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AMITH HEADS THE OPERATIONS AT CSS QATAR

Having started my logistics career with CSS in Dubai, today I am placed in Qatar. CSS has provided a platform for me to learn and dabble in all aspects of the logistics spectrum over the last decade.

CSS Qatar – Surmounting the Odds of the Blockade

CSS Qatar started in 2016 with a limited number of employees. A crisis was just around the corner with the diplomatic crisis in the year 2017. Initially, the aftermath of this crisis was felt by the entire market. Although the market slowed down in the early days of the diplomatic crisis, Qatar soon rolled out ventures with various production units. It further strengthened the market and reached a status of independence. The major strength behind these operations was starting of Hamad Seaport.

Having started CSS Qatar with minimal staff strength, we realized the market changes and moved step by step. In the years that followed, we built a stronger team, increased the sales team strength, and built up our entire team. Every employee of CSS QATAR helped in taking CSS Qatar to what it is today.

FIFA 2022 – A Driving Force

CSS Qatar has been growing along with the growth and development of the nation of Qatar. The government of Qatar has taken several steps for the country’s development by investing in its economy. The prime focus is the 2022 FIFA World Cup and advancements in medicine, electricity, oil and gas, tourism, construction, maintenance, food, and other industry verticals. The government has also announced Vision Qatar 2030. There might arise the opportunity to host Asian Games in 2030. CSS Qatar envisions the strategic role that the company can play during these massive events.

CSS has made a name for itself in the Qatar market during this period. In the years to come, the team will continue to strengthen itself, devise new strategies, find more business opportunities by understanding each sector’s business potential and setting up separate teams for each of them and will strive to achieve our goals.

Conquering the Credit Challenge

Timely payments from creditors have been a deterrent for our growth in the past year. Some of our competitors and other new players have been offering credit facilities to their customers with open credit options, without too many formalities. But this can pose a threat to their business growth if they do not realize their payments on time.

At CSS, we have decided to effectively tackle this situation by filtering the clients and conducting detailed research into clients’ financial health and track record. If the client clears our benchmarks, we will request them to submit a guarantee cheque as security or PDC against the cargo release.

2021 – The Year Ahead

The year ahead can be rife with challenges. With the diplomatic blockades having been withdrawn, invariably, there will be a boom in trade, increasing demand for logistics support. This also means a mushrooming of competitor companies in this small market. We are confident that CSS Qatar will score much better results than the year that went by, especially with the opening up of trade linked to the GCC region.

Working Together for Victory

CSS Qatar is glad to be part of the larger CSS family. As we align ourselves to the CSS Group’s vision, we are confident that we will reciprocate the management’s trust. We work together as a team to become one of the major shipping and Forwarding companies in Qatar and spread our footprint across other trade lines.

AMAL LEADS CSS BAHRAIN WITH A RENEWED VISION

css Have started with CSS in the year 2010 as Coordinator in Projects, Oil & Energy Department, I have seen my career progress. I later moved on to become the Operations Manager at CSS Abu Dhabi. Currently functioning as the Branch Manager of Console Shipping Services W.L.L, the Bahrain branch of CSS, my 11-year career at CSS has awarded me with opportunities galore.

I was privileged to work at CSS locations across the region and beyond. From Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah to Oman and Kochi, I have been entrusted with various responsibilities and roles, which has enhanced my skills and experience in all aspects of Logistics.

Surmounting the Odds at CSS Bahrain

CSS Bahrain branch was restructured and launched as a new branch in October 2019. The challenges ahead are many – we need to bring in new clients and raise and build up a whole new team. The limitation of being a small market with increasingly high competition, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the ensuing problems have added to our challenges.

But despite these concerns, the Bahrain branch has shown stellar performance above expectation in the year 2020. It was indeed a remarkable year for CSS Bahrain. My heart swells with pride as I lead a dedicated team along with the full support from the top management, the wind beneath our wings.

Strategies Ahead

The way forward for CSS Bahrain is simple and straightforward.

First and foremost on our strategic plan, we aim to increase the reach of CSS Bahrain to new customers every day, without compromising the services we extend to our existing customer base in the island nation. We will strive hard to maintain the high standards of excellence in service levels. Continuing the CSS Group’s legacy, we have committed to doing business with utmost dedication to Fair Business Ethics.

Last but not least, we will work together to keep up the morale of all the employees and team members at CSS Bahrain

Looking Past 2020

The year 2020 brought a downturn to every industry and affected general trade the world over. But with the vaccination drives being rolled out across every nation, we can expect a resurgence in the market in 2021. CSS Bahrain intends to venture into upcoming project movements and tap into the potential clients amongst government entities in Bahrain.

Our five-year plan includes our vision to be an NVOCC market leader in Bahrain, providing competitive rates and excellent service by maintaining Fair Policy Business Ethics. We also see ourselves as a Freight Forwarder par excellence with the capacity to handle general forwarding and project movements in the region.

Onward and Ahead

Though we face the imminent threat of targeted competition, underquoting, volatility, and rate increase due to the impact of COVID-19, there is plenty of opportunities as well. A huge untapped market is actively on the lookout for a freight forwarder with market-leading logistics solutions.

Maintaining good relationships with our existing client base will enable us to get accurate feedback. We have also decided to go by the fair policy. No matter what, we will adhere to not under quoting whatever the competitor strategy might be.

With the CSS Group’s focus on the GCC region, the newly started Bahrain branch will contribute to the NVOCC and Forwarding business of the CSS Group by building on the network partners. Our aim remains to:

Ensure 100% customer satisfaction
Ensure 100% employee satisfaction
Achieve the company targets

We look forward to finishing the year in flying colors by repeating and outperforming the excellent performance we displayed as we opened our innings at Bahrain.

SUSANTH SHEKAR MANAGES HUMAN RESOURCES & ADMINISTRATION WITH FLAIR

css People are the most valuable asset of any organization. It is the workers in the lowermost rungs who contribute to their employer’s sustainability and profitability. That’s why human resource professionals take on various roles and tasks that can affect organizational outcomes.

My career started with the CSS Group in the year 2009. It came with several opportunities and challenges to manage Human Resources for the GCC’s entire CSS portfolio.

Human Resources – the Cornerstone of an Organization

Effectively managing this human capital and recognizing that human resources need to be both administrative and strategic has built up Team CSS. The most challenging duel was to sustain people in the long run with the best talent management. All members of a person’s resources team or department connect the worth of human capital to the company’s bottom line.

That’s where Human Resources becomes so crucial. I have been dedicated to nurturing a team that is adept at dealing with people from all backgrounds and levels of experience, knowledge, and skill. Some of the specified attributes to achieve HR efficacy include flexibility, patience, attention to detail, outstanding communication and listening skills, negotiation skills, and professional discretion.

