Chennai, Tuticorin, Cochin, Nhava Sheva, Mumbai and Mundra ports and caters to inland container depots (ICDs) located in northern and western India.

Targeting a box throughput of close to about one million TEUs in 2007, TSL is known in the industry for providing prompt, reliable and efficient services with competitive ocean freights and comprehensive service network within Asia and Africa.

At present, TS Lines operates out of Nhava Sheva on HGX (Hyper Galex) service, KSI (Korea Straits India) service, AMA (Asia Middle East) service and GIA (Gulf India Africa) service, which are fixed-day, weekly services that cater to ports located in China, South-East Asia, Far East, Arabian Gulf and Africa, all of which will continue, in addition to the new CSI service.

Oasis Shipping Pvt. Ltd is TS Lines’ general agent in India.





NEWS BRIEF


SCI plans to become world-class shipbuilder

The Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) proposes to set up world-class shipbuilding yards that can build vessels of up to 3.20 lakh DWT capacity.

SCI has submitted a proposal in this regard to the Shipping Ministry, the SCI Chairman and Managing Director, Mr S. Hajara, disclosed.

SCI’s move follows the Centre’s decision to set up one yard each on the East and the West Coasts. And SCI may bid for both of them, it is understood.

SCI had asked Ernst & Young to prepare a feasibility report in three months. The report would then be sent to the Cabinet for approval, he elaborated.

The shipyards may, however, take at least 3 to 4 years to begin operations as government clearances alone are expected to take at least a year.










New bauxite loading record set at Porbandar port


A new record quantity of 29,713 tonnes of bauxite was loaded in 23.30 hours on to the vessel m.v. I Duckling at Porbandar port recently.

The vessel, which arrived at the port under the agency of Ambica Maritime Ltd, Kandla, loaded a total 38,080 tonnes of the commodity in just 30 hours.

The vessel stevedore was Keyur Shipping, Porbandar, with the shipper being Ashapura Minechem Ltd, Mumbai.

The previous bauxite loading record was 29,050 tonnes. The vessel was m.v. Kestrel-1, which had the same agent, stevedore and shipper.










90 TEUs loaded in record 15 minutes at JNPCT

The Jawaharlal Nehru Port Container Terminal (JNPCT) has created a record by loading an inland container depot (ICD) train in just 15 minutes.

The train, No. R 073146, arrived empty on JNPCT’s Line No. 6 at 10:25 hours on October 9 with 45 wagons. The loading was completed at 1040 hours on the same day.

A total of 90 TEUs was loaded on to the train, comprising 42 TEUs and 24 FEUs.








MPT invests Rs 500 cr. to expand cargo handling capacity

The Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) will invest over Rs 500 crore to expand the Port’s iron ore handling capacity.

Mormugao Port, which handles 40 per cent of iron ore exports, proposes to develop additional berths as well as a carrier-cum-container berth at the adjoining Vasco bay in south Goa.

"Increasing our capacity will help augment trade as bigger ships will now be able to dock at our Port," the MPT Chairman, Mr Praveen Agarwal, explained.

In this connection, MPT is holding discussions with a private company to form a public-private partnership (PPP). The entire project is expected to be commissioned by the middle of 2008.







16,000-TEU Behemoth!


Illustrative Pic

Samsung Heavy Industries recently reported that it would be the first shipbuilder to build a 16,000-TEU vessel, which would be the world’s biggest containership.

With 20 per cent more cargo capacity than the current largest container vessels of 13,500 TEUs, the new giant ship would be able to hold 2.2 million 29-inch TVs.

Plus, its length (400 metres) would be greater than the height of the Eiffel Tower (327 metres).







Railways haul 370 MT of freight during April-Sept. 2007


The Railways has carried 369.66 million tonnes of revenue-earning freight traffic during April-September 2007-08.

This shows an increase of 25.09 million tonnes over the freight traffic of 344.57 million tonnes carried during the same period of 2006-07, reflecting an increase of 7.28 per cent, a Railway release said.

During September alone, the revenue-earning freight traffic carried by the Railways was 60.77 million tonnes, an increase of 5.01 million tonnes over the 55.76 million tonnes carried during September 2006, reflecting an increase of 8.98 per cent.









