March 2014 - Lighthouse

Chairman’s Message

The proof of a worthwhile publication is measured by the amount of positive and interactive feedback from its readers. Your overwhelming response to “Lighthouse” has been amazing and has provided an added fillip to the creative team. I express my thanks to you, our readers, for keeping our morale high with your continued patronage.
Morale is an important consideration within any company because all of us are brand ambassadors for our organizations. We all appreciate that strong brands are built, over time, through our employees’ actions. An “in touch” management never forgets this fact, which is why investment in employee engagement programmes is essential. At CSS we value interactive feedback, as a two-way process, where we all may help each other to further our achievements.
I have always believed that relationships cannot be built in a day. It is only personal effort and a commitment to our principles that ensures good relationships are developed. Without associations and connections that are built on mutual respect and understanding, especially in difficult times, companies and organisations will struggle to survive. CSS has always taken a notably firm stand in our efforts to engender trust both inside and outside our industry. By keeping this attitude at the forefront of our minds I am confident that our endeavours will reap greater rewards.
Happy reading….

Projects @ Glance

CSS Group, Projects, Oil & Energy division recently completed the successful transportation of 11 skids from the UAE to Yemen. “As the cargo had to be moved by road to Yemen, it was important to ensure that the cargo was both safe and secure and that no problem occurred whilst transportation. At CSS safety is of the highest importance, and once again we were able to demonstrate delivery of cargo with the highest level of service excellence,” added Raj George, Senior VP, Projects, Oil & Energy, CSS. The low bed trailers carrying the skids were loaded using a 160 ton crane and given the complexity of the operation the low bed trailers were lined up in the loading area for easier handling.

Intermodal South America

With a history of over 20 years, Intermodal South America is the 2nd largest event in the world in Logistics, Cargo Transportation and Foreign Trade. CSS Group is delighted to be participating in the 20th edition of Intermodal set to take place at São Paulo Brazil, Transamérica Expo Center from April 1-3, 2014.
Siby C. Kurian, Sr. General Manager Sales & Marketing, CSS will be attending the exhibition.
Intermodal is set to display over 600 exhibitors from around the world, presenting new products, the latest equipments and technology innovation and a vast conference programme, providing a unique opportunity and experience for more than 48,000 professionals.
“Intermodal Transport Exhibition is the leading exhibition and conference event for international trade, logistics, transport and cargo handling. By regularly participating in Intermodal it has given CSS a cost-effective investment to generate new business and strengthen its communication and brand strategies. Brand positioning opportunities in Intermodal South America play a great role in maintaining market awareness in an increasingly competitive industry,” added Siby C. Kurian.

C.H. Robinson Visits CSS Group in Dubai

CSS Group, recently hosted Ivo Aris, Director- Europe Global Forwarding and Tom Sweet, Vice President Overseas Development – Global Forwarding of C.H. Robinson at their offices in the United Arab Emirates. As part of the visit, the guests from C.H. Robinson met the Senior Management of CSS and were given a tour of the CSS offices and facilities in Dubai and Jebel Ali.
“The main objective was to discuss C.H. Robinson’s Middle East strategic focus as well as to explore ways both CHR and CSS Forwarding division can leverage the CHR global network and CSS’s regional platform in the Middle East,” added Ken Dinnadge, VP Business Development.
Commenting on the recent visit to the CSS Offices in the UAE, Ivo Aris, Director- Europe Global Forwarding said, “Our meetings in Dubai inspired us in Europe to step up and put extra efforts into further building our trade lanes with the Middle East. C.H. Robinson Europe is exploring ways to develop a MENA region strategic focus for our customer requirements.”
ABOUT C.H. ROBINSON:
Founded in 1905, C.H. Robinson is a global provider of multimodal logistics services, fresh produce sourcing, and information services to 45,000 customers through a network of 285 offices and over 11,500 employees around the world. The company also provides access to over 63,000 transportation providers worldwide.
For further information please log onto: www.cssgroupsite.com & www.chrobinson.com
Approved Agents in UAE, BAHRAIN, QATAR, OMAN, KUWAIT, SAUDI ARABIA & IRAQ.