In the wake of recent developments around world markets, new challenges are evolving, involving collaborating with project teams and employees based outside the office. Remote working culture has become a necessity and is only bound to increase. Technology and online resources have become pivotal in the onboarding, training, and development of employees.

Data-Driven Decisions

Data analytics provide HR departments with the long-term perspective chances to become more empirical. It provides hard evidence for their opinions, thereby gaining much-needed credibility at the business’s very best levels.

One cannot structure and resource an organization as before, as organizations of the future will look radically different. Instead of pushing resources and people based on forecasted demand, fast-paced organizations may instead enable a broad range of resources and people to be pulled on an as-needed basis in response to events in real-time and where they’re going to have the foremost impact.

We have always viewed individuals as a series of fragmented parts like a neighborhood that must be recruited, learn and progress. Henceforth, we’d like to specialize in every employee and their related needs, which encompasses the extended workforce. Only then can we ensure that this increasingly important resource stays just as motivated and high performing as the traditional employee.

Transforming for the Future

The employee experience begins at the talent acquisition phase and especially with the onboarding process that follows. If we get this wrong, they’re going to not be engaged early. The employee journey must add up to it and meet their changing needs, and that’s where digitization is vital.

Key experiences that have to change significantly are that of the performance and development process. Companies have been experimenting with new performance management approaches that emphasize continuous feedback and coaching, reducing the appraisal’s focus.

Talent ecosystems are now a reality. Companies cannot consider their workforce to be only the workers on their record but must include freelancers, “gig economy” workers, and crowds. We have to create an integrated employee experience to makes sense to all involved in our organization.

Therefore, HR needs to fundamentally reshape itself to become a critical driver of agility and be a leader in digital transformation.

MENUSHA STEERS THE COURSE FOR CSS, SRI LANKA

css The two years at CSS have been challenging yet colorful!

With so many ups and downs in global trade, CSS has enabled us with the freedom to make decisions as leaders. We have established CSS Colombo as a rock-solid arm of the CSS Group in the Indian Sub-continent.

CSS Lanka – Our Capabilities

CSS Lanka started in the year 2018 with just two employees. Today, we have full-fledged operations with a very young and vibrant team of seven. Within six months of our inception, we were able to have our staff inside Colombo port to do our stuffing and de-stuffing.

As for consolidation, we have proved ourselves to be strong in exports to the Indian Sub-continent and imports to the Far East. From the very onset, we have been handling all kinds of freights (FCL, cross trading, projects, reefers) from and to anywhere in the world.

Backed by CSS’s capability to provide 360° degree logistics solutions covering the entire Gulf region and the Indian sub-continent, CSS Colombo can function as a transshipment hub. Being strategically aligned with the Malship group in Colombo, one of the pioneers in Sri Lankan logistics, lends us a better edge over the other players.

Anyone Can Sell!

I have always believed in the ‘Anyone Can Sell’ concept. With a background in operations and customer service, I have worked my way up from being a salesperson as I was passionate about giving back to the place I work. I always motivate my team to have their client base, and I have implemented this concept for the Colombo branch. I believe that each of us has a salesman within us. You need to have faith in yourself and bring him out!

Vision for the Future

E-commerce will be the path-breaking frontier, and we could position ourselves as a single platform for bookings, communication, tracking, and tracing.

Due to the current situation, things can be a tad slower than how it used to be, but from mid or end 2021, the trade will pick up speed in Colombo. Our primary intent at the moment is to maintain sustained growth. With a vision to be on the list of finest freight forwarders in Colombo, this is the season to do the necessary groundwork.

The Sri Lankan market is still not aware of the CSS Group’s strength, which has proved to be a deterrent in increasing the volumes from Colombo. Regular engagements with clients and carriers can help us in boosting transhipments via Colombo in the future.

Team CSS

With sound leadership at the helm that extends timely guidance and friendly counsel, CSS is driven by its people. Even though the branches are many, I believe that we are one big family and want to instill that same passion and dedication in my teammates.

RAHAT TALREJA LEADS CSS INDIA AS VICE PRESIDENT

css I was just back from New York after my stint as National Route Development Manager for Tigers Worldwide Logistics (formerly known as Kamino International) when I decided that I wanted to stay back in India and build my career here.

At the same time, the CSS Group was rolling out its expansion plans across India. That’s when I was awarded the opportunity to be part of the core management team in 2007.

A Journey of 14 years

My initial days were spent traveling across the length and breadth of India and also overseas. From meeting clients and agents to attendings logistics events, conferences, and seminars to establish our presence and service capabilities both within and outside India with our various product verticals. From building local teams and orienting them on work ethics, business process flow, data management, risk management, cultural quotient, and emotional discipline.

I was able to instill within the teams the power of being low key, business performance over public performance, ability to challenge oneself, reconstructing your benchmarks without bothering about the competition, importance of training, and altering business strategy to suit the macro environment.

All these aspects have become a part of my daily work life till today!

Change is the Only Constant

The 1990s, 2000s, the 2010s, and now 2021 have depicted different characteristics. The pace of change has accelerated. Every ten months, the world is changing now, which happened at a slower pace with a ten-year earlier gap. Also, work is abundant, so work should be co-related to resource deployment because, unlike work, resources always have limitations for individual organizations.

The Shipping Business Dynamics

The shipping business is 60% a legal business governed by a framework of rules, regulations, documents, checks, and balances, which define roles and duties with financial liabilities for each person involved in a transaction. The remaining 40% is capital allocation. What you allocate, to whom with what risk, what return, working capital cycle, transition risk.

Therefore, it’s a marriage of capital risk with legal risk. In this scenario, the crux of any management’s thinking should be to manage these two pillars most effectively.

Aligned to Organizational Objectives

If anything, people cause one to defocus from the core goals. Too many opinions and too many varying views can easily make one go astray. You may hire a very seasoned FCL salesperson but whether he aligns with your own goals is a different topic. We must listen to everyone but do what you have to, especially when you are clear on our organizational objectives. I always believe money in the pocket is money. Rest all of it is an act of circular jugglery.

Vision for CSS India

The vision for CSS India is to be the best in class in all financial parameters. From ROCE, ROE, EBIDTA margin, PAT margin, working capital days, and zero NPA along with high standards of tax and legal compliance, which is always our thrust. We do not believe in taking short cuts, a norm in the Indian market. Our Group Chairman’s unhindered support and faith enable us to achieve this level of financial fitness.

With freight rates having quadrupled and the capital cycle adding another 30-60 days extra, the capital requirements will increase to more than five-time soon. We need to use it efficiently!

