To strengthen its position as a leading fulfillment solutions provider in Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) segment, Delhivery will make a strategic investment in Vinculum, a global software leader for omnichannel retailing for D2C enterprises, brands, brand distributors, and quick commerce companies. The investment is the first part of a potential 2-stage deal that provides Delhivery the option to further increase its shareholding in the company after six months. Direct-to-Consumer enterprises are a focus market for Delhivery, and the investment is expected to strengthen its position as a leading fulfillment solutions provider in the segment. Through this investment, the two companies will build a complete integrated stack to address the entire range of post-purchase needs of a D2C brand. A deeper integration with Vinculum’s industry-leading Order Management System (OMS) will be a first-of-its-kind fully-integrated E2E offering. Rajaganesh S, Head of Supply Chain Solutions at Delhivery, said, “We congratulate the leadership team of Vinculum on building a truly world-class product that enables omnichannel retailing for brands, retailers while also powering fulfillment capabilities of 3PLs and online marketplaces. A strategic partnership with Vinculum strengthens Delhivery’s fulfillment solution to brands”. Venkat Nott, Founder, and Chief Executive Officer of Vinculum Group, added, “We are delighted with the investment to be made by Delhivery in Vinculum. This lays the foundation for deep tech integration between both companies, tremendous collaboration opportunities, and immense business value for our customers.” The investment is subject to the satisfactory completion of closing conditions.

Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), the operator of Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (BLR Airport), is thrilled to announce that Terminal 2 has received the prestigious IGBC Platinum certification by the Indian Green Building Council under the IGBC Green New Building rating system. BLR Airport’s steadfast commitment to sustainability is a fundamental principle ingrained in its business philosophy. This unwavering dedication is embodied by the Airport’s new Terminal 2 (T2), which continuously strives to implement sustainable processes, showcasing BIAL’s strong belief in responsible and environmentally conscious practices. Hari Marar, MD and CEO of Bangalore International Airport Ltd remarked, “I am pleased to announce that Terminal 2 has achieved the coveted Platinum rating from the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) under their newly launched IGBC Green New Buildings Rating System. This is a significant milestone for us and a testament to BIAL’s unwavering commitment to sustainability. T2 exemplifies our dedication to implementing green concepts and techniques, showcasing our efforts to conserve natural resources, energy, and water.” The design and construction of T2 adhere to several key environmental categories outlined by the IGBC Green New Buildings rating system, including Sustainable Architecture and Design, Site Selection and Planning, Water Conservation, Energy Efficiency, Building Materials and Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality, and Innovation & Development. By incorporating these green concepts and techniques, T2 effectively addresses national priorities such as natural resource conservation, demand-side energy, water efficiency, the adoption of renewable energy sources, and the optimisation of consumer and occupant health and comfort.

Boeing released the Boeing Cascade Climate Impact Model for public use to support commercial aviation’s path toward net zero carbon emissions. Cascade, a data modeling tool that identifies the effects of a range of sustainability solutions to reduce aviation’s carbon emissions, is accessible on Boeing’s new Sustainable Aerospace Together hub, www.sustainabilitytogether.aero. Cascade examines the full life cycle of alternate energy sources for aviation – from production through distribution and use – and quantifies the ability to cut aviation’s carbon emissions. Data modeling also measures airplane fleet renewal, operational efficiency, renewable energy sources, future aircraft and market-based measures as pathways to decarbonization. “We created Cascade to serve as an industry tool that creates a common framework among aviation, energy, finance and policy,” said Boeing chief sustainability officer Chris Raymond. “By putting data first and sharing this model with the public, we are enabling collaboration, feedback and alignment across industry, government and others who work together to achieve a more sustainable aerospace future.”