CSS Volunteers at Al Noor Family Fun Day in Dubai

CSS Group has actively participated in various CSR events over the years and has witnessed a positive response from its employees, through their active participation. Continuing the tradition of its CSR program, CSS volunteered for the Al Noor-Samsung Family Fun Fair on Friday February 28th, 2014 that took place at the Al Noor Training Centre for Children with Special Needs premises. It is an exciting community event that has been specially created for a noble cause.

“The Annual Family Fun Fair has become a highly anticipated Annual Event of the year in the Al Noor Calendar. With more than 5,000 people attending, this carnival-like event had games, bouncy castles, hands-on activities, crafts, performers and many other activities for all – children, youth, adults and elders,” added Amith Horra, Marketing Manager CSS. The CSS staff’s involvement included volunteering their time and strength to assist the organizers with various tasks relating to the fun fair ranging from various food counters, game stations and raffle draws.

ABOUT AL NOOR

Al Noor Training Centre for Children with Special Needs opened its doors in Dubai on November 21, 1981, starting with only eight children. The Centre serves children with special needs from different nationalities and can accommodate up to 300 children in their facility. The Centre has been generously donated by His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the U.A.E. and Ruler of Dubai and was made possible through the benefaction of HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein.

CSS Group Gears up for Breakbulk Antwerp 2014

Breakbulk Europe is the largest exhibition & educational forum in the world addressing the needs of traditional breakbulk and project cargo logistics professionals. Breakbulk also serves as an excellent networking platform for shipping and logistics professionals and has also played host to the formation of agreements and identification of new agents for participating companies.

Since 2009, CSS Group has participated in numerous Breakbulk Exhibitions held around the globe including Singapore, China, North and South America and Europe. Participating in key exhibitions such as Breakbulk, provides CSS Group the platform on which we can showcase the vast majority of the services we offer to potential customers and clients within this booming sector. Exhibitions such as Breakbulk, also serve as an excellent meeting ground for like-minded individuals within the industry to discuss recent trends, network and more importantly create business opportunities within their sector.

“Breakbulk Europe is one of our key exhibitions on our marketing calendar, as it is the ideal venue for CSS to identify potential clients, gain a deeper understanding of international market trends in specialised fields, and more importantly create avenues for new business opportunities within all our sectors,” said T.S. Kaladharan, Chairman, CSS Group.

As part of its contribution to the shipping and logistics industry, Breakbulk Europe also provides educational seminars to its participants that cover key topics which are pertinent to the industry that has an ever changing business landscape due to regulatory rules, advances in technology etc. In the BreakBulk Europe 2014, participants will learn about the current business challenges & opportunities facing shippers within the traditional breakbulk, heavy-lift and project cargo markets. BreakBulk Europe topics that will be discussed include, Combating the Scourge of Piracy; The Changing Emphasis on European Short Sea Shipping; Ports, Roads & Rail Development in India; New Future for Energy Generation and many more.

The CSS Group – Projects, Oil & Energy division will be in attendance during the Breakbulk, Europe as it is in the field of interest. Known as a provider of end-to-end solutions in energy trade and project cargo movement, the exhibition is the ideal platform for the division to emphasize its core competencies. Even though still considered as a niche market, the project cargo movement has grown because of the increased demand brought about with the diversity of Projects.

According to Raj George, Senior Vice President, Projects, Oil & Energy, CSS, “Our presence at such exhibitions is vital because of the wide reach Breakbulk exhibitions have globally, and their impact on the industry. Over the years we have seen the exhibition grow from strength to strength, not only in terms of exhibitors and visitors, but also its impact on the sector as a whole. It is the catalyst for numerous business opportunities for all key players within the sector.” Having carved a name for itself, the Projects, Oil & Energy team at CSS have successfully handled key accounts globally, and proved themselves as the undisputed leader in the area of specialization they have. CSS Group, Projects, Oil & Energy division will be in attendance at Booth No. 302H2, Hall 2 at the Breakbulk Antwerp Expo being held from May 12th-15th, 2014.