If you make a crore by deploying a crore, you know the job. If you make a crore by deploying five crores, you need to be oriented, but if you make a crore by deploying ten crores, you need to be in Japan. This is my message to my team.

PROJECTS AT CSS

Team Projects at CSS started the year 2021 by completing a heat exchanger to DDP Houston. The scope of work awarded was to move the shipment from the manufacturer yard up to the door in Houston, USA. Though the weight and dimensions were smaller compared to the earlier piece, this move also required smooth coordination to ensure safe load out. The cargo was 60 Tons in weight and with 8.80 x 2.36 x 3.23m(lxbxh) as dimensions.

The first part of the Hamriya Free Zone loadout, including the customs documentation, was handled very smoothly by our branch CSS Kingston at Hamriya free zone. Our in-house lashing & crating department got into action to ensure cargo is well lashed and secured without damaging the cargo. The documentation team at Jebel Ali ensured all formalities were completed for the smooth loading of the cargo out of terminal one at Jebel Ali port. The cargo completed full loading & lashing operations on the 1st January 2021 onboard vessel MSC NAVARINO.

“We were in very close coordination with the carrier MSC & Dubai ports authority, and we thank them for all their support. This, combined with great effort by all at the projects division & team CSS, ensured a smooth and seamless operation.” Commented Mr. Arun P, Manager operations at Projects Division

CSS OUTPERFORMS ON DELIVERY FOR UAE-GOVERNMENT OIL PROJECT IN ABU DHABI

css Abu Dhabi has confirmed the massive discovery of oil which amounts to 22 billion stock tank barrels (STB) of unconventional oil resources, located onshore. Announced in the presence of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, the oil discovery exceeds some of Abu Dhabi’s major fields in terms of resources.

It has been approved to award exploration blocks in Abu Dhabi to position UAE as a leader in the oil resources. This discovery will further strengthen the UAE’s role as a resource holder with high-quality crude grades, underpinning its position as a reliable energy provider to the world.

css Recently, CSS has been able to provide seamless logistics for an oil project by a UAE-government entity in Abu Dhabi. On the 25th of November 2020, CSS was commissioned to deliver oil field equipment weighing 60 tons in total.

This significant project involved the collection of the valves from Scotland, UK and to be delivered to Musaffah, Abu Dhabi. The shipment was carried in a dedicated Charter flight via Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC).

css Delivering within the specified timeline was the vital aspect of this project. The CSS team strategically planned every detail of the operations smoothening out any hassle and delays caused by bottlenecks. Planned to perfection, as always CSS exceeded expectations by delivering the cargo to Mussaffah, Abu Dhabi much before the deadline stipulated by the client. The final phase of this project was completed in December 2020.

THE CONGESTED COLOMBO PORT – A BLESSING IN DISGUISE FOR COCHIN PORT TRUST

With the congestion at the Colombo ports growing by leaps and bounds, the Cochin Port authorities expect several mainline vessels to anchor at the Cochin Port Trust shortly.

The first ship to have entered the Cochin Port Trust waters was the S.S.Padma (a coastal ship of the Bombay Steam Navigation Co.) on 26 May 1928. Since then, the Cochin Port Trust has been expanding to meet the trade requirements of the region.

The latest anchoring at the inner harbor of the Cochin Port Trust was of the 366.5-meter ship, Maersk Edinburgh. This mainline vessel of the 2M Alliance was berthed at the International Container Transhipment Terminal at Vallarpadam under the US East Coast Service.

Another fact accorded to this ship is that it belongs to 13568 TEU Container Capacity Vessels that are among the largest class of ships called at Indian Ports. With the ongoing congestion at the Colombo Port, the mainline will benefit in two aspects. The benefits include lower logistics costs as well as lower transit time of cargo.

Interestingly, trade sources all point out that Colombo congestion has turned out to be an opportunity for the Kochi ports. This has promoted the trans-shipment business following the diversion of ships. This directly boosts Kochi’s image in handling the transshipment of cargoes

UAE – THE EPICENTER FOR COVID-19 VACCINE DISTRIBUTION

css Abu Dhabi ports is playing “a vital” role in the global fight against COVID-19. With one of the region’s largest ultra-modern pharmaceutical logistics facilities now operational, the port is poised to undertake the storage and distribution of more than 70 million vaccines.

Abu Dhabi Ports has dedicated a 19,000 square meter temperature-controlled warehouse facility in Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (KIZAD), which already houses more than 1 million vials of the vaccine. The facility has the capability to store vaccines and other pharmaceutical products at a range of 2 to 8 degrees as well as the more extreme range of -80 degrees.

The Hope Consortium- Helping the World Get Through This Global Pandemic

Abu Dhabi is spearheading the launch of the Hope Consortium. This UAE-based public-private partnership includes the Abu Dhabi Ports Company, Etihad Cargo, Rafed, the healthcare purchasing arm of Abu Dhabi-based ADQ, and SkyCell of Switzerland. The Hope Consortium represents a complete supply chain solution to address vaccine transport, demand planning, sourcing, training, and digital technology infrastructure and facilitate vaccine availability worldwide.

It will offer international governments, non-governmental organizations, and vaccine suppliers a cohesive solution across every supply chain step – from air freight, regional storage and temperature monitoring, inventory management, cold and ultra-cold container solution, and regulatory clearance and healthcare and pharma quality assurance.

Consortium partners already have extensive expertise in the global delivery of millions of COVID-19 related items, such as personal protective equipment, diagnostics consumables, vaccines, and pharmaceuticals.

Distribution of the vaccines, which will be stored in Abu Dhabi Ports Company facilities, will be carried out by Etihad Cargo. The national carrier will leverage its extensive intercontinental network, fleet, and charter flights to supply vaccines globally. Etihad Cargo has outstanding pharmaceutical logistics expertise and specialized pharma and healthcare service, PharmaLife, and the IATA CEIV Pharma certified product to facilitate temperature-sensitive cargo between +250C and -800C.

Rated has already managed large volume products before and during the pandemic for the UAE and humanitarian initiatives. With this collaboration, it can consolidate its efforts to meet the challenges of distributing sensitive pharmaceuticals quickly to global partners in the public and healthcare sectors.

The transportation of vaccines will be done using SkyCell’s hybrid containers. These storage and transportation containers are secured through an IoT monitoring service that tracks temperature conditions to ensure sensitive vaccines are protected even under extreme conditions. These containers maintain steady temperatures for an average of 202 hours (8.4 days) and self-recharge automatically in a cooling chamber or reefer truck.

Amid an anticipated surge in vaccine logistics, this collective expertise will garner a multi-faceted capability to provide seamless logistical solutions.

