Category Archives: Rail/Road

The country’s first Multi-Skill Development Center (MSDC) in maritime logistics was launched by Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, Water Resources and Ganga Rejuvenation, at Bokadveera, Uran near JNPT, over video-conference from New Delhi. Allcargo Logistics will play a key role in overseeing the operations, maintenance, and management of the MSDC. The center is a collaborative initiative of the Ministry of Shipping (MoS) and Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) which has been set up under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendra (PMKK) programme to boost the efficiencies of maritime logistics in the country. “The youth living in the vicinity of ports need to be imparted with specific skill sets to boost their employment prospects in the country’s maritime trade sector. The MSDC is a reiteration of the government’s commitment to boost maritime logistics in the country under the ambitious Sagarmala programme,” stated Gadkari. “The logistics sector in the country is growing at an exponential pace and will require highly skilled manpower to run operations across key supply chain verticals. Allcargo is privileged to be associated with the MSDC initiative of the government and remains firmly committed to building the skill competencies of the youth and steering the country’s maritime logistics sector on a higher growth curve,” stated Shashi Kiran Shetty, Chairman, Allcargo Logistics.

Tata Motors along with Tata Motors Finance Group has entered a strategic tie-up with Kool-ex Cold Chain to supply 200 fully-built reefer trucks manufactured by Tata Motors. The reefer units used for this deal will be built on the popular Tata LPT 1613 MCV trucks and the Tata LPT 2518 Multi-axle truck. Shyam Mani, Managing Director, Tata Motors Finance Group, says, “As a part of this tie-up, we will not only be providing vehicle financing through Tata Motors Finance (TMFL) but will also provide mezzanine equity financing to the company through Tata Motors Finance Solutions (TMFSL), making this a structured financing deal. We are confident that this complete package will deliver the best for all companies who are a part the deal and will lay a strong foundation for a continued association ahead.”

At FFFAI’s ninth Executive Committee meeting in New Delhi, several issues, including the recently-announced national cargo policy, draft logistics policy, recent changes in GST, and trade opportunities between India and Iran, were discussed. Asghar Omidi, Counsellor, Economic Section, Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, emphasised on the strategic importance of Chabahar Port in Iran to script the success of the Indo-Iran trade relationship, which has already been enjoying a rich cultural as well as personal relationship of people of the two countries. He pointed out that presently, India is Iran’s sixth trade partner, with $13.10bn in trade, and with support from Indian logistics stakeholders, the bilateral trade can be increased manifold. “The India-Iran bilateral trade can easily reach $20bn in the near future,” he said. Omidi also invited Indian freight forwarders and logistics companies to visit Iran to witness infrastructure facilities, including Chabahar Port, and explore business opportunities. Facilities at Chabahar Port are being developed in association with Government of India and Indian expertise, and the first phase of the port is operational now.

The Indian government has introduced a new transhipment procedure using an electronic cargo tracking system to facilitate the transport of Nepal-bound transit cargo from Kolkata, a significant move that will simplify border formalities, reduce transit time, ensure safety of the consignment, and boost bilateral trade. The first train carrying Nepal-bound transit containers under the new simplified transhipment procedure was flagged off on February 15 by Kolkata Port Trust. According to a press statement issued by the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs of the Government of India launched such a modality on pilot basis on rail route from Kolkata/Haldia to Birgunj via Raxual Land Customs Station and Biratnagar via Bathnaha Railway Station and Jogbani Land Customs Station.

DP World signed a partnership with Virgin Hyperloop One last year to develop a cargo transporter. The port operator DP World has zeroed down on India to launch its first cargo hyperloop, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Chairman, DP World, stated. The company is eager to now move on to the next step. “We are investing in something we believe is going to add value,” Sulayem said. He described hyperloop’s technology as a potential transformative solution for the country of 1.3 billion, as it would run underground.

CONCOR and RZD Logistics (RZDL), a Russian Railways company, have agreed to jointly develop multimodal logistics services along INSTC (International North South Transport Corridor) route. The MoU signed between the two purports to explore opportunities in developing joint logistical projects both in India and in Russia, using international transport corridors, to include the International North South Transport Corridor. With the signing of MoU, both companies intend to set up joint enhancement of Indian-Russian logistical cooperation, develop prospective projects related to container transhipment between the countries, design new top-quality logistical services, and aim at further efficiency improvement of the INSTC route.

India has firmed up the contours of its ambitious multi-modal programme to reduce logistics costs and make the economy competitive. To pursue the further work on development of integrated multimodal transport infrastructure in the country, PHD Chamber of Commerce & Industry has organised the Multimodal Transportation Conclave 2019 in the capital. Leena Nandan, IAS, Additional Secretary, Misnistry of Road Transport & Highways, Government of India says, “Currently we have excellent but perishable commodities that are produced in the Northeast and there is no reason why we should not be able to take it to the rest of the country or rest of the world. We believe that the Multimodal Logistics Park at Jogigopha can serve as a connecting point for all these products.”

To check Goods & Services Tax (GST) evasion, the government is planning to integrate the GST e-way bill system with the National Highways Authority of India’s (NHAI’s) FASTag mechanism, from April. The revenue department has set up an officers’ committee to integrate the e-way bill, FASTag, and DMIC’s Logistics Data Bank (LDB) services, after consultation with transporters. “It has come to our notice that some transporters are doing multiple trips by generating a single e-way bill. Integration of the e-way bill with FASTag would help find the location of the vehicle and when and how many times it has crossed NHAI’s toll plazas,” an official told PTI, adding that the integrated system on an all-India basis was planned to be rolled out from April.

The maiden coastal voyage of a vessel of Container Corporation of India (Concor) was flagged off by Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Shipping, Road Transport & Highways and Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation and Piyush Goyal, Union Minister for Railways and Coal from Kandla through video link from Delhi on January 10, 2019. The vessel SSL Mumbai is sailing from Kandla Port to Tuticorin via Mangalore and Cochin. This is a unique example of multi-modal logistics solution through integrated rail and coastal movement. With this CONCOR will start coastal movement of containers as a weekly service on this route, moving about 1400 containers. Gadkari expressed confidence that this modal shift in the logistics chain was an important beginning that would help to bring down logistics costs and make Indian goods more competitive in the global markets in the very near future.

According to a PTI report, Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) has concluded the import and delivery of 50 GE locomotives from US to Indian Railways. All the 50 locomotives were manufactured by GE or the General Electric Division in US, which is an American multinational conglomerate, and the locomotives had been imported to Mundra port. APSEZ dispatched 50 GE locomotives from Mundra port for the Indian Railways. This is a first for Indian shipping and logistics, Adani Ports said.