Why Breakbulk Europe 2014?
•   Over 5500 participants attended Breakbulk Europe 2013
•   Over 200 international exhibitors and sponsors present
•   Learn from the best in their field at specially designed executive presentations
•   Learn new skills in the educational workshops from industry experts

Please visit us at Booth No. 302H2, Hall 2 & for more details please contact the CSS Group Marketing department on amith@cssdubai.com

Dubai Expo 2020

The Great Exhibition, held in London in 1851, inaugurated World Expos as the hallmark events of a world aspiring to strengthen its connections, celebrate its cultural diversity and marvel at its technological wonders.

Today, World Expos remain a key meeting point for the global community to share innovations and make progress on issues of international importance such as the global economy, sustainable development and improved quality of life for the world’s population.

Every five years, World Expos attract millions of visitors who explore and discover pavilions, exhibitions and cultural events staged by hundreds of participants including nations, international organisations and businesses.

Each World Expo is a catalyst for economic, cultural and social transformation and generates important legacies for the host city and nation. For instance, Shanghai 2010 World Expo helped transform a heavily industrial city-centre area into a thriving cultural and commercial district while also bringing its theme “Better City, Better Life” to the attention of 73 million people.

The next World Expo takes place in Milan, Italy, in 2015. The focus: “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life”

Italian Premier Enrico Letta on visits to Abu Dhabi and Dubai struck a bundle of agreements with authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for progress in upcoming world fairs in the two countries, trade, tourism and energy.

Two agreements signed in Dubai concern Universal Expositions Milan Expo 2015 and Dubai Expo 2020 to lower customs barriers between the two countries for the next two world fairs.

In keeping with the effort to use Milan Expo 2015 as a platform for trade and policy promotion, an agreement signed in Abu Dhabi between Gruppo Cremonini Inalca and the UAE sovereign fund Emirates Advanced Investment Group will create an innovative technological platform to import and distribute Italian agrifood products in the Gulf and throughout the Middle East.

The theme of Milan Expo 2015 is ‘’Feeding the planet,” which runs May 1 to October 31 next year, and deals with food security, combating hunger, and promoting environmentally, socially and economically sustainable global food production practices. A fourth agreement deals with city water treatment and environmental protection, opening cooperation in public bids between the two countries.

The next milestone will be building the UAE’s pavilion at the Milan Expo next year. A working demonstration of the UAE’s Masdar City – an entirely sustainable, clean-energy enclave – will be on show at Milan Expo 2015, where the UAE’s pavilion will be built following sustainability principles such as rainwater recovery, recycled materials and solar panels, demonstrating the relationship between water, food and energy. Long, winding 12-metre-high sand-textured walls will recreate the region’s sand dunes. A revolving theatre and an oasis are part of the dramatic pavilion planned for the Italian world fair.

Story-telling was a vital ingredient in UAE offerings, said Peter Vine, the Director of the UAE pavilion project in Milan. “The pavilion will celebrate the UAE and tell the story of its remarkable growth. Visitors will also meet Emirati ambassadors who will be the conduit for telling the stories about how the UAE has grown.”

Courtesy ANSAmed & The National

10th Anniversary of GPLN

The GPLN Annual Global Meeting will see GPLN celebrating its 10th anniversary from March 16-18, 2014 on their home turf in Bangkok. The event will be held at the prestigious Landmark Hotel, Bangkok.

Raj George, Senior Vice President, Projects, Oil & Energy, CSS Group, Narayan RT, General Manager CSS Bahrain and Renjith Pillai, Branch Manager, CSS Abu Dhabi will be representing CSS Group during the three day GPLN Annual Global Meeting whereby they will be able to network with various members and discuss various trends and market forecasts within the industry.