Abu Dhabi – A Local, Regional, and Global Distribution Hub For COVID-19 Vaccines

KIZAD has one of the largest cold chain and ultra-cold storing in the region and enables the UAE’s drive to spearhead global immunization efforts that will positively impact millions of lives. The vaccine storage processes with the international best practices governing the long-term storage of pharmaceutical products will ensure vaccines’ efficiency. Such a robust solution is necessary because the vaccines are composed of genetic and protein ingredients and must be stored in optimal temperatures for the longest possible period to ensure their efficacy when administered.

Abu Dhabi Ports is ready to play a leading role in the end-to-end supply chain, including storing, processing, and distributing this extremely sensitive product. These facilities at the Abu Dhabi port will leverage its capabilities as an innovation epicenter serving the Middle East and wider world through Abu Dhabi as a supply chain gateway connecting East and West.

Moreover, with two-thirds of the world’s human footprint within a four-hour flight of Abu Dhabi, the investment in technological expertise and world-class infrastructure facilities means it can serve as a global logistical hub too, and for, the world.

SAP’s Vaccine Collaboration Hub (VCH)

SAP has opened a vaccine collaboration hub in Dubai to manage vaccine supply and distribution. SAP’s VCH is built on the SAP Information Collaboration Hub for Life Sciences. It covers the end-to-end process from manufacturing to controlled distribution to administration and post-vaccine monitoring.

Businesses that are part of the vaccine production process, from manufacturers, logistics service providers, and pharmacy companies to wholesalers and dispensers, can run their critical vaccine processes on SAP software.

COVID-19 has put much pressure on the life sciences industry. To bridge the large gap in their supply chain strategy in this industry, SAP’s VCH is a one-stop-shop for the life sciences industry to manage their vaccination procedures and tap into a source of suppliers, even those across industries.

The VCH, part of SAP’s industry cloud strategy, provides the critical network and technology capabilities required to deploy large-scale vaccination programs and drug distribution effectively.

SAP has designed the VCH as an extension to its business network and will support organizations in managing vaccine supply distribution better and helping governments and their industry partners coordinate and successfully carry out mass vaccination programs.

Also, the VCH provides a backbone to better mitigate such emergencies in the future.

Air Cargo – In Full Throttle for COVID – 19 Distribution

Governments worldwide have a tall order of reaching the COVID-19 vaccines developed by Pfizer and Moderna to the masses. In turn, this means that logistics firms have a “mission of a lifetime” with distributing these vaccines.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released guidance to ensure that the air cargo industry is ready to support the large-scale handling, transport, and distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine. IATA’s Guidance for Vaccine and Pharmaceutical Logistics and Distribution provides recommendations for governments and the logistics supply chain undertakings. The Guidance lines have been prepared in collaborations with a broad range of partners, including the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA), International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA), Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), UK Civil Aviation Authority, World Bank, World Customs Organization (WCO) and World Trade Organization (WTO).

The crucial points addressed in IATA’s Guidance for Vaccine and Pharmaceutical Logistics and Distribution are:

To ensure availability of temperature-controlled storage facilities even in such places where such facility is absent.
The chart down the roles, tasks, and responsibilities of vaccine distributors, government authorities, and NGOs.
Re-open borders without quarantine to re-establish air connectivity to ensure adequate capacity is available for vaccine distribution.
Ultra-cold chain facilities across the supply chain to be made available and trained staff to handle time- and temperature-sensitive vaccines.
Timely regulatory approvals, fast-track clearance by customs and health authorities.
Swift and efficient procedures for overflight and landing permits for operations carrying the COVID-19 vaccine.
Tariff relief to facilitate the movement of the vaccine.
High level of security to ensure that shipments remain safe from tampering and theft.

These guidelines are in keeping with international standards and procedures related to the transport of vaccines. It will be updated regularly as information is made available to the industry. IATA has also established a joint information-sharing forum for stakeholders. The massive volume of vaccine shipments will require early planning, and this guidance material is important to ensure that they are scalable.

The complex task of delivering billions of doses of a vaccine, storing it in a deep-frozen state, distributing it to the entire world efficiently will be one of the largest and most complex global logistics operations ever undertaken!

OUR NEEDED PAUSE

css Nine months ago, we touched the “pause” button on our own lives and business as we knew it. What changes did we have to make to keep going? What has changed around us, and how have we adapted to this new environment? And most importantly, what did we learn from our pause, how have our own behaviors changed, and can we apply these moving forward?

This is a lot to ponder. But we’ll need to because vaccines are on their way, and slowly the world will resume activity again. For me personally, I will enter this new world with a fresh perspective and enhanced strategies when it comes to our industry of Freight Forwarding.

With domestic and international travel halted company-wide, we stopped visiting customers in person as we used to do all week long. No more interacting with our colleagues at the office or meetings with our vendors, no more waking up to catch up an early flight, no more waiting in the lobby for our appointments to show up, no more staying in traffic for hours to get to our meetings.

We were forced to rethink the way we have always conducted our daily activity. Working from home or a remote location for hours on end took a lot of self-discipline, organization, and time management skills at a level that many of us may not have had. It was a new professional environment, and we were forced to adapt.

Our typical ways of approaching new clients and performing sales calls required imagination; a change of strategy was necessary to be able to differentiate ourselves from our competition and find a way to continue to WIN and gain market share. In the absence of face-to-face meetings, we’ve had to focus more on the basics, which often get overlooked; understanding our customers better and learning about their structure, business, and vendors. We had to go into every phone call or zoom meeting, armed with knowledge and facts. We’ve had to develop better communication skills with our customers and our professional colleagues within our own organization. We had time to put together internal strategies prior to calls and quickly do follow-up after each one.

Being in a pandemic together provided a newfound empathy for each other. Kindness was imperative, and respect was needed at all times. We understood that we were each going through our own struggles, and yet we were all in the same boat. We have learned to listen, to take time for each other, and to get to know each other better. Empathy, respect, and kindness are qualities we need more of in this very competitive and busy world, and hopefully, we all developed more of these. I know I have.

Regarding productivity, we have learned that we do not need to keep ourselves busy nonstop to be relevant during these new times. We have learned we can be just as efficient – and much more – using all the new technologies available to us, such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams. We have learned that quantity is not always synonymous with quality. For me, this additional time gained has given me the possibility to spend more time with my family, to value what is precious in life and to truly understand what is important. You cannot be good at your job if you do not properly balance both work and family.

For me, and I hope for all of you, that you are able to see the value in this “pause.” We learned a lot about ourselves and the simple value in doing things in a different way.

In a few months, we hope that life will begin to resemble that which we knew before. But as we yearn for things to get back to normal, Let’s not fall into our old ways. Let’s take this time to understand how we can change our daily activity moving forward. Work more efficiently. Be smarter about how we use our time. Take time to connect with each other and with our customers. And on a larger scale we can use this “pause” to help us better understand what our purpose is, and how we define our goals in our professional and personal lives.

