CJ Darcl Logistics has leased over 1.25 lakh square feet of warehousing space in the Narasapura Industrial and Logistics Park of IndoSpace, for a period of 9 years. IndoSpace is India’s largest developer of Grade A industrial and logistics real estate with 52 logistics parks spread across 58 million square feet delivered and under development across 11 cities. A leading diversified logistics service provider in India, CJ Darcl offers multimodal capabilities and is a market leader in the full truckload (FTL) segment. The company has built an extensive pan-India network covering road/FTL, rail/multimodal, air cargo, and shipping/coastal transportation with a ‘technology-first’ approach. The Warehousing and Distribution (W&D) division of CJ Darcl, which has leased the space from IndoSpace offers, services such as shelf-life maintenance, product mixing, packaging, cross-docking, bar-code scanning, order-fulfilment and other ancillary services.   The IndoSpace Narasapura Industrial and Logistics Park is in a flourishing industrial area. Built on a plot spread across 64 acres, the park is strategically located just 54 kilometres from Bengaluru city centre. It is equipped with superior infrastructure, world-class amenities, and sustainable solutions, making it an ideal choice for businesses seeking to expand their operations in the region. The logistics park has also achieved the prestigious Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) Platinum Rating, reflecting IndoSpace’s dedication to environmentally friendly practices.   Rajesh Jaggi, Vice Chairman – Real Estate, The Everstone Group, stated that “We’re thrilled to announce our partnership with CJ Darcl, extending a warm welcome to their team at our cutting-edge facility in Narasapura. This collaboration not only symbolizes our shared commitment to excellence but also strategically positions CJ Darcl to leverage IndoSpace’s expansive reach across 11 cities and 52 parks, facilitating their growth …

V-Trans has inaugurated a state-of-the-art super transshipment facility in Pardi, Gujarat, sprawling over one lakh square feet. Strategically located on NH 48, this facility is seamlessly integrated with key industrial clusters across South Gujarat, promising enhanced logistical efficiency nationwide. Engineered with advanced technology and sustainable infrastructure, including renewable energy sources, the hub epitomizes V-Trans’ commitment to redefining industry benchmarks. This launch signifies a monumental leap forward in logistics capability, offering unparalleled operational efficiencies and bolstering industry competitiveness.

According to a latest analysis from WorldACD Market Data, “The growth of ‘general cargo’ air freight tonnages is outpacing that of ‘special cargo’ products so far in 2024. The demand from air cargo shipments requiring special handling and shipping, has broadly outperformed general cargo in recent years, reveals data. Analysis of the first five months of 2024 by WorldACD, based on the more than 2 million monthly transactions recorded via its database, indicates that total worldwide chargeable weight from January to May 2024 was up +12% compared with the equivalent period last year, with general cargo demand up by +13%, year on year (YoY), and special cargo growth trailing at +10%. “This contrasts with findings late last year by WorldACD that in the first eight months of 2023, general cargo tonnages fell by -12%, YoY, whereas tonnages of special cargo products as a whole grew by +3%, on a worldwide basis, at a time when the market as a whole was down by -7%, YoY,” states WorldACD. According to the analysis, “one factor for this is the strong growth since the start of last autumn in cross-border e-commerce traffic, which often flies in bulk as general cargo rather than within a special product category, as well as conversion of sea freight to air cargo and sea-air resulting from disruptions since last November to container shipping due to the attacks on vessels in the Red Sea. These two factors have contributed to significant YoY rises in chargeable weight in the five months to May 2024 (year-to-date May, or YtD May) from Asia Pacific (+20%) and Middle East & South Asia (MESA, +22%).  

“With the government’s Make in India program, & PLI schemes, there has been a huge push to make sure that there is a sizable increase in the production capacity out of India. We are trying to make India one of the factories of the world and for that, we need to create a larger logistics infra and air cargo must be part of it,” says Yashpal Sharma, President, ACFI and Managing Director, Skyways Group, at a curtain raiser event organised ahead of ACFI’s annual conclave on July 4 in New Delhi. He adds, “Air cargo ecosystem also needs to spread across the country. Under the Udaan scheme, government has rolled out various regional airports.  Over the last 10 years, we’ve seen a huge increase in the number of airports that are functioning in the country. And as these airports grow, it is important that each one of these airports are also looked at from an individual perspective. And their entire ecosystem is also built, which is in line with what the customer needs. So ACFI has been opening these regional chapters to address absolute local micro-level pain points and also share practices with each other, so that we are able to bring them to the standards that the customer needs from around the world.”

CargoAi has launched its latest innovative feature, Allotment, which simplifies & automates batch pre-booking & allotment for regular air cargo across more than 40 airlines across over 130 countries. This new addition to CargoAi’s comprehensive digital ecosystem further streamlines the operational booking process for freight forwarders looking to remove manual repetitive tasks & improved operators’ experience. In an industry where efficiency and precision are paramount, CargoAi’s allotment feature stands out by simplifying & automating the regular booking of cargo space, thus eliminating the repetitive manual shipment-by-shipment process and reducing the potential for errors. This cutting-edge feature allows freight forwarders to secure space in batches on flights seamlessly, ensuring timely and consistent shipment deliveries – cutting down the overall process from days, waiting for confirmations from multiple airlines, down to a few seconds thanks to their batch allotment upload solution & instant confirmation feature. The solution – already adopted by multiple small & large forwarders – offers a plug & play solution into existing processes and helps reducing the operational workload by up to 99% for allotment bookings. “We have been using the CargoAi Pre-Booking and Allotment’s feature since March 2024. This has simplified our pre-booking  process and we get automatic acceptance confirmation on our bookings ultimately saving time for our operations. We also no longer have to remember to chase confirmation on pre-bookings”, said Maxime Boucher, Chicago Export Gateway Manager at Flexport.

