Chairman’s Message
Once again, the beginning of a new year provides yet another moment to look back and extend our warmest gratitude to all those who have stood beside us during 2015. The past twelve months were truly momentous for all of us at CSS, as we rightly celebrated our 20th anniversary in style. Nevertheless, looking back also requires that we must keep attentively looking forward.
This is why the theme chosen for our recent strategy meet was ‘innovate and inspire’. It was prompted by my belief that building on knowledge, from past experiences, develops confidence and awareness of one’s responsibilities. This builds a belief in one’s ability to move forward to achieve greater things. The concept ‘innovate and inspire’ is, no doubt, amongst one of the toughest challenges business executives face throughout their careers. To be acknowledged as an innovative and inspiring person is a prestigious accolade. A talented workforce is a prerequisite for a company’s future success, but this also requires leadership that is driven by innovative thinking. I believe that in order to have an innovative mind you need to design your thinking in a way that is curiously eager to explore opportunities; visualizing and anticipating outcomes. Combining this approach to learning experiences, with a humility that affords respect to others, is the real ‘innovate and inspire’ in operation.
Our ethos at CSS has attracted people who can lead teams, towards the future, through innovative and inspiring thoughts. We need to ensure we continue to do this. Like the saying goes, ‘life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it’. The solution to a problem might just be your attitude, where innovation and inspiration will undoubtedly direct you along the winning route. My best wishes to all our readers for a promising year ahead.
“Innovate & Inspire” being this year’s theme, the main focus of discussion apart from the budget presentations were, the looming market situations and the much feared recession. The Political uncertainty was another concern everyone shared. Brain storming discussions were held for strategizing new ways in exploring the untapped areas, overcoming threats and to achieve company goals for the next year.
The CSS Group has recently begun a strategic alliance with Pangaea Cargo GMBH, one of the leading logistics solutions providers globally for vehicle and personal effects transportation. This alliance brings to the Middle East Market a world class door to door solution to the automotive market and their transportation needs.
Chief Business Development Officer, Pangaea Cargo 
The Projects team at CSS Group successfully completed yet another job recently, inviting highest client appreciation. Eight units each of 15 x 5 x 5.10 M weighing 118 tons of Skid Shoe was moved from the Maritime City at Ras Al Khaimah to the NPCC yard in Abu Dhabi. As a usual practice, extensive study and survey was conducted as part of this movement regarding the Origin, destination and the travel route. Each point of the entire project was carefully assessed to ensure a foolproof and smooth journey of the cargo. Multi axle hydraulic trailers were used for the project movement.
Prior permissions were taken and escorts were arranged for the entire route. The entire operation included night movements as well. “We consider each project movement as a chance to learn more and an opportunity to prove our professionalism. The excellent team work displayed by our staff ensures zero percentage stress and pressure for our clients. That could be the reason which made CSS the most sought after name in the field of project movement in the entire Middle East and the Indian sub-continent”, commented Raj George, Senior Vice President, Projects Oil & Energy, CSS Group, after the successful project completion.
Asking for a woman’s hand in marriage is one of the most important things a man will probably do in his life. Therefore, a good deal of consideration should be put into the timing and setting of this event. Thinking of creative marriage proposal ideas is tough and one of a kind proposal can be very hard to think of. We have seen and read many times in our life of people around the world exploring different, sometimes insanely expensive ways to propose marriage to their partners. Often times it is the the unique ones that take the headlines of News papers. One such unique proposals happened last week, showing that the logistics business can be more than what we know it to be!
Recently, The CSS Group helped organize a unique proposal for an industry friend and associate of the company, Ben of Pangaea. Ben a long time friend of CSS group, wanted to make his proposal unique while relevant to the industry where his partner Martyna works in. He came up with an idea to do this inside a container. He shared his thoughts with Kala, Chairman of CSS group, who didn’t need to think twice to make this real. Arrangements were immediately made at the Jebel Ali office with all CSS staff sharing the same excitement of Ben.
CSS Kingston Logistics FZC, sponsored Alleppey Amigos team participated in the recently concluded Kerala Cricket League (KCL). Destructive West Indies batsman and the ambassador of Kerala Cricket League 2015, Chris Gayle has officially opened the third edition of the tournament here. Gayle kick-started the competition in his trade-mark style after getting into his batting gear and lofting the ball high much to the delight of the nearly 2,000-strong spectators gathered at the Sevens Stadium. Sixteen teams featuring UAE cricketing talent took part in the league in four groups, which was managed by Seashell Events UAE and was organised under the patronage of Dubai Sports Council and Dubai Cricket Council. Renowned Malayalam film actress Nyla Usha was the Brand Ambassador of CSS Kinston Alleppey Amigos team
Millions in Mumbai commute everyday to earn a living. Banks, colleges, hospitals, government offices, private offices, factories and ports are all spread across different parts of the city. In a country where hot and freshly cooked home food is the most preferred for consumption, carrying of lunch boxes is a big burden for the working populace. However, this problem is unheard of in this metro city thanks to the presence of the 100 year old organization of “Dabbawalas”.
The deals included the two countries establishing a joint strategic investment fund worth $10 billion as China pursues its ambition to rebuild Silk Road trade routes.
systematic approach to information sharing as well as environmentally sustainable port initiatives re Phase II South, which could potentially be delivered within the next three to five years depending on demand, would increase the total capacity of Fairview Container Terminal to in excess of 2 million TEUs, and would provide capacity to meet Canada’s Pacific container terminal capacity requirements for decades to come in a cost-effective and environmentally responsible manner, The growth in traffic at the Fairview Terminal, North America’s fastest-growing intermodal gateway, has been a validation of the Prince Rupert advantages in transpacific shipping. DP World is ready to seize those advantages and move forward with planning the terminal’s continued expansion. In early 2015, the Phase II North expansion project was launched, which will raise the terminal’s capacity to approximately 1.3 million TEUs upon completion in 2017.
Each morning, from every corner in the world , people get up, get ready, eat or skip a breakfast and head to offices and then around 9.30 or 10.00 am starts the collective intelligentsia of the world, using their skills and intelligence to “grow” and “solve problems”
But these are real time things we can relate our daily work with.
The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (hereby referred as SOLAS Convention) shall make a mandatory container weight verification requirement in its Chapter VI, Part A, Regulation 2 which shall come into force on 1st July, 2016. As per this Regulation 2, the person who is transporting the shipment / Shipper or a third party arranged by the Shipper is responsible to provide the weight of their packed container in any of the following methods:
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.