“We are looking forward to attending the upcoming GPLN Annual Global Meeting as we are afforded the opportunity to meet a multitude of partner companies to discuss past, current and future business, exchange sales leads and develop a range of business possibilities within the GPLN Network. On behalf of CSS Group we would like to congratulate GPLN on their 10th Anniversary milestone,” added Raj George, Senior Vice President, Projects, Oil & Energy, CSS Group.

About GPLN Annual Meeting: GPLN brings together project cargo experts and independent project logistics specialist companies from around the world, all of whom have an expert focus on project logistics. The Annual Global Meeting will allow members a face-to-face contact with other GPLN partners whereby they will be able to efficiently build professional relationships in the most lasting and cost effective manner.

Commendable Job from CSS Delhi

CSS Delhi has got a success story to mention. The staff and management at CSS Delhi is pleased to say that they have done a commendable job in the past few months, despite of the turbulent economic and trade situations prevailing, pre & post budget sessions in India. In the month of January 2014, CSS Delhi did an all time high business in terms of the number of console containers in export and import, FCL containers as well as Air import tonnage.
After being established in 2007, Console Shipping Services India Pvt Limited, Delhi is now ranked among the top 5 NVOCC / Console Agents in the area where they operate and showing a remarkable growth in all segments. CSS Group with its headquarters in Dubai has got a full-fledged presence in all major ports in India. CSS India started their business as a Consolidator. Now they have come up with Air & Sea total logistics solutions under one roof. CSS Delhi has a dynamic & young dedicated thirty member staff to handle their business with personal attention and professional outlook. The team which is well dedicated in their work of cargo management is always looking for new opportunities to broaden their horizon in unpaved ways like Projects & Events management and many more verticals.
CSS Delhi has direct console business to destinations as mentioned below:
Sea Export: Germany / United Kingdom / Spain / Singapore / Hong Kong / Latin America & Dubai
Sea Import: Germany / China / Singapore / Korea / Hong Kong / Dubai and much More…
Team CSS Delhi has no reluctance to say that their achievements would not have happened without the professional approach of their management. “The extensive support we get in all our endeavors from the CSS Group management, is the cornerstone of success,” mentioned Rajesh Arora, VP, North India. They have full confidence in themselves, to reap more benefits in the future and in new areas of business. However, the imminent general elections and the unstable economic and trade scenario in India could become a hindrance. But CSS foresee bright and sunny days ahead.

Insight into the Technical Department @ Jebel Ali Port

78 Quay Cranes, over 250 RTG/RMG, 100s of trucks, forklifts, and other port equipment. Enormous assets to manage. How does the department do it? And more coming with T3…

There are separate maintenance workshops at Terminal 1 & 2 for cranes, mobile equipment, reefer, cold store, high voltage and crane systems. We have a large team of skilled and trained professionals who undergo regular training. We are proud to provide 99% of the maintenance and service requirements in-house; which include regular preventive, predictive and corrective maintenance. In addition, we have implemented automated workflows for our assets.

Total stock category items over 27,500

This is one of the largest technical teams in Dubai. What is the scope of your services?

Inventory Value AED 50 million

Our workshops also provide support to Imdaad, Trakhees, JAFZA and other business units. Spare parts are stored in two major warehouses within our terminals. Even though we have one of the largest we maintain minimal stock levels for which we have price agreements and consignment stock agreements with major suppliers.

Bringing in spare parts is one of the more complex supply chains. How does the department plan and manage this activity to ensure round-the-clock operations?

Average consumption of spare parts per month AED 6 million

Inventory is classified into two categories: stock and non-stock. Stock consists of spares that are required for regular maintenance. The inventory is maintained based on the below factors:

• Frequency of PM services
• Lead time
• Buffer stock
• End user’s
recommendation
• Equipment population

Non-stock consists of spares that will be made available based on user demand.

