Qatar Hits Out at India Over Traffic Rights

Qatar Airways CEO has hit out an Indian government proposal to sell the country’s air traffic rights.

In October last year, the civil aviation ministry released its draft civil aviation policy which contained a proposal to have an open skies policy with countries in South Asian neighbours and countries beyond 5,000 kms.

The policy also proposed to auction additional traffic rights beyond the existing rights to airlines from countries within 5,000 kms. The bidding would be introduced if domestic airlines have not fully utilised their quota, with those rights granted on a three-year basis, with fund raised going towards the regional connectivity fund.

Speaking at Singapore Airshow, HE Akbar Al Baker said he was disappointed at India’s decision to auction the air traffic rights, known as bilaterals, which he said was against foreign carriers operating freely in the country’s air space, according to a report in Economic Times.

Al Baker insisted that the air traffic rights should remain in the control of a country, and not be sold to an entity that India may not have a strategic interest in.

He said foreign airlines that operate freely in Indian airspace help boost trade and tourism, as well as generate jobs for locals. Qatar Airways currently operates from 13 Indian cities.

International Air Transport Association has also expressed concerns that the move may lead to higher fares.

Oman Reconsidering its Involvement in GCC Rail Network

Oman is reportedly reconsidering its efforts towards the planned GCC rail network.

The country may instead focus on constructing its domestic rail network, owing to uncertainty over when the regional project will proceed, transport minister Ahmed Bin Mohammed Al-Futaisi said.

Worth $15.4bn, the GCC Rail project will span 2,117km across the region. However, technical and bureaucratic delays have reportedly delayed the development’s completion date past its original target of 2017.

Furthermore, low oil prices are contributing to a slowdown in government funding towards large-scale projects, including the GCC Rail. Last month, Etihad Rail suspended the tendering process for Stage 2 of the UAE’s railway network. The state-backed firm, which is behind the construction of a new UAE railway network, is reviewing options for the timing and delivery of the project’s second phase, according to a company statement.

Stage 2 of Etihad Rail involves the construction of a network in Abu Dhabi, connecting the Emirate’s borders with Saudi Arabia and Oman – as well as connecting other areas within the UAE. Futaisi said the suspension of Etihad Rail’s plans made it difficult for Oman to award a deal for its own track, despite being ahead of its GCC counterparts in designing its part of the overall network.

The minister said the rail network’s future might be discussed when GCC transport ministers hold their next meeting, most likely in October.

CMA CGM Says APL Purchase will Make it Largest Carrier IN U.S. Trades

With 30 percent volume growth in cargoes to and from the United States during 2015 and its acquisition of the container operations of APL, the French ocean carrier expects to jump ahead of industry leaders MSC and Maersk Line in the U.S. trade lanes.

CMA CGM reported strong growth in the U.S. trades in 2015, increasing volumes by 30 percent to 2.3 million TEUs and boosting the company to being the third instead of fifth largest container carrier in the U.S. market, said Marc Bourdon, the president of CMA CGM (America) LLC.    Rodolphe Saadé, vice chairman of the company said the Marseilles, France-headquartered company hopes to complete its acquisition of Singapore-based APL this summer, at which point he said CMA CGM will jump ahead of MSC and Maersk to become the largest carrier moving containerized freight in and out of the U.S.

Pharma Giants and Cold Chain Logistics Experts to Meet in Dubai

Leading pharma companies and cold chain distribution experts to meet in Dubai at Middle East Pharma Cold Chain 2016 to address the key issues surrounding the healthcare cold chain distribution in MENA

According to IMARC Group, the healthcare cold chain logistic services market is expected to hit nearly US$13.4 billion by 2020 and emerging markets such as the Middle East and North Africa are gearing up for rapid expansion and growth in the industry.

Temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals such as vaccines, hormones and insulin rely on the integrity of the cold chain in order to render these products effective and safe for the patient and end-users. While great strides have been made in terms of infrastructure, technology and governance; with each advancement come unique challenges making the pharmaceutical cold chain landscape perennially evolving. The importance of cold chain in healthcare is such that both public and private sectors are collaborating to ensure that all aspects of the cold chain are kept intact and maintain integrity while striving for innovation. In the Middle East, government regulatory authorities have stepped up with new policies and requirements for pharma shipping, distribution and storage. Pharmaceutical companies have invested heavily in research and development, while distribution and logistics companies, along with airlines are continuing to build expansive infrastructure to support the integrity of the entire cold chain.