Paradip Port banks on SPM to boost cargo throughput

The commissioning of the single point mooring (SPM) system at Paradip Port by the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) will boost liquid cargo throughput by about a million tonnes a month, Paradip Port Trust (PPT) officials said.

The work that remains to be completed includes installing the mooring and connecting the laid-out pipeline with the mooring. An Australian ship, which is to undertake the work, is expected to arrive soon.

After several revisions, IOC had set December 2007 as the deadline for completing the work and commissioning the SPM.

The Shipping Ministry as well as the PPT authorities had fixed the Port’s throughput target for 2007-08 at 45.7 million tonnes.

Till September-end 2007, the throughput handled at PPT was around 20 million tonnes despite the choppy seas and inclement weather.







China develops sea-river intermodal containership


Freight Shipping Terminal on Yangtze River

Shanghai Ship & Shipping Research Institute has designed a new kind of ship suitable for carrying containers between the Yangtze River feeder ports and Shanghai’s Yangshan terminal, it has been reported.

The new vessel is small enough to sail on the river and powerful enough to be seaworthy. It has passed expert inspection, and is now considered as one of the most technologically advanced ships in China.

Cosco subsidiary Shanghai PanAsia Shipping Co. Ltd said it plans to produce them in considerable numbers.








96 TEUs in 6 mins at GTI


After creating a record for being the first terminal to handle the first dedicated reefer train at Nhava Sheva, Gateway Terminals India (GTI) has yet again created a record of sorts by handling as many as 96 TEUs in an unbelievable time of just 6 minutes!

The rake arrived from inland container depot (ICD)-Tughlakabad in the morning of October 17 at 04:05 hrs. GTI’s operations team commenced working on the rake at 04:06 hrs and skilfully discharged six TEUs and loaded 96 TEUs in an astonishing 6 minutes! The entire operation was completed by 04:12 hrs.
 

purush_tiwari

Par 100 posts (V.I.P)
Logistics

VDSPL flags off first 14 export boxes from ICD-Ankleshwar to Nhava Sheva by rail
AGLL gives major push to automotive logistics
2nd Southern Asia conference stresses on need for expeditious infrastructure development
Custom-bonded warehousing facility expands
Cargo-Partner starts Vadodara operations


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VDSPL flags off first 14 export boxes from ICD-Ankleshwar to Nhava Sheva by rail

(from L) Mr D. K. Parmar, Mr Avinash, Mr V. S. Tiwari, Ms Pushpa Patel, Mr Jignesh Khagram, Mr Manoj Pillai, Mr Ramdas, Mr Kamlesh, Mr Ravi Jadhav

Velji Dosabhai & Sons Pvt. Ltd (VDSPL) has achieved another landmark by stuffing the first 14 export containers, of Grasim Industries Ltd and Palvi Power Tech Sales Pvt. Ltd through Bay Lines and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), to Nhava Sheva from the inland container depot (ICD)-Ankleshwar recently.

Mr Jignesh Khagram, Branch Manager of VDSPL in Vadodara, thanked the entire Customs staff, including Superintendents Ms Pushpa Patel and Mr D. K. Parmar, Inspector Mr V. S. Tiwari and other officials for their excellent cooperation in helping the company carry out this task.

He also expressed his gratitude to the staff of the Container Corporation of India (CONCOR), including Mr Sudhakar Sen and Mr Ramdas, for their support.


At the ICD are (second from left) Mr Anand Mehrotra, Mr D. K. Parmar, Ms Pushpa Patel, Mr Jignesh Khagram, Mr Dipesh Shah and Mr Ramdas
According to a company release, it is obliged to Grasim Industries Ltd and Palvi Power Tech for having entrusted their cargo to it, thereby making it possible for the company to move the 14 containers from ICD-Ankleshwar to Nhava Sheva by rail.

Also present on the occasion were Mr Avinash of Customs, Mr Manoj Pillai of Palvi Power Tech, Mr Anand Mehrotra of Grasim Industries, Mr Dipesh Shah of Bay Lines and Mr Ravi Jadhav, Mr Kamlesh and others of VDSPL.