Inventory Ratio at our stores – 4.2

Our Inventory is classified based on different commodity groups against each type of spare parts. Currently, we have a total of 1100 active commodity groups in use.

How is the logistics of procuring managed?

Overseas deliveries are either by sea or air freight. The mode is chosen depending on the urgency of the material requirement.

However, for bulk orders sea freight is the preferred mode as they are ordered for planned maintenance and the consumption pattern is predetermined.

How does the team cater to un-planned/emergency/breakdowns?

Emergency maintenance is an inevitable activity in busy terminals. There is a dedicated crew working round-the-clock to attend to breakdown calls.

Online breakdown reporting, SMS notifications and joining forces with the Operations team reduces downtime.
By using the latest technology in trouble shooting and repairs, using modern communication systems, breakdown reporting, online and offline crane maintenance – thermography, ultra sound scanning, oil sampling and so on are tools we have implemented to reduce breakdowns.

THE SWITCH FROM FOSSIL FUEL TO ELECTRICITY WILL REDUCE MONTHLY DIESEL CONSUMPTION BY 109,000 LITRES IN AVERAGE, SAVING ON ENERGY COSTS AND REDUCING EMISSIONS BY ALMOST 2,000 TONS OF CARBON DIOXIDE (CO2) PER YEAR, BASED ON FIELD TRIALS.

How does the department train and equip the team?

DP World operates a Technical Training Centre which is responsible to improve knowledge, increase skill sets and ensure that the team is informed and adept with new technologies and advancements in the industry. The centre offers training in various engineering fields like mechanical, electrical, electronics, computer applications as well as soft skills courses, safety courses, seminars and conferences. These technical courses are typically conducted by our in-house trainers and support from external training institutes is obtained as required.

How does the team effectively plan and manage quality. Do we have quality certifications in place?

We are proud that the Technical department is accredited with ISO 9001:2008, which emphasises on a number of quality management principles including a strong customer focus. In addition, the department is ISO/IEC 17020:2008 certified, which concerns our inspection criteria, including load test and structural inspection for all equipment’s.

Quality, planning and inspection are the pulse of the department. The heart is Maximo, a maintenance management system used to plan, organise and manage maintenance of all equipment at Jebel Ali Port. The quality section effectively manages documents related to equipment, including manuals, catalogue of parts, drawings, test certificates, service history including registrations, renewals and inspections. This library of asset information is accessible through handheld devices which connect to the maintenance system, Maximo, allowing day-to-day capture and access to the information.

How does the technical team encourage innovation?

The team have a proven track record of innovation. In a major step towards mitigating the environmental impact we successfully electrified eight diesel powered Rubber Tyred Gantry (RTG) cranes.

In addition, the team implemented a sensor light system, which is integrated with the crane management.

Callidus Corporate Training

The Maritime sector plays a vital role in shaping today’s modern economies due to its expansion along with the growth of International trade and business.

Callidus Corporate and Maritime Consultancy, an established maritime and consulting company and a law firm in Dubai and India, launched its Corporate Training Division in Dubai conducted a half-day workshop at Flora Creek Hotel, Dubai on January 23rd, 2014 relating to Shipping Documentation and Professionalism In Career. Over the past two years of its operations in Dubai, Callidus has been able to make a mark in legal and maritime advisory space. During their journey, Callidus has been supported by Consolidated Shipping Services (CSS). The CSS Senior Management delegation that attended were from the UAE offices with a presence of over 12 participants in the workshop titled “Workshop on Documentation – Legalities & Professionalism”. Adv. Joy Thattil, Partner of Callidus spoke about “Relevance of Contract in Shipping Documentation” and Krishna Prasad, MD, Aster Marine Cargo LLC dealt with “Contract of Carriage – A Commercial Perspective.” Benny George, Head of Training, Callidus gave an insight into “Professionalism in Career”. “Callidus would like to place on record, their sincere gratitude for the continued support given by CSS in all their endeavours,” added Adv. Joy Thattil, Partner of Callidus

ABOUT CALLIDUS CORPORATE AND MARITIME CONSULTING (CCMC):

Callidus Corporate and Maritime Consulting (CCMC) beckons recognition from the Corporate and Maritime Community in India, UAE and Europe as an outcome of the acumen and sharp intelligence of its technical talent pool in various areas of practice. The experience and expertise gained by its professionals in resolving highly complicated and entangled Maritime and Corporate issues make CCMC a unique Corporate and Maritime Consulting firm.