With this in mind, it is with great excitement that Maarefah announces the 2016 Middle East Pharma Cold Chain Congress. The region’s foremost event covering temperature-controlled pharmaceutical supply chains and temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals returns to Dubai on March 28 – 31 for unparalleled days of networking, learning, discussions and solutions and will gather more than 100 stakeholders for an unrivalled program designed to address the industry’s most critical issues and challenges in MENA.

To register or for more information, visit www.pharmacoldchainme.com

Adani Hazira Port Connected By Rail to Central India

Adani Hazira Port Private Limited part of Adani Ports & Special Economic Zone Limited (APSEZ), India’s largest port developer is now connected to ICD Pithampur – Ratlam in Central India through rail.

CONCOR has begun running rakes from ICD Pithampur – Ratlam to Adani Hazira Port on a regular basis and the Port has received 8 Laden Export rakes from these ICD’s already.  This development will evidently benefit customers in Central India while using the Adani Hazira Port. Major Shipping Lines like Maersk, MSC, CMA CGM, UASC, Balaji Shipping, Goodrich are using this rail services to connect their export boxes to Hazira. National Steel, Lanxess India, Shakti Pumps, Krasoma Laboratory are some of the customers who are loading their export shipments regularly on this service and are delighted by this development.

APSEZ is the country’s largest port company with footprint across the Indian seashore. It has proven expertise in building, operating and maintaining world class port infrastructure. Apart from Hazira, APSEZ also operates ports in Mundra, Tuna-Tekra (Kandla) and Dahej, in Gujarat, Dhamra in Odisha and operates specialized coal handling facilities in Mormugao in Goa, Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. It is currently setting up a container terminal at Ennore in Tamil Nadu and has recently laid the foundation stone for the development of India’s First Transhipment Port at Vizhinjam, Kerala.

Cosco, Cina Shipping Merger to Result in New Company: State-Owned Assets Regulator

China Ocean Shipping Group Co (COSCO) and China Shipping Group Co will become a new entity after merging, led by the latter’s current chairman, China’s state-owned assets regulator said on Monday.  The former rivals said in December they would merge through a series of asset swaps, creating units focused on distinct business areas such as container shipping and vessel leasing. Together, COSCO and China Shipping control 488 billion yuan ($74.7 billion) worth of assets, Barclays analysts estimated.  After the merger, the resulting, newly established company will be chaired by Xu Lirong, the State-Owned Asset Supervision and Administration Commission said on its official microblog. The merger comes as the government moves to consolidate state-owned industries.

Walking a Warehouse Stockroom

Rajesh Chakiat
General Manager, Supply Chain
CSS Dubai

Having run and managed many massive warehouse facilities with some of the most complicated supply chains for leading brands in almost all verticals in the past two and half decades, can summarize some of the main ground rules as below.

You’d think that the place that holds (typically) more than 80% of a company’s inventory, and sometimes accounts for more than half of its working capital, would get plenty of attention. But only a few companies seem to really pay attention to their stockroom or warehouse, or the five processes that affect it. (Receiving, put-away, picking, shipping and maintenance, where “maintenance” represents the combination of cycle counting, consolidation, and other processes that maintain the stockroom in good operating order)

In my opinion, this is short-sighted. You can’t create a truly lean manufacturing process if you don’t have effective processes to supply materials to the floor. Time and motion study, six sigma through process re–engineering with mapping and having re layouts done can significantly boost productivity.  And if it takes a week or more for inbound shipments to move from the receiving dock to warehouse shelves and then out to the production line, you’re robbing other functions (R&D, marketing, even IT) of capital that could make them more effective.

That lack of attention represents an opportunity for individuals, to make a difference at their companies or clients. So… here’s my New Year’s gift to anyone who wants to help their company’s supply chain become more capable. (Or… if you are visiting one of your EMS or logistics partners, this might help you to get a better idea of how well they are managing your inventory)

These are broad guidelines that are generally valid, in my experience – but there can be exceptions, especially in operations that are very focused. (A stockroom that only holds materials for New Product Introduction will look very different from a manufacturing warehouse for a television or large appliance factory!) But more frequently I’ve found that the disconnects I’ve observed were due to not making necessary investments. (Focused investments in materials handling operations can have considerable ROI. Improving receiving and warehouse performance can enable you to take multiple days out of inventory.)