Let’s not waste these lessons and come back to our old habits. Let’s apply what we have all learned at every level during this time, and let’s try to make this place we call Earth a better world.

Sometimes we just need a “pause.”

Stay safe and be well.

INDIA-CLMV BUSINESS CONCLAVE 2020: BUILDING BRIDGES FOR CONSTRUCTIVE DEVELOPMENT

The Indian Minister of State for External Affairs, Mr. V. Muraleedharan, suggested that Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam (CLMV countries) join the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the Resilient Supply Chain Initiative (RSCI).

Both India and the CLMV region are actively involved in innovating renewable energy sources and partnerships to penetrate global value chains.

This new alliance could help promote connectivity to boost trade with the region. The CLMV region within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) comprises its newest, lowest income, and formerly closed-economy members spoke V Muraleedharan, the Minister of State for External Affairs. The Minister was speaking at the Índia-CLMV Business Conclave 2020 – “Building Bridges for Constructive Development” organized by the Commerce & Industry Ministry and the industry body, Confederation of Indian Industries, CII.

Regarding India’s cooperation with the CLMV region on the COVID-19 pandemic, the Minister stated that India provided medicines and medical supplies to the region and provided trained medical personnel under the I -TEC scheme. According to a statement from the CII, the Minister remarked, “India seeks to enhance its cooperation and collaboration with the CLMV region in terms of developing a vaccine for COVID 19 and is willing to share the vaccine as and when it is ready.”

The Secretary of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Mr. Guruprasad Mohapatra, highlighted the need to promote connectivity with the CLMV region and emphasize its rail networks be strengthened to help promote tourism in the Buddhist circuit.

He emphasized, “Efforts are underway to operationalize vital infrastructure links between CLMV countries and India for better economic integration. The Trilateral Highway, connecting India, Myanmar, and Thailand, will serve as a lifeline for India’s Mekong and North-East region. Proposals are currently underway to extend the highway to Laos.”

The Minister of Industry and Commerce of the Lao People’s Republic, Khemmani Pholsena, stressed that India and the CLMV countries need to work together to improve agriculture productivity, promote infrastructure development within the region and enhance the ease of doing business by promoting trade facilitation. She also reiterated that IT, renewable energy, drugs, pharmaceuticals, and infrastructure development needed attention in close detail.

Meanwhile, Mr. Chhuon Dara, the Secretary of State, Ministry of Commerce from the Kingdom of Cambodia, spoke about the need to improve trade facilitation, logistics availability, and the creation of a single-window clearance mechanism to help boost trade between India and the region. India also needs to support the CLMV countries in the e-commerce and digital economy fields and promote regional energy connectivity.

CARGO CARRIER AIRBRIDGECARGO DELIVERS THE FIRST LOT OF VACCINES FOR GLOBAL TRIALS

css Cargo carrier AirBridgeCargo (ABC) by the Volga Dnepr Group, in partnership with UPS, has successfully transported CanSino’s COVID 19 vaccines from Beijing. These vaccines are intended for global clinical trials.

Casper Pan of ABC said, “After months of preparations, we are stepping into the COVID-19 vaccine transportation phase to deliver these sophisticated pharmaceutical products. The whole world relies on these vaccines as a source that will help us get back to normal. It is a defining moment for our company and the Global Healthcare Team”.

The cargo carrier AirBridgeCargo (ABC) reconfirmed its CIEV IATA certification last year and has been actively involved in the transportation of other vaccines and vaccine-related shipments, including vials and injections. This year the Boeing 747 freighter carried 6000 doses of the Ad5-nCoV vaccine weighing 400 kg at 2-8°C temperatures, therefore completing its first consignment of COVID 19 vaccines.

2020 A YEAR OF CHANGE AND CHALLENGE

css No one in their wildest dreams imagined at the end of 2019, what the onrushing train of 2020 would bring. 2020 was always touted to be known as one of the important years with some great historic changes expected to take place all across the globe but with the natural disasters, the pandemic, the worldwide lockdown, massive recession; the Geospatial World called this year as the “ worst year ever seen”.

The big hope was that 2020 would be THE year for profitability and sustainability. But in a matter of weeks, it had to be put on a back-burner as survival became the top priority. A United Nations progress report published in December 2020 indicated that none of the international Sustainable Development Goals for 2020 were achieved. The entire year of 2020 passed by the COVID- 19 pandemic which has led to global social and economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, worldwide lockdowns and the largest economic recession since the World War 2.

But before we bid goodbye to this unprecedented year, it is essential to make sense of the developments which tested the world and its people. We started the year worrying about the possibility of World War III and ended up facing bigger troubles. A look back on the year that passed by like a gush of winds, below is the list of all the major events that we’ve endured this year.

AUSTRALIA BUSHFIRES AND WESTCOAST WILDFIRES

It began in September 2019 and continued to blaze in to the New Year as well. It was also called the “Black Summer” as it killed as many as 500 million animals, burned 47 million acres, displaced thousands of people and killed at least 34 people. The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) were deployed to New South Wales to assist mass evacuation efforts.

Deadly wildfires erupted from California to Washington State, burning millions of acres and displacing hundreds of thousands of people since mid-August.

HARRY AND MEGHAN QUIT (MEGXIT)

On 8th January 2020, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, made an announcement on their social media handle of their intention to “step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family”. Megxit came to signify the break by the couple from the British royal family and its former protocol and their plans for independence under their new brand, then tentatively named Sussex Royal.

COVID 19 PANDEMIC

As mentioned earlier this year has to be credited to the virus as it has ruled the roost and shaken up the entire world. It is an on-going pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The virus was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in January 2020 and a pandemic in March 2020.

As of 27 December 2020, more than 80.3 million cases have been confirmed, with more than 1.75 million deaths attributed to COVID-19. The world woke up to a “new normal” with various preventive measures including social distancing, wearing face masks in public, ventilation and air-filtering, hand washing, covering one’s mouth when sneezing or coughing, disinfecting surfaces, and monitoring and self-isolation for people exposed or symptomatic. The Coronavirus disease has impacted every segment of life like commercial establishment, education, economy, religion, transport, tourism, employment, entertainment, food security, sports, etc. The outbreak has become a major destabilizing threat to the global economy. Economist intelligence unit has forecast that markets will remain volatile until a clearer image emerges on the potential outcomes.

IMPEACHMENT OF PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP

Donald Trump became the third President in American history to be impeached on with a majority of Representatives voting in favour of the two articles of impeachment drawn up by House Democrats. The former President was accused of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, both connected with the Ukraine scandal. He was ultimately acquitted by the Senate on February 5.