CCMC is functioning primarily as a consulting hub into the whole spectrum of Maritime issues, like Shipping, Causality, Salvage, Cargo Claims, Arrest and release of vessels, Freight and Logistics, personal injury and other related issues. Pragmatic solutions to various issues in these areas are evolved by the professional team of CCMC applying sound Maritime principles and prudent commercial practices, without any compromise on the praxis of shipping.

COMMERCIAL DOCUMENTS

Since the cargo handled in shipping industry are susceptible to various risks and perils, fraudulent practices, improper handling, delay in delivery, etc. appropriate documentation of commercial contracts such as Bill of Lading, Letters of Credit, Bank Guarantees and Personal Indemnities, Insurance Cover, Freight & Commercial Invoices etc. is indispensable. The drafting team of CCMC is able to demonstrate accomplishment of aptly documented commercial contracts including international sales contract.

Claims Handling CCMC would advise on cargo claims and supervision on insurance cover, 3rd Party claims and claims regarding damage to operations equipments, subrogation claims, claim owing to delay in delivery and all other related claims.

Logistics Legal Issues and 3rd Party liability CCMC is capable of evaluating the risk potential involved in the business association with logistics service providers and their outsourcing partners and evolving a comprehensive risk management policy to be pursued for consolidating and containing adverse situations.

Shipbroker Pays High Price, for Failure to Produce Written Evidence

Emphasising on the costly consequences of failure on the part of shipping intermediaries to confirm in writing any initiative performed on behalf of their principals, the International Transport Intermediaries Club (ITIC) in the latest issue of its Claims Review, said that it has seen an increasing number of claims on its ship broking members relating to the receipt and forwarding of messages.

It is quintessential for shipbrokers to maintain accurate records and to reconfirm telephone conversations in writing, the article elaborates on how the mere failure of a shipbroker to provide written confirmation of the appointment of an arbitrator in a dispute between its principal, a charterer, and a ship owner, exposed the broker to a claim and costs in excess of $200,000 at a court-ordered mediation in the United States.

In the case at hand the shipbroker found itself in the middle of a dispute between the owners and charterers involving a demurrage claim in excess of $400,000. The charterers failed to settle and the owners initiated arbitration in London. Since the charters failed to either nominate an Arbitrator or file appearance in the proceedings initiated by the owners, the sole Arbitrator appointed by the owners passed an award against the charters for the full amount of the demurrage claim plus interest and costs – totalling to $575,000. The owners tried to collect the award against the charterers through the US courts. The charterer’s defence was that they had never been advised of the arbitration proceedings and therefore had no opportunity to appoint an arbitrator. The charterers also alleged that the shipbroker had failed to inform them about the arbitration, and brought the broker into the US action. The broker confirmed that it had advised the charterer by telephone about the appointment of an arbitrator, and again when arbitration proceedings had started but they had failed to confirm this by email and the charterer, well aware of the lack of written confirmation, simply denied that such telephone conversations had taken place. The case was concluded via mediation wherein the owners received an award of $450,000 of which the broker contributed $75,000 to the settlement; the legal costs of defending the broker were in excess of $140,000 – a total of $215,000. “This was a high price to pay for a simple failure to follow up a telephone conversation with an emailed confirmation” said ITIC.