Whether it’s big or small, whether it handles small parts, large items, or a mix, a well-run warehouse will have the following characteristics:

  • Items will be stored according to a strategy that accounts for the physical size of each item and the frequency with which it is picked.
  • Items will be managed to make efficient use of available space.
  • Items will be stored in a way that will keep them safe and in good condition – and will not pose a danger to warehouse workers.
  • Items will be managed to make safe and efficient use of manpower.
  • Items will be managed in a way to provide high performance to the warehouse’s “customer” – the manufacturing floor or shipping dock.
  • Items will be managed in a way to minimize handling.
  • Problems and issues will be physically separated and handled expeditiously.
  • Performance and diagnostic metrics will be collected & published.


There are trade-offs between these, especially when resources are limited. If space is limited, a well-run warehouse may decide to pack some of its slow-moving parts into a small space. This make picking those parts less efficient, but it will also increase the amount of space (and decrease handling time) for the frequently picked / fast-moving parts. If automation (forklifts, conveyors, etc.) is limited, the stockroom may use more floor storage.

There are also differences in the way that a manufacturing stockroom will operate versus a finished goods warehouse. Outbound shipments tend to be larger, less frequent, and more predictable than inventory movements to the manufacturing floor. So you will usually see a lot more activity in a manufacturing stockroom.

What you should see when walking through a stockroom and associated areas like receiving, staging, etc.:

1.  Picking processes and storage strategies that are designed to minimize the amount of time and effort spent on the most frequently picked items while maintaining control of inventory. Examples of this include:

  • Putting the most frequently picked items along the main aisle, at ground level, or near the exit from the warehouse (to the manufacturing area). You might see, for instance, a set of shelves with commonly picked items along the wall by the doorway; or flow racks; or even pallets of materials staged for quick delivery.
  • A mix of storage methods: pallet racks for items that are received on pallets and are picked in large quantities, flow racks, shelves for small parts storage, etc.
  • Use of automated identification tools – bar code or RFID. Without auto-ID, workers have to manually keypunch transactions – which will lead to errors.
  • Guided picking processes, where stockroom workers using RF Barcode equipment are guided through the stockroom in an efficient manner, so that they pick one item, then move to the next shelf for another item, and so forth – instead of moving from one area to another, then back to the original area.


2.  Cleanliness and good order – not to the point of obsession, but you should be able to easily see box labels, and items should be stacked neatly. There should be a clear distinction between each storage location. Usually that means a physical barrier (like a metal divider) or air – so it’s obvious which items are in each location.

3.  Clearly visible bin (location) IDs on the shelves & racks, to identify each individual storage location.

4.  Generally, one item stored per location. There can be temporary exceptions to this rule when a stockroom or warehouse is near or over capacity, but multiple part numbers in the same location will lead to picking and inventory errors if allowed to become normal practice.

5.  Attention to safety and ergonomics, including adequate lighting. Workers shouldn’t have to spend their days kneeling on the floor, nor should they be asked to frequently pick up heavy boxes. At minimum, you should see manual conveyors, tables, and carts for workers to use while receiving and picking goods. If forklifts operate in the aisles, there should be obvious attention to safety requirements.

6.  A small area holding received goods that can’t be processed, items in “quarantine” and other problem items. The items in this area shouldn’t have aged more than a week or two. (Yes, there are exceptions to this. But they should be true exceptions – you shouldn’t see lots of aged problem items.)

Even God Can’t Do It

Rahat Talreja
Vice President – CSS India

A shipper had to award a shipment to a forwarder.

He selected a forwarder finally.

The shipment was booked at a freight of USD 10 w/m and was worth 5000 cbm.

The Managing Director heading the forwarding company thought that the freight is very low and below cost.

USD 11 w/m would be appropriate to at least break even but USD 10 w/m is a loss.

So they said, its a small increase of USD 1 w/m that needs to be done in the sell rate so let us send a management trainee (who spend at least USD 20000 these days to become a management trainee from their MBA schools)

The fresh management trainee went to the shipper and tried.

His often used words were: sir, kindly, please. It didn’t work, he came back.

Next they sent the junior executive.

His words were: can you , what if , why not , try. didn’t work, came back.

Next went the senior executive and his words were: not possible, loss , pressure from seniors. didn’t work, came back.