CMA CGM launches India East Coast Express (IEX 2), a new service connecting Asia to Southeast East India and Sri Lanka, says reports. This new service is set to commence operations with the departure of the vessel HANSA HOMBURG from Singapore on June 27th, 2024. “The IEX 2 will operate on a dedicated fortnightly schedule, providing a direct shuttle from Singapore to Chennai and Colombo. The port rotation for this service will include stops at Singapore, Chennai, Colombo, and then back to Singapore. IEX 2 will also facilitate the transportation of Chennai exports through Colombo, leveraging CMA CGM’s extensive network to provide enhanced connectivity and convenience for customers,” add reports.

Focusing on the current disruptions in the air cargo market, and how BIAL has responded to it by expanding its cargo capacity to meet demand, Satyaki Raghunath, COO, Bangalore International Airport (BIAL) shares, ”In April 2024, as per IATA, the global airline industry recorded 21.7 billion Cargo Tonne-Kilometers (CTKs) globally, which represents an 11.1% increase year-on-year (YoY). The industry counted 85.3 billion CTKs year-to-date (YTD) in April, indicating a 12.7% increase compared to 2023. The industry experienced a 7.1% annual increase in Available Cargo Tonne-Kilometers (ACTKs) in April 2024. Global international air cargo capacity also saw a significant increase of +10.3% in the month of Jan 2024. In 2023, the air cargo industry faced significant challenges with collapsing market demand and rates leading to revenue declines, forcing many all-cargo carriers to scale back operations. Supply chain disruptions and capacity constraints impacted demand despite economic conditions remaining favourable for the sector. BLR Airport has actively responded to these disruptions by expanding its cargo handling capacity to accommodate the potential rise in air cargo movement. In FY ’24, BLR Cargo continued its growth momentum, with several notable achievements including: In May 2023, BLR Airport achieved a significant milestone with the successful transition of two of India’s brownfield cargo terminals. The cargo terminals are now primarily managed by Menzies Aviation (Bengaluru) Private Limited (MABPL) and WFS (Bengaluru) Pvt Ltd (WFSBPL). Additionally, a new Domestic Cargo Terminal project initiated by MABPL is underway and scheduled to be operational within the year. Air India SATS Airport Services (AISATS) has taken on the development, financing, operation, and maintenance of a new greenfield logistics park at KIAB for a 15-year period. The 370,000 sq. ft. park will offer Grade-A warehouse space with features such as …

According to a latest report by Alvarez & Marsal (A&M), the demand for Grade A warehousing stock will grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 12.5 percent until FY30. At present, up to 70 percent of Grade A demand comes from Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and Pune. India is witnessing an emergence of high-quality warehousing infrastructure, recognizing warehouses as crucial components in delivering exceptional customer experiences. Sectors which are primarily driving the demand are retail, third-party logistics (3PL) and ecommerce. According to the report, these sectors are projected to contribute approximately 80 percent of the total demand for Grade A warehousing over the next five years. To meet the demands of a rapidly evolving market, these warehouses are equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and are strategically located near key transport hubs for efficient distribution. With advanced storage solutions and temperature-controlled environments, these warehouses are well-positioned to cater to the evolving needs of various industries, contributing to the overall growth and efficiency of India’s logistics ecosystem. ‘

United Parcel Service (UPS) is all set to sell its Coyote Logistics business unit to RXO for $1.025 billion, the companies said. The transaction will be funded with a mix of equity and debt, including a $300 million equity investment from MFN Partners and a $250 million equity investment from Orbis Investments, North Carolina-based RXO said in a statement. “The decision to sell our Coyote Logistics business allows an even greater focus on our core business,” UPS Chief Executive Officer Carol Tome said. RXO helps shippers and carriers to move freight. UPS bought Coyote Logistics from private equity firm Warburg Pincus for $1.8 billion in 2015 to expand its full-truckload services.

Air Cargo Forum India (ACFI) launched its Goa Chapter under the chairmanship of Thakur Purushottam, Business Head – GMR Goa Air Cargo at Goa Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI). “This collaboration with ACFI will ensure the successful implementation of our regional initiatives, fully supported by our ACFI President and esteemed members. My vision is to build strong connections between the ACFI Goa Chapter and key players in the Air Cargo and Supply Chain sector in Goa and adjoining region. I firmly believe that managing the complexities of supply chain management and distribution networks effectively in this evolving landscape calls for building a strategic roadmap for air cargo logistics. I assure that the entire Goa Chapter will strive towards bolstering development initiatives to boost trade not only within this chapter but across the country,” said Purushottam. Ahmad Raza Khan, Partner, Samuel Dias & Co., Vice Chairman of ACFI Goa Chapter was also present at the prestigious launch. Swetika Sachan IAS, Secretary Industries, Govt. of Goa was invited as the Chief Guest.  The event was also graced by Abhishek Pravimal, IAS, MD, GIDC, Dr. Pravin Khullar, President, GPMA and Manguirish Pai Raikar, Chairman, Goa State Council of ASSOCHAM. The ACFI Governing Board and ACFI Secretariat will select the Goa Chapter Board members with the goal of boosting air cargo trade in the region. This initiative will focus on advocating regulatory changes with authorities, upskilling our industry colleagues, organizing curated events, as well as workshops, and driving collaboration with fellow trade bodies to advance the Air Cargo Logistics sector both in Goa and nationally. The primary aim of the Goa Chapter is to align with the ACFI Head Office and work towards common …