VDSPL has always been in the forefront to provide the best of services to its clients. Its service profile includes Customs clearance, international freight forwarding, transportation and other ancillary services.


With the VDSPL staff at the ICD are (third from left) Ms Pushpa Patel, Mr V. S. Tiwari, Mr Dipesh Shah, Mr Jignesh Khagram, Mr Avinash and Mr D. K. Parmar

Established in 1925, the company now operates 16 branches in India, besides having international affiliations in Australia, New Zealand, China, Dubai, Colombo, the UK, Europe, the US and Canada.

It recently opened an office in Bharuch in order to offer personalised services to the exporting community in Bharuch and Ankleshwar.

This achievement at ICD-Ankleshwar will immensely benefit exporters, the release underscores, who can get the cargo Customs cleared at the ICD and move it to the gateway ports by rail, in the process saving on the ever-mounting transportation costs.











AGLL gives major push to automotive logistics

Mr Shashi Kiran Shetty
CMD of AGLL

In a major move to facilitate smoother, streamlined and cost-effective automotive logistics, Allcargo Global Logistics Ltd (AGLL) has introduced customised car containers in the country.

These are basically the standard TEUs and FEUs that have been modified based on the globally accepted technology developed by Trans-Rak International of the UK. AGLL will be acquiring the boxes from a manufacturing facility in China.

It is also closely working on further design improvisation, which will be an innovation in the field of automobile transportation in India.

This new innovation, which can accommodate 4 standard-size and 5 small vehicles in a FEU, offers a containerised alternative to shipping cars on Ro-Ro vessels. The car-carrying containers make door-to-door service possible without breaking bulk.

One of the main advantages of these containers is that they protect the cars from damage due to handling or weather and theft. Trans-Rak is a zero defect system and will be a great value add in the Indian context where 10 per cent of all cars transported by road suffer from damages ranging from minor to major.


Besides, transportation by container trains, both domestically and to the gateway ports for export, takes less transit time (facilitating reduced inventory time for the manufacturers), with it, it is expected to further reduce to about 22 hours once the dedicated rail freight corridor is in place. Currently, more than 90 per cent of vehicle transportation in India is done through customised road carriers.

In addition, the system is retractable, enabling the boxes to become the standard TEU and FEU so that they can be used for other purposes.

Allcargo is in talks with leading automobile manufacturers in India for handling their finished vehicle movement by using the Trans-Rak system.


It has ordered for 200 of the containers, with delivery scheduled to be completed by February-March 2008. Having already completed the non-commercial trial runs, it is set to soon commence the commercial trial runs.

The company has lined up a significant infrastructure development programme, entailing the setting up of 7 rail-side and 2 road-side logistics parks across the country, which is expected to give a major boost to this initiative in automotive logistics. The parks will be state-of-the-art multi-commodity handling facilities.

Full-fledged automotive logistics operations will be on stream once these facilities are up and running in about 2 years.

Commenting on the development, Mr Shashi Kiran Shetty, CMD of AGLL, said, "The solution is tuned to address the skewed dependence of cars on road transportation in India, which currently is at 90+ per cent, resulting in damages and delays with cost implications. Besides cars, these containers will have the flexibility of carrying general cargo as well".








conference stresses on need for expeditious infrastructure development

Mr Bill Smart Mr Shreekumar Panicker Mr Julian Bevs Mr Philip Littejohn Mr Ganesh Raj
The need for expeditious infrastructure development in order to reduce logistics costs and facilitate a seamless supply chain was stressed upon by key speakers at the recent 2nd Southern Asia Port, Logistics and Shipping 2007-India exhibition and conference held at Mumbai.

Mr Bill Smart, Managing Director of Bengal Tiger Line, emphasised the need for infrastructure capacity to grow in tandem with the growth in trade and reducing the current spending of 13 per of GDP on logistics.

He called for increased use of East Coast gateways, such as Vizag, to facilitate increased options for the ex-im trade, fast-track infrastructure development to save logistics costs, decentralised and simple guidelines for ports to follow, a review of port charges, attractive tax regime, relaxing of cabotage in order to open up non-major ports and transhipment opportunities at Indian ports, etc.