Next went the senior Manager and his words were: contract, global economy, cost pressures, recession, GDP. didn’t work, came back.

Next went the Vice president and his words were: Prime minister , European Union, Suez Canal, NASA, Federal reserve. almost worked but no, it didn’t actually and he came back.

The Managing Director was upset. His entire team failed from bottom to top for such a simple thing. so he decided to go himself.

Like a seasoned owner, he spoke very little, smiled more , had lunch with the customer, paid the bill , dropped the customer back in his Mercedes and in between all this, took his blood pressure pills on time and tried maximum to gain the customers sympathy. Humility is the new negotiating tool for modern entrepreneurs.

But he was a 21st century customer , over fed, over pampered, over informed. He didn’t budge. Sell rate remained USD 10 w/m.

The cost details of the above transaction:

Straight loss USD 1 w/m and 5000 cbm = USD 5000

Junior executive 1 day time cost : USD 50
Senior executive 1 day time cost: USD 100
Senior Manager 1 day time cost: USD 250
Vice President 1 day time cost: USD 500
Managing Director 1 day time cost: USD 2000

Total: USD 2900

junior executive went by train: cost USD 50
senior executive went by taxi: cost USD 100
senior manager went by personal hatchback car: cost USD 150
Vice president went by personal long wheelbase sedan: cost USD 200
Managing Director went by AMG Mercedes convertible: cost USD 500

Total: USD 1100

Lunch , memento , stationary, print outs, visiting cards etc Total USD 1000

Total money spent to purchase loss: USD 10,000

Now, they were left with a loss. They were feeling very bad about it. So they thought how to feel good. Suddenly they had creative ideas.

They published to all other customers that they have “ so and so elite customer “ as their client.

Other customers said: wow, really thats great. so they felt better now.

2) The Chartered accountant told them that by incurring a loss of USD 10,000, they have actually saved 30% tax or USD 3000 in it. They felt even better.

3) Next called their banker. He congratulated them. He said by doing just 5 more loss transactions like this , their turnover would anyway increase a lot and the bank would be pleased to offer them an additional loan facility based on the turnover and having such grade “ A “ clients. Now they started flying.

The managing director consulted his astrologer who said: your best time is beginning now. He thanked his stars. by incurring just a USD 1 w/m loss, so many good things are happening. god forbid if the customer had agreed to increasing the sell rate and not having a loss, so many other nice things would have been missed.

in his happy mood, he became his generous best and awarded himself a new convertible luxury car, awarded his people top to bottom , made the company 10% more expensive to run , and appointed new salesmen to search for such loss making customers.

meanwhile, what the astrologer said was right. his best time was beginning. best means when you do away with all those things in life which give you a false sense of yourself like money , yes men , fake relations, turnover, so called society respect etc and when all these falsehoods vanish, the inner self turns towards the real goal of life of self actualisation. indeed it was a start for him.

Meanwhile, CMA took over APL. Crude oil went down below USD 30 per barrel. Donald Trumps odds to win went up. Women of the century are more empowered.  So what? The customer still doesn’t agree to pay USD 1 w/m more:)

Rise of Iran in Various International Sectors

The year 2016 marked a new rise of Iran in the International Trade when the European Union along with the UN entities announced the lifting of sanction over Iran. The sanction imposed by US and European Union had limited Iran’s International trade including its sale of Oil and Gas.

What is the Restriction imposed on Iran?

In 1979, it was United States who first imposed restriction on Iran following the Iranian Revolution. It was later expanded in 1995 to include the firms dealing with the Iranian Government. In 2006, the UN Security Council passed resolution and imposed sanction after Iran refused to suspend its Uranium enrichment program. US restrictions initially targeted investment in Oil, gas, petrochemicals, export of refined petroleum products and business dealings. This encompasses banking and insurance transactions, shipping, web hosting services for commercial endeavours and domain name registration services. In addition to this, the European Union also imposed restriction on co operation with Iran in the year 2007  in foreign trade, financial services, energy sector and technologies, banned the provisions of insurance and reinsurance by member states to Iran and Iranian Owned Companies. Over the years, these restrictions have taken a serious toll on the Iran’s economy and people. The Iran sanctions were the toughest in among those imposed by the World Community on any Country.