Cricketing Veterans

Kerala Overseas Cricketers (KOC) recent Kerala trip concluded in grand manner by winning all 3 matches held at Cochin. The cricket tournament was named, FRIENDSHIP CUP and as the name affirms, it was truly a friendship tournament in which majority of the yesteryears players participated whole heartedly. Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) rightly acknowledged the tournament by sending their officials to witness the great felicitation program held on the 11th of January 2014 at NM Royal County, Tripunithura, Cochin.

KOC felicitated Kerala Cricket Association President T.C. Mathew for his recent induction into the BCCI, Sanju V. Samson for his elite performance in IPL and Under 19 Indian Team and V.A. Jadish, who got selected for Indian A team recently.

Great deal of cohesion and warmth were visible amongst the players during the matches. The players from both KOC and KYV (Kerala Young Veterans) were really enthusiastic in meeting up their friends after a long gap which was evident during the felicitation program. However, the fighting spirit was not drained by friendship, which was evident in all matches.

The real highlight of the Friendship cup was that KOC were able to put up a great show with some brilliant individual performances which has paved the way for victories in all 3 matches.

KOC Captain CTK Usman Kutty led from the front by showing real all-round skill in all departments. In the second match, he pulled off a stunning diving catch, combined with brilliant bowling performance, eventually proved to be very crucial for KOC’s victory. All matches were ended up as close finish in which the last match went up to the wire. KOC batsman, Shaji Balan took the challenge with a stunning last ball six. Nevertheless, KYV team gave KOC a tough fight till the end in which the fortunes were ever changing.

Both KOC & KYV players exchanged mementos as a mark of their true love & friendship. It was really an emotional moment for all the participants. In the end, KOC promptly acknowledged and thanked for the great Coordination work done by Kerala Young Veterans Team management, especially Sunil Kumar (SBT) and Mohammed Afsal (UAE Exchange) for making this tournament happen without much hassle. CSS Group were the sponsors for the KOC Team

KOC Team members: Usmankutty CTK, Haneesh babu, Fida Asghar, Mashood CTK, Prajith, Ali CCO, Manoj Menon, Reji Mohan, Naufal Pilackandy, Shajil Balan, Hareesh M Haridas, Anantharaman, Balajee, Biju, Noushad, Jaleel.

Sweating Out for A Noble Cause

CSS Mumbai team sweated out for a good cause on 16th February 2014.

That was the day when the Hiranandani Thane half marathon was held. The 2014 HTHM which was held under the aegis of Athletics Federation of India, had two categories – Half Marathon – 21.097 km and the Green Run – 7 km.

CSS Mumbai led by Jairam KR, Director CSS India had a team of 20 runners for this event. Many of them were experienced with other marathons as well. The race has twin objectives. Firstly the registration fee collected from participants was donated to a charitable institution doing social work. The amount collected through registrations during the last race was donated to Ruhi – an NGO associated with Tata Memorial Hospital who helps in treating cancer in children.

This year they are supporting Mumbai Mobile Creches – an NGO providing shelters to construction workers children at the construction sites and Jaipur foot (BMVSS), the world’s largest organization serving the disabled. This NGO provides all its assistance including artificial limbs, calipers and other aids and appliances totally free of charges. The race also takes up a cause in the social sphere every year. This year the organisors have chosen the cause of the national sport of India, Hockey.

Hockey as a sport has a glorious history in India. The national game was once the national pride. Hockey announced India’s presence on the world stage with victories at six successive Olympics. But today, very few play hockey and the same is being neglected in the country. Supporting this cause is to create how so ever small mind share and heart share for the national sport among people at large.

The route for the run had been carved out amid picturesque Hiranandani Estate-Brahmand-Upvan Lake-Vartaknagar and back. According to the organizers, 100 top winners will be given hockey sticks and balls to promote the game. Besides, schools with a good number of participants will also be presented hockey kits. The event is recognized by Athletics Federation of India.

By being a part of this event, CSS Mumbai has shown its commitment to social causes and shows how important is fitness in an organization for supporting a healthy work culture.

