THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : After receiving the approval for being declared as a Customs-notified port earlier this week, Vizhinjam Port has received approval from the Ministry to operate as India’s first transshipment port. Current regulations require the shipping ministry’s nod to prevent competing projects from being permitted before capacity at operational ports is saturated. “This approval paves the way for customs to set up an office at Vizhinjam port. It will be India’s first full-fledged deepwater transshipment port,’ said a government official. However, the final nod from the ..read more

GENEVA : FIATA International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations is proud to share the release of the Key Trade Documents and Data Elements (KTDDE) report, by the International Chamber of Commerce Digital Standards Initiative (ICC DSI), to which FIATA was a key contributor.  Released recently, the KTDDE report collates 36 key trade documents needed to standardise the international trade ecosystem, identified in the Cross-border Paperless Trade Toolkit published by the World Trade Organization (WTO), the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), and the Uni ..read more

MUMBAI : MatchLog Solutions, a sustainable container logistics and supply chain optimization player, today announced the close of $1.5 million in pre-series A funding.  The round was led by Motion Ventures and July Ventures, with participation from Venture Catalysts, Blue Ashva Capital, and Capital A. In 2022, MatchLog raised $3 million from Blue Ashva Capital, Rainmatter Climate Technologies, and Capital-A. Shifting to a full platform model  The startup said the raised capital will enable it to shift to a full platform model, emphasizing carbon reduction as a core aspect ..read more

GENEVA : MSC is getting ready for Breakbulk Europe 2024. The event is scheduled to take place from 21 – 23 May at Ahoy Rotterdam and is expected to draw over 10,000 visitors across three days.   MSC Breakbulk experts will be at booth 2A20-B21 & 2A21, in Hall 2, to share their passion and expertise for project cargo. They will be at your disposal to discuss your needs and offer logistics solutions that best suit your business, no matter the type of project cargo you transport or the special handling it requires. MSC’s dedicated local customer care and expertise in the global transport ..read more

BEIJING : More and more freight forwarders have turned to the China-Europe Railway Express (CRE), an extensive network of rail services connecting China and Europe, as a transportation alternative amid the Red Sea crisis, which has disrupted international shipping.  Experts say the increased use of the network has highlighted the rail route’s vital role in stabilizing global supply chains. Houthis in Yemen have been attacking commercial ships “affiliated with and bound for Israel” since November. The attacks have raised the risks for transportation companies moving cargo th ..read more

NEW DELHI : In a surprise move, the Union government on Thursday partially relaxed the indefinite ban on onion exports again, paving the way for the “immediate” export of 2,000 tonnes of white onions, primarily grown in Gujarat, from three designated ports. A notification issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said that exports of white onions would be permitted only after Gujarat’s Horticulture Commissioner certifies the item and quantity being exported. “Exports of up to an aggregate quantity not exceeding 2,000 MT (tonnes) of white onion has been allowed through ..read more

SABAH : DP World and Malaysia’s Sabah Ports Sdn. Bhd established a partnership to manage Sapangar Bay Container Port (SBCP) to cement SBCP’s position as the premier regional trade hub for the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA)1. Sabah Ports Sdn. Bhd is a wholly owned subsidiary of Malaysian public listed investment holding company, Suria Capital Holdings Bhd. “ “With its strategic location and abundance of natural resources, Sabah is well-positioned to reap the immense growth opportunities in the BIMP- EAGA region and beyond. Sapangar ..read more

GENEVA : Swiss/Italian box carrier MSC has extended its UK west coast – East Mediterranean service to the port of Greenock in Scotland. The service connecting Turkey with the UK West Coast and the Mediterranean will have the following rotation: Liverpool (UK) – Greenock (Scotland) – Liverpool (UK) – Portbury (UK) – Le Havre (France) – Izmir (Turkey) – Gemlik (Turkey) – Gebze (Turkey) – Tekirdag (Turkey) – Nemrut Bay (Turkey) – Valencia (Spain) – Sines (Portugal) – Le Havre (France) – Liverpool (UK) The inclusion of Greenock in the port rotation underscores the port’s offerings, further bolster ..read more

HAMBURG : German container shipping giant Hapag-Lloyd has decided to adopt IQAX eBL to issue electronic bills of lading (eBL) over Global Shipping Business Network’s (GSBN) infrastructure. As explained, the decision reinforces Hapag-Lloyd’s commitment to fully adopt eBLs by 2030 and to offer an effective digital solution to address the volatile and complex supply chain needs of today. To enable further adoption by the industry, GSBN also collaborated closely with Hapag-Lloyd and Digital Container Shipping Association (DCSA) to ensure that data is shared using APIs compliant with the latest ver ..read more

JOHANNESBURG : DP World, a global leader in smart end-to-end supply chain logistics, is proud to bring its Beyond Boundaries Initiative to the African continent for the first time. An event was at South Africa’s iconic DP World Wanderers Stadium, saw DP World unveil the fifth repurposed shipping container of the global initiative, accompanied by a donation of cricket kits for local youth.  The DP World Beyond Boundaries Initiative was launched with the help of the brand’s Global Ambassador and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar ahead of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in India last year, of ..read more