BREXIT

After years of negotiations and drama, Brexit finally happened on January 31. The United Kingdom officially left the European Union but braced itself for yet more negotiations in the years to come. To date, the UK is the first and only country formally to leave the EU, after 47 years of membership within the bloc, after having first joined its predecessor, the European Communities (EC), on 1 January 1973.

VIOLENCE IN DELHI OVER CITIZENSHIP AMENDMENT ACT

India’s Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which was passed in late 2019, would allow people of certain religions from neighboring countries to become Indian citizens. However, Muslims were exempted from this, leading many to protest it for being “anti-Muslim.” Between February 22 and February 27, protests over the CAA led to communal violence in northeast Delhi, wherein mobs attacked Muslim neighbourhoods in a frenzied state. At least 53 people died in the violence.

BEIRUT EXPLOSION

On 4 August 2020, a large amount of ammonium nitrate stored at the port of the city of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, exploded, causing at least 204 deaths, 6,500 injuries, and US$15 billion in property damage, and leaving an estimated 300,000 people homeless. A cargo of 2,750 tonnes of the substance had been stored in a warehouse without proper safety measures for the past six years, the explosion was preceded by a fire in the same warehouse, but as of November 2020, the exact cause of the detonation is still under investigation.

BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTEST

The police-involved killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor this year sparked a wave of peaceful — and sometimes violent — demonstrations and riots across the world to demand an end to police brutality and racial injustice. African American George Floyd died on May 25 when a white policeman kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes. Hundreds of people gathered outside the White House to protest against the police.

46TH PRESIDENT ELECTED IN USA

Joe Biden became the 46th president of the United States on Nov. 7, defeating President Trump with a critical assist from his birth state, Pennsylvania, which delivered the votes to propel him to victory and end one of the most contentious elections in recent memory. Ms. Kamala Harris is the First female, the highest-ranking lady elected official in U.S. history, the first African American and the first Asian American Vice President.

KARACHI AND KERALA PLANE CRASH

In May, a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane carrying 99 people aboard crashed into a densely populated residential area near Jinnah International Airport in Karachi. The crash killed 97 people while two passengers miraculously survived it.

On the 7th August, a repartition flight had crash landed at Calicut International Airport due to heavy rains and ended up skidding off the end of the tabletop runway killing 19 passengers and both pilots.

DEMISE OF POPULAR AND FAMOUS PERSONALITIES

Apart from the millions of people who lost their lives due to Covid-19 and other natural disasters all across the world, 2020 is that year where many known faces breathed their last including Kobe Bryant, Maradonna, SP Balasubraminam, Rishi Kapoor, Chadwick Boseman, Sugunthakumari, Irrfan Khan, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Pranab Mukherjee, Sushanth Singh Rajput and many more personalities.

2020 has been a roller coaster ride with the above events out of which some remain realities today, but others feel like such a lifetime ago, it’s hard to imagine that we had to deal with them in just the last 12 months. Though the year’s biggest events are mostly a series of depressing news, that doesn’t mean its all doom and gloom. Below is the list of the good part of 2020:

Nature has completely healed while Human Activity was zero.
After a dramatic postponement, the highly anticipated SpaceX Crew Dragon launch finally happened on May 30.
We have all learnt and accepted the new normal thus proving the fact that humans can adapt to any environment.
In order to curb any further damage due to Covid 19, many Countries have done their best to create a safe and effective vaccine using their own resources.
Though COVID 19 had primarily harmed senior citizens , there was a 103 year old grandmother who had beat the virus.
Wild Animals Occupied the Streets when human movement had reduced.
Parasite became the first foreign film to win at the Oscars.
Work from home has benefitted companies by saving commuting time, increasing productivity, and creating a better work-life balance.
Humanity became the need of the hour and that was the best realization of 2020.

2020 has been one of most tiring years that anybody has witnessed in our very comfortable lives. But in the midst of the tragedies there was courage, there was grace, there was sacrifice, there was hope—there were people who faced the worst rising up to be their very best. Few will recall the year just ending with anything close to fondness. But it will surely be recalled with no small measure of pride.

It was a Pleasure Writing Articles For The Light House Every Month And I Take This Opportunity To Congratulate CSS For Its 25th Anniversary.

We’ve had a Great Journey Together and Hoping the Best in The Coming years.

Along With my team at Callidus, I wish you a Happy Anniversary.

All The Best for Many More Years Of Success!!!!.

CSS ENABLES THE MOVEMENT OF THE ICONIC FORD MUSTANG FROM JEA TO KOCHI

CSS has once again proved itself by providing top-notch logistic services for customers aiming at vehicle shipments across destinations across countries. As a Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier, CSS possesses an inimitable combination of talent, resources, and partners across the globe.

The CSS Group’s Automobile Logistics division specializes in handling shipments of high-end vehicles. With large storage facilities and specialized racking of vehicles, CSS has become a trusted name in Auto Logistics.

CSS handled a single unit of the iconic performance car, Ford Mustang, from Jebel Ali to Cochin 19th Jan 2021. Ably managed by Mr. Bitto, the consignment was sent across under ATA Carnet.

What is the ATA Carnet?

While transporting vehicles across borders, the ATA Carnet is vital. The ATA Carnet is an international customs document that permits tax-free, duty-free temporary export and import of non-perishable goods within a year. This guarantee covers up the otherwise customary practice of paying the security deposit to customs authorities.

CSS Capability in Vehicle Movements

CSS arranges for door-to-door delivery of the vehicles under carnet, including the return shipment to Dubai within carnet validity and destination clearance, thus helping the customer have a smooth sail. CSS assures its customers no headaches and completely hassle-free shipments all the way through.

We have a proven track record of completing vehicular movements in the past as well. The year 2020 saw us helping the avid vlogger Shakir Subhan aka Mallu Traveler, reunite with his trusted steed, which he had to leave behind in Azerbaijan due to the pandemic.

CSS remains committed to delivering efficiency and seamless movements of high-end cars through our trusted network operations.

CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE

I have always believed that the key to success is not just what we achieve at the moment, but in knowing what is around the corner. For 24 years, we have always managed to stay ahead of the curve.

The CSS Group entered 2020, on the heels of a successful 2019. I had expressed that optimism in my message at the beginning of the year. However, we didn’t see what was lurking just around the corner. Starting with an outbreak, COVID-19 quickly escalated into a pandemic in no time.

“Smooth seas never made a skilled sailor”, said Franklin D Roosevelt. The last 25 years have thrown many an obstacle in our path. From our humble beginnings in Dubai as a company with just three employees, today, our footprint stretches across the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent.