Mr Shreekumar Panicker, President of Zim Integrated Shipping Services (India) Pvt. Ltd emphasising on reducing costs said, "Even a 1 per cent drop in the cost of logistics will result in a saving of around $ 1.3 billion. About 2-3 per cent reduction will save $ 4 billion annually".

With economic growth continuing to outstrip capacity, there was a need to get ahead of the demand rather than react to it, underscored Mr Julian Bevis, Area Line and Operations Manager, South Asia, Maersk India Pvt. Ltd.

Given that containerised cargo was projected to be 23 per cent of the total by 2010-11, he called for infrastructure at ports to support much larger vessels in order to achieve economies of scale, cost-effectiveness at ports, more gateways closer to markets, greater focus on supply chain security, infrastructure augmen-tation, policies facilitating end-to-end logistics and increased, fruitful dialogue between industry and government.

Mr Philip Littlejohn, Managing Director of Port Pipavav supported greater environmental regulation of ports, and stressed Pipavav’s commitment to the environment. He disclosed that the Port had ordered eco-RTGs, which bring about 50 per cent fuel savings on the same capabilities. Further, he opined that more cargo should be transported by rail for environ-ment and efficiency reasons.

Mr Ganesh Raj, Senior Vice-President and Managing Director (Subcontinent), DP World, too emphasised the need for reducing vessel-related charges at ports, improving labour efficiencies (especially at the Major Ports), doing away with procedural delays, replacing old equipment, bringing in more efficiency in marine operations and improving the regulatory framework to bring ports and the overall supply chain and logistics set-up on par with world standards.

The exhibition also saw participation from some of the leading global players in the maritime industry.










Custom-bonded warehousing facility expands

Mr Ashok Goel
Managing Director

BLR Logistics, a leading name in transportation and logistics, has further consolidated its position by expanding its bonded warehousing space. The company recently opened an additional 14,000 sq. ft Custom-bonded warehouse at New Delhi.

The facility has been set up in collaboration with International Refrigeration, a company specialising in cold chain equipment manufacturing.

In addition to the general section, the warehouse has a cold storage section for perishables and a strongroom section for high-value goods.

For BLR Logistics, this 14,000 sq. ft is in addition to the bonded warehousing space it already has in Mumbai. The 2nd phase of this facility would comprise another 14,000 sq. ft of space. It is currently under development.

BLR Logistics specialises in handling special goods through its bonded warehousing service offerings, such as wines, foreign liquors, imported edibles and food items, high-value goods and perishables.

BLR Logistics now has domestic transportation, international freight management, warehousing and distribution and project transportation to offer its customers.










starts Vadodara operations


At the inauguration of the new office are (from left) Ms Mona Vaja, Mr Gerd Richter, Mr Saurin Shah and Mr Aloke Sinha

Cargo Partner Logistics India Pvt. Ltd has launched operations at Vadodara with the opening of its new office. The branch is headed by Mr Saurin Shah, who is assisted by Ms Mona Vaja.

Cargo-Partner AG was founded in 1983 by Mr Stefan Krauter, who is the Chairman of the Group. It is headquartered in Vienna, Austria.

Cargo Partner Logistics India commenced operations on January 1, 2007 with the launch of its corporate office in Kolkata. And amazingly, in a short span of just 9 months, it has set up 16 offices at all major seaports, international airports and important industrial hubs with a professional strength of over 110 personnel.

In India, the company is headed by Mr Aloke Sinha, Managing Director, who has nearly three decades of experience in shipping and logistics.

Cargo Partner Logistics India is an independent logistics service provider catering to all modes of transport globally. Unlike the large multinational corporations, it has highly flexible structures, facilitating quick reactions to client needs. The company specialises in transporting cargo worldwide through all modes of transport, be it air, sea, rail or road.

Mr Gerd Richter, Executive Director of the Cargo-Partner Group, emphasised that the philosophy of the Cargo-Partner Group was to meet the logistics service requirements of customers globally, in the process also providing them with different value-additions.
 
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