Antonov Airlines transported an Intelsat commercial satellite on board of one of its AN-124-100M aircraft from Moffett Federal Airfield, Mountain View, California, U.S.A to NASA’s Shuttle Landing Facility in Titusville, Florida, U.S.A for a launch by the U.S. aerospace company SpaceX. “The cargo with total weight of more than 55,000 kilograms consisted of eight pieces including Intelsat 40e (IS-40e) satellite and its hosted payload in a container measuring 1,280 cm in length, 488 cm in width and 419 cm in height, along with associated parts and support equipment. To оnload and offload cargo, a special Antonov-made ramp system was used in conjunction with onboard winches and cranes as well as external cranes,” says an official release. Virginia Lloyd, Director, Global Logistics and Warehouse Management, Maxar says, “Due to the nature of the cargo, AN-124-100 is the only aircraft available that can haul the size and weight (approx. 36,000 kg) of the spacecraft shipping container. In addition, the AN-124-100 does not require special ground support equipment to load and unload the cargo.” Intelsat IS-40e will provide focused coverage over North America for commercial aviation, maritime, land mobility and networks customers, and its hosted payload, a NASA instrument called Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO), will observe air pollution across North America, the release added. “The satellite was assembled and tested at Maxar and then delivered to the Cape Canaveral launch site,” says Iryna Kyianytsia, Commercial Executive, Antonov Airlines.

The latest report by Technavio on the low-cost carrier market, 2023-2027 estimates to register an incremental growth of by USD 248.65 billion, decelerating at a CAGR of 15.15% during the forecast period. The market is fragmented due to the presence of diversified international and regional vendors. The rising demand for air cargo is notably driving the global low-cost carrier low-cost airline market growth. The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will decelerate during the forecast period. Competitors have to focus on differentiating their product offerings with unique value propositions to strengthen their foothold in the market. Market vendors also have to leverage the existing growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments. Air Arabia PJSC, Air Canada, Capital A Berhad, Cebu Pacific, Deutsche Lufthansa AG, easyJet Airline Co. Ltd., Fly LEVEL SL, InterGlobe Aviation Ltd., Jet2 Plc, Lion Air, Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA, PAL Holdings Inc., Pegasus Air Transport Corp., PT Garuda Indonesia (Persero) Tbk., Qantas Airways Ltd., Ryanair DAC, Singapore Airlines Ltd., Southwest Airlines Co., Vueling Airlines SA, and WestJet Airlines Ltd. are among some of the major market participants.

Satish Lakkaraju, Senior VP, Global Head, Air Freight & Pharma, WIZ Freight, Radar Ventures said, “One of the pain points that pharma customers, shippers, and agencies face today is manual Corrective Action and Preventive Action (CAPA), which needs to be digital and takes data from multiple sources to accumulate and do multiple analysis.” He added, Industry must adopt digitalisation fully. IoT is one of the most advanced things that has come into being lately. Today, with technology, you can identify the reasons why cargo has been lying on the tarmac for longer than the time specified for that shipment.” He shared his views in Digital Conclave organised recently by CSC and CargoTalk. “If we can integrate data with airports, then you are stimulating a larger and faster report. Also, India has a first-mover advantage as all the tech companies are here. Global companies are also coming up with live data. Today, it is possible to get the data even from the middle of the sky, so customers get more visibility. Control towers are going to be established, even for the road trucking industry. Tech helps you be proactive in your entire approach. The mindset of stakeholders in pharma needs to change. There are current challenges in this sector. Tech does not come cheap; skill sets are expensive.”

Mark your calendar for the second edition of Annual Supply Chain and Logistics Conclave 2023 on 25th May, 2023 at The Lalit, New Delhi. This year’s event will highlight use cases on how to navigate supply chain disruptions, as well as how India Inc. is implementing process automation, advanced technologies, and decision-making analytics at various stages of supply chain and logistics. Leaders from various industries will convene to discuss best practices for creating a sustainable supply chain, increasing visibility across the supply chain, demand planning strategies, cold chain challenges, and warehouse management. The event is being organised this year to provide a rich content platform for all stakeholders in India’s supply chain and logistics ecosystem.