Our growth is a testament to our resilience, and we will overcome this current challenge as well. Having said that, we are not out of the woods yet. Global trade is slowly limping back to normalcy, and we are part of a key vertical in this equation. The aviation sector operates at minimal capacity, and the ocean segment is heavily imbalanced in terms of equipment and capacity. Fluctuations in these two sectors have a cumulative impact on the supply chain to a degree not seen in the recent past.

Or is this the new normal?

Is this a sign for us to change what we do and how we do it? Investment in people and culture remains a priority; however, adapting to new technology has become necessary to ease process gaps and incorporate learnings from our shortfalls that the current pandemic-driven challenges have brought up.

True to our commitment to the marketplace, we have been a responsible partner. We have realigned our products and offerings to aid and support hard-hit industries. We revamped our business models and have come out much better in the second half of 2020 than what was anticipated. We are also fueled by an undying ambition to grow. Having established a niche presence in the Hamriyah Free zone, we have also completed a very successful 12-months stint in Bahrain.

To my team, the entire CSS Group family – Thank You! Your efforts and perseverance have brought us to where we are now, despite the challenges around us. We are looking to close 2020 as we did in 2019.

I would also like to thank our partners and customers who have stood by us during this unprecedented period in modern times. We have a new world unfolding in front of us, a lot of shifts ahead, and the opportunities that come with it.

At CSS, we always intend to stay ahead of the curve.

I wish you a safe end to 2020 and a much better 2021

CSS QATAR – A 3PL PROVIDER PAR EXCELLENCE

With a GDP of $308.6 billion, Qatar is a marvel of ultramodern architecture and a burgeoning economy. Qatar has managed to top the list of the world’s wealthiest nations for 20 years.

Qatar’s 2017 blockade in its standoff with the neighboring countries has turned for its good. Qatar shaped its logistical and supply chain operations to be self-sufficient. This turned out to be beneficial in the post-Covid era when countries tried to be self-contained to decelerate the pandemic’s spread.

With FIFA choosing Qatar as the next destination of the 2022 edition of the World Cup, all eyes are on this tiny and wealthy nation. Though the pandemic effects were severely felt in Qatar, the economy is projected to keep growing with a rise in gas production and investment in preparation for the 2022 World Cup.

CSS Qatar – a Provider of Third-Party Logistics (3PL)

CSS has its presence in Qatar as Console Shipping Services W.L.L. Well-equipped with the cutting-edge infrastructural facilities, CSS Qatar has a talented team of logistical experts to meet any logistics challenge. As one of the leading Third-Party Logistics Provider (3PL), CSS Qatar stands poised to offer all the shipping and logistics requirements that might arise in this region.

As a 3PL provider, CSS Qatar offers the following services:

† Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier (NVOCC)

† Ocean Freight Management

† Air Freight Management

† Land Transportation Management

† Industrial Packing, Crating & Lashing

† Multi-modal Operations

† Container Freight Station (CFS)

† Yacht & Marine Logistics

† Projects, Oil & Energy

† Exhibition & Event Logistics

† Supply Chain Management

† Automobile Logistics

What’s 3PL?

3PL service allows customers to focus on their operations’ core areas as they outsource operational logistics from warehousing through to delivery. Taking care of all the steps involved in supply chain management, the 3PL provider offers everything from transportation, warehousing, picking and packing, inventory forecasting, order fulfillment, packaging, and freight forwarding.

Benefits of partnering with CSS Qatar as 3 PL Provider

One of the most significant benefits of partnering with CSS Qatar as a 3PL provider is that businesses can focus on the key aspects like sales, marketing, and product development.

Here are some of the top benefits:

† Cuts your operational expenses.

† As businesses experience ups and downs in demands, partnering with CSS Qatar as 3PL allows companies to manage highs and lows more effectively.

† It allows companies to provide improved customer service.

† Flexibility to test new markets without the commitment of large capital investments.

† Mitigate risks as you will be protected against damage and loss of goods.

† Gain from the knowledge and experience provided by the 3 PL providers.

† Save on warehousing and ensuring the cost of maintaining staff.

It is always crucial to entrust the logistics to an experienced provider. With more than 25 years of hands-on logistics experience, clients can rest assured as they outsource their logistical operations to CSS.

CSS SRI LANKA VENTURES INTO REEFER SHIPMENTS

World over, there is hot demand for cold boxes.

According to the Drewry, the shipping analysts, this demand rises out of the need for fresh food. The volume of fresh food shipped across the oceans is twice as high as other products.

“Reefers” or refrigerated ships and shipping containers transport perishable commodities by sea. Put simply, reefer containers are large fridges carried by container ships to move temperature-sensitive goods such as meat, vegetables, and fruits, dairy products, pharmaceuticals, etc.

Reefer containers maintain the cargo at the required temperature (usually between -30°C and +30°C) for the whole duration of the transit either in chilled, frozen, or controlled temperature.

CSS Capability in Reefers

CSS has been into reefer container shipping and has sufficient experience in this field. When facilitating the shipment, we arrange the freight, coordinate with all suppliers paying close attention to critical logistical details to ensure a seamless transportation process for our clients. All the relevant documentation and operational procedures are handled at the origin with the utmost care to ensure compliance at all levels.

The reefer container ship is fully equipped with reliable power and backup power sources. The temperature-sensitive and perishable goods are packed carefully to allow proper air circulation throughout the transit. Monitored throughout the entire transportation process, we track the reefer shipment in real-time so our clients can enjoy complete peace of mind once they entrust their reefer movements to CSS.

CSS Sri Lanka Ensures Global Foods Fresh at Your Doorstep

In July 2020, CSS Sri Lanka rolled out the reefer project, this involved the reefer movement of fresh potatoes, garlic, and grapes from China and pomegranates and dates from Egypt

Based in Colombo, the CSS team, Sri Lanka meticulously planned and coordinated with the suppliers for potatoes, garlic in Mainland China and, grapes, pomegranates, and dates from Egypt. The documentation and other operational procedures for transit from China to Sri Lanka were done as per the stipulated laws and regulations.

Ms. Menusha Srilankeshwara, the Branch Manager at CSS Sri Lanka, says, “CSS has handled reefer containers all along, and I have about 10 to 15 years’ experience in doing reefer movements. Having handled commodities such as coconut water and all coconut-based products along with fresh seafood like prawns to fruits, vegetables, and other perishables, CSS Lanka has the capability to bring fresh food from across the world to your doorstep.”

The plans are in the pipeline to handle shipment of sugar from India as well. At CSS, we are well versed in the critical elements involved when it comes to refrigerated cargo.

Need for Fresh Food and Hot Demand for Reefers

Today, consumers across the world expect to have the freshest produce and goods throughout the whole year. Refrigerated containers or “reefers” can keep food fresh for more than a month, allowing distributors to safely send everything from orange juice to lobsters around the world.