Who Wants to be a Millionaire?

It’s forty-eight years ago that the film “High Society” introduced Frank Sinatra and Celeste Holm, as Mike and Liz, singing “Who wants to be a millionaire”. The attractions of having a livery chauffeur, a gigantic yacht, a country estate and wallowing in champagne were lost on them. All they wanted was each other. This highlights an important consideration if you hanker at being a millionaire. If you are not going to be happy – forget it!

If you don’t believe this “Happiness Rule” a look at the some worldwide lottery winners will change your mind. Visit a certain McDonald’s restaurant in Cardiff, Wales, UK and you may be served by a guy who became a lottery millionaire some18 months ago. Luke Pittard celebrated, like many others, buying a new home, having a big expensive wedding and luxury honeymoon. However he realised that he missed his mates and enjoyed flipping burgers, at the place where he also met his future wife, so he’s back there working.

Janite Lee is an immigrant into the USA, from South Korea. Janite won $18 million in 1993 but only eight years later she was filing for bankruptcy. Her generosity was misplaced and the money soon vanished leaving her back where she started. Apparently she felt more relieved to be rid of the pressure of having money.

If we accept that your happiness in being a millionaire is a key requisite what comes next? Well here are some myths to dispel by confirming three facts.

1)    Most millionaires are self-made.
2)    Most millionaires have stopped short of obtaining the highest university qualifications.
3)    Most millionaires do not know a lot about investing in stocks and shares.

Right so YOU want to be a millionaire? Get ready to step outside your comfort zone and start believing in yourself. “Possibilities” and “If only” must vanish from your thought process. It is time to “Get real”. You need to be tenacious, focused and determined. Most millionaires live cost effectively and this means avoiding unnecessary expenditure. Nice things are to be enjoyed but not at the expense of spending overtaking your rate of saving. Living beneath your means is an important part of accumulating wealth. The majority of millionaires, in comparison to what their companies became, had frugal start-ups. There isn’t much point looking the part, if it costs an arm and a leg and you haven’t the customers to pay for it! A helpful idea is to find a mentor who has been there, done that and seek their advice. Consequently, “If you want to be a millionaire surround yourself with millionaires”.

When fourteen year old Suhas Gopinath started Global Inc ten years ago from a cyber café in Bangalore, the capital city of the Indian state of Karnatake, he was not aware that he had become the youngest CEO in the world. He also didn’t realise that he was demonstrating all the attributes of becoming a millionaire. Focused, stepping outside the usual comfort zone for anyone of a similar age, he was frugal with his start-up and still lives in the family home well within his means. Today, Global is a multi-million dollar company with offices throughout the world.

When he needed a computer, but his family couldn’t afford one, he spotted that his local Internet Café was closed in the afternoon. He offered to open and run the shop in return for being allowed to browse the net for free. It turned out to be his first great business deal. If you want some inspiration about becoming a millionaire I recommend reading about Susha’s road to success.

However never believe that being a millionaire will not change your thinking. I love the story of the self-made millionaire who told his church how, many years before; he left the same church penniless having given his last dollar in the collection. He said that having done it released him from all his worries. Soon afterwards good fortune blessed him and he became a millionaire. Everyone applauded as he sat down in the congregation, when an old lady sitting nearby turned to him and said, “I dare you to do it again!”

So go on…I dare you….to become a millionaire!

Lucky Winner

As part of our continuous commitment to the freight forwarding fraternity, CSS initiated a thank you scheme over 6 years ago, whereby one lucky name out of the scores of business cards that are dropped into the raffle bowls placed at the Delivery Order Counter will be rewarded with a gift.
The winner picked selected and rewarded for the months of January-February 2014 was Abdul Kalam, Operational Manager, NAK Clearing and Forwarding L.L.C. who walked away with gift vouchers worth AED 200 from Carrefour, presented by Fida Asghar, Team Manager, NVOCC, CSS Dubai.