About 74% of Indian organizations have scope for significant improvement in their last-mile fulfillment to provide the best speed, convenience, and delivery experience to customers, according to early findings from Locus’ Last-Mile Maturity Assessment (LMMA). The LMMA is a unique, industry-first benchmarking tool that helps enterprises understand their strengths, uncover new opportunities for growth in their logistics operations, and provide personalized business insights. The Assessment saw participation from leading enterprises from India, UAE, Indonesia, North America, Saudi Arabia, and from other emerging markets. These companies operate across diverse sectors such as 3PL & CEP, Manufacturing, E-commerce, and Retail. Through a comprehensive 5-point rating system, the assessment categorizes businesses into the Emerging, Growth, and Optimized stages, facilitating targeted improvements tailored to each organization’s specific needs. In India, 86% of 3PL and CEP businesses and 67% of Retail sector players are positioned within the ‘Growth’ stage, which indicates that with the right guidance and tools, such businesses can unlock an unparalleled scale and potential. Sharing his insights on the latest assessment report, Mehul Kapadia, Chief Revenue Office at Locus said, “Last-mile delivery is a rapidly changing industry whose significance cannot be ignored for companies with a customer-centric focus. However, in India, almost 70% of the organizations are not confident that their Last Mile operations will deliver real-world growth and memorable consumer experiences. To aid them in their growth journey, companies that complete the assessment recieve a comprehensive report that highlights the inefficiencies in their last-mile fulfillment processes. They also get to access recommendations and insights that will empower them to gain a competitive edge in their delivery experiences.”

Block your dates for the much-awaited, India Warehousing Show (IWS) set to take place on 14,15 &16 June in 2023 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. The show is focused to bring the biggest companies on the show floor showcasing supply chain solutions. The upcoming edition will have around 230 suppliers showcasing generation next technologies under niche segments including Automation for Logistics, Ecommerce Zone, Supply Chain Zone, Warehouse Real Estate Zone and Packaging for Logistics offering logistics professionals an exclusive opportunity to connect face-to-face with the right solution providers in New Delhi. “India Warehousing Show has been successfully bringing the logistics stakeholders for almost 12 years now. It continues to shine after all these years and is one of the most awaited events to highlight the current issues, trends and future plans for the logistics sector. Wishing IWS team and RX India the best for the upcoming event and hoping for more diversified events in the years to come,” Shri Surendra Ahirwar, Joint Secretary, Logistics & Trade, DPIIT, Ministry of commerce & Industry, Govt of India. Janish Jafri, Project Manager, India Warehousing Show, said, “My colleagues and I look forward to welcoming all participants to the 12th edition of India Warehousing Show is scheduled to take place from 14th to 16 June 2023 at Pragati Maidan. IWS has received an overwhelming response and is looking very good. This year, 230 exhibitors and around 15,000 attendees are expected to be a part of the event, product and solutions on display will include warehouse building solutions, materials handling solutions, storage solutions, automation and packaging for logistics, AIDC and software solutions, logistics service providers, LCV’s and UCV’s and other related services.” Echoing the same …

Adani Ports handled rail cargo of over 120 million metric tonnes (MMT), the highest ever, in the 2022-23 financial year and generated a record revenue of ₹ 14,000 crore for Railways, the company said in a statement. The volume of cargo handled by Adani Ports surpassed its previous best of 98.61 MMT in 2021-22, with a year-to-year growth of 22 per cent. Gujarat’s Mundra Port, operated by Adani Ports & Special Economic Zone Limited (APSEZ), handled 15,000 container trains, cementing its position as India’s EXIM gateway. In 2022-23, double-stack container trains handled by Mundra Port grew by 4.3 per cent year-to-year. “Double stack loading of containers on trains ensures transportation in an energy efficient and reliable manner, reducing overall per unit cost and improving customer satisfaction. This demonstrates Mundra Port’s commitment to environmentally friendly operations,” the company said. “The use of rail transport reduces the carbon footprint of freight transport, and the efficient handling of container trains reduces the need for additional truck transport, further reducing carbon emissions,” it added.