The growing affluence of the global population, especially in Asia, has boosted demand for international foods. The affluent class in Asia has an increasing demand for fresh fruit, vegetables, and fresh meat. This demand is pushing the logistics industry to move more products under cold management.

The uncertainties of 2020 have made one thing clear – fresh fruit, vegetables, frozen foods, and pharmaceuticals are ‘essential,’ and moving them to where they are needed is vital.

CSS REUNITES VLOGGER “MALLU TRAVELLER” WITH “AMINA,” HIS RIDE COMPANION

As a Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier, the CSS has the best talent, resources, and partners across the globe to provide top-notch logistics to our customers looking for vehicle shipments across the nations.

The avid vlogger from the South Indian state of Kerala, Shakir Subhan, with a YouTube channel called Mallu Traveller, airs his budget travels worldwide. His Instagram handles @mallu_traveller boasts his motto, “Spend less, travel more.” Having traveled to more than 24 countries, his channel has 1.31 million subscribers today. He gained fame with his viral videos documenting his stay at a Corona isolation ward at Kannur, Kerala.

The globe-trotter was on “a solo world bike tour” when he was forced to discontinue his landmark journey in Azerbaijan when he was about to enter Georgia due to the global coronavirus outbreak. Shakir had to leave his trusted steed, a TVS Apache RTR 200 motorbike, in the care of the customs at Baku, Azerbaijan, and travel back to his home state of Kerala in India. He has fondly named the customized TVS Apache RTR 200 ‘Amina‘ as a tribute to his mother, Kunjamina.

While Subhan was in Kerala, he yearned to be reunited with ‘Amina.’ That was where CSS stepped into the picture to reunite Subhan and his trustworthy companion on many journeys worldwide.

CSS was instrumental in transporting the TVS RTR 2004V from Baku in Azerbaijan. With the COVID protocols delaying shipment across most countries, CSS undertook the stupendous task of planning out the motor bike’s shipment, Amina.

CSS undertook this task when most flights were canceled, and cargo movement was highly restricted due to the COVID protocols. The bike was air-freighted from Baku (GYD) Airport to the Dubai International Airport via SILK WAY Airlines (ZP) cargo flight carrier and then later trans-shipped from the Jebel Ali Port to the Cochin Sea Port through CSS LCL console service. The seamless logistics provided by CSS enabled the smooth movement of the shipment. The much-loved bike and its owner were once again reunited after more than six months.

Here’s CSS wishing Shakir Subhan many more miles of safe travels around the world!.

CSS BAHRAIN CELEBRATES 1ST ANNIVERSARY WITH IMPRESSIVE PERFORMANCE

On the 1st of October 2020, CSS Bahrain successfully completed one year of its operations in the island nation OF Bahrain. Surmounting all the odds that ensued in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, CSS Bahrain has managed to exceed expectations to reach this triumphant milestone.

RESTRUCTURING OF OPERATIONS IN 2019

As a part of restructuring our operations in Bahrain, we restarted our operations under a new brand name called Console Shipping Services W.L.L. Console Shipping Services W.L.L Bahrain works as a neutral NVOCC with its service offerings in the areas of Air & Sea Freight, Land Transport & Projects. Maintaining excellent relationships with leading carriers, Console Shipping Services W.L.L Bahrain is the preferred partner for many Bahrain businesses. This advantage has enabled us to provide competitive rates and services to our client base.

Part of the CSS Group, Console Shipping Services W.L.L Bahrain, offers turnkey project forwarding solutions to worldwide destinations, with hands-on management and highly experienced project professionals.

2020 – A CHALLENGING YEAR

The year 2020 was indeed a challenging one for businesses across the world. Despite these grim challenges, CSS Bahrain has emerged victorious, even surpassing the predictions and forecasts for the past year. This has proved to motivate the CSS Bahrain team, instilling within them a distinct sense of confidence to face fresh challenges and a thirst for new conquests.

CSS Bahrain Team is still to reach a wide customer base in Bahrain due to the COVID-19 protocols’ restrictions. However, the team at CSS Bahrain is slowly yet steadily extending our support to all our customers while strictly adhering to the COVID-19 safety regulations within the country.

Enabled by cutting-edge technology, the teams were working remotely throughout the lockdown. They were able to stay in touch with the customer base by providing them with superlative customer support, along with cost-effective solutions. This is reflected in the high levels of customer satisfaction that have been reported from Bahrain. Backed by the unstinted support from the CSS Group Management, every member of Team CSS Bahrain has played in a crucial role in attaining this achievement during this pandemic season.

MARCHING FORWARD

From Bahrain Customs, APM Terminals to the Shipping Lines, CSS Bahrain has developed and sustain good relationships with the stakeholders in the country. This has enabled us to provide seamless and efficient services to our customers.

CSS Bahrain understands individual projects’ specific requirements and customizes its services according to our client’s prerequisites. With its remarkable footprint across the Middle East and the Indian sub-continent, Console Shipping Services W.L.L. is proud to be part of the CSS Group’s unparalleled global agency network.

UAE EXPO 2020: RECONNECTING WITH THE WORLD

Expo 2020 aims at a global celebration of humanity’s resilience, creativity, culture, and innovation – a tribute to humanity’s resilience in its ability to innovate and achieve the pursuit of optimism in times of adversity. Expo 2020 Dubai is slated to start on October 01, 2021, to build a strong, sustainable future for the global community in a spirit of innovation.

The UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General Expo 2020 Dubai Bureau – Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy expressed, “Our leadership has spared no effort, has guided us and provided all resources to ensure that our World Expo will be a true expression of the UAE’s values, reflecting its ambition to build a better future for us, the region and the world – a future of which the upcoming generations will be proud of.”

“Our World Expo has a mission to inspire hope, and in the coming weeks, we will begin to share new details and ideas on space, health and wellness, travel and connectivity, and other matters that are at the heart of this Expo.” Her Excellency also added, “We hope that people will join us to achieve our objectives to bring the world together and put humanity and the planet on the right path towards dignity for all.” The UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General Expo 2020, Dubai Bureau, thanked all those who worked hard, passionately, and diligently to deliver an exceptional Expo. Her Excellency mentioned that the journey has been worth it, and in the coming days, we will be sharing the excitement and passion with millions.

The progress at the Expo site has moved at an astounding pace, covering more than 210 million work hours up to date. The year 2020 focused on landscaping work and fit-out of Expo owned buildings.

The construction of Country Pavilions is set to be finalized by the end of the year. The first World Expo in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia (MEASA) region is set to start from October 01 2021 until March 31 2022 and aims to bring together more than 190 countries to explore new ideas, form new connections and collectively tackle some of the greatest global challenges of our time.