The Turning Point on 16th January, 2016

The Lift of sanction on 16th January, 2016 (also known as the Implementation Day) can be literally considered as the turning point for Iran by re opening Iran’s door into the International economy. While most of the US sanctions will remain in place, the lifting of EU Sanctions will benefit a number of Industries like Energy, Finance and International Trade.

Energy/Oil/Gas: It is said that Iran has the Fourth largest crude oil reserve and second largest natural gas reserve. Now with the lifting of the sanction, they have opened business opportunities in this Industry.  It is stated by the experts that by 2017, following the lifting of sanction, Iran’s Oil production would rise to around 4 million barrels a day.

Finance/Banking: Iran would also have access to the Money that was left frozen overseas. Iran could not transfer their monies abroad and this also affected Iran’s International Trade. By lifting the sanction, now the foreign companies are allowed to deal with Iran’s market and thereby, they are expecting a huge increase in its revenue from the sale of the oil and gas to the Asian Countries

The lifting of banking sanctions means that Iran is once again re connected to the World Financial network. Money will be able to move between the European Union and Iran without any special authorisation or Notification.

International Trade: International Trade is the next major industry that would benefit from the lifting of sanction. Now since Iran can easily step into the international trade and that now there is no difficulty in transferring the payments abroad, the Iran’s Shipping Companies and Port would definitely increase their foreign trade and thus the shipping industry is expected to rebound within no time.

Shipping and Transport:  The European Union shall allow the trade to Iran of naval Equipment and technology for ship building. European Union would also allow the cargo flights from Iran to access member state airports. But it is reported that US will not sanction non US Citizens who are part of the shipping sector in Iran or to have financial dealings with it.

The Aircraft industry is the only one sector wherein US has fully allowed to do business in Iran. US Companies will now be allowed to sell the commercial aircraft and parts to Iran.

With the lift of sanction, countries are looking forward to build up a friendly relation with Iran. To support this fact, it was reported that the business delegations from various European Countries have already travelled to Iran to assess the business opportunities.

Bowie Changes

Being brought-up in England, as a youngster in the 60’s, meant one thing to an impressionable youngster and that was seeing David Bowie performing ‘Space Oddity’ on BBC TV Top Of The Pops programme. Bowie’s appearance seemed as far out as it was possible to be. Back then there was no way to record television so you could watch it later. Any one appearing had to make an immediate and lasting impact. Bowie’s first TV performance is still vividly lodged in viewers’ minds. This underscores his ability to command a following of fans, throughout a 60 year career, that may be credited to two main characteristics.

Coming from a working class back ground, Bowie provided an inspiration to many which is attributed to the fact that music leaps across all boundaries. Whatever your cultural, social, ethnic or economic background music is a universal means of communication. It mattered not that he was born in Brixton, south London. His mother – a waitress, and his father – a promotions officer, were unmarried at the time. What became more important was his reputation, which started to grow from when he attended Stockwell Infants School. Leaving, at the age of six, his reports said he was a gifted and single-minded child as well as being a defiant brawler!  Bowie was already displaying his first main characteristic that was to be so influential throughout his life. It was a determination to stand-up, defend and promote your own belief in yourself.

It became obvious, with his music, that he was saying that it was okay to be different. Just think how many people are ridiculed because they dare to be different? Bowie realised that standing out from the crowd helps others to recognise you and your brand. The more people know of you the better your chances of success. The difficulty, for those involved with creative people, is spotting potential and giving it room to develop. Too often creativity is smothered by the urge of others to conform. Being told to “act your age” is a response from those who just want to follow the rules. It is one of those truisms that winners never do what others do. That’s why they win!

Bowie’s second main characteristic demonstrated the benefits of adapting and evolving. At the age of nine, his junior school introduced innovative music and dance movement classes. His teachers described him as being strikingly imaginative and vividly artistic with a poise that was astonishing for someone of his age. Around this time his interest in music was further aroused when his father brought home some American records by artistes including Elvis Presley, Little Richard and Fats Domino. In interviews, later on in his career, Bowie expressed how much this had influenced him. So several years, groups, styles and management changes later; in 1969 “Space Oddity” was born. This record proved to be a quintessential start to Bowie’s illustrious career which saw him transform his image and music style to ones including Ziggy Stardust, The Thin White Duke, Pierrot, The Regular Dude and finally The Black Star. Over the years Bowie moved from persona to persona, with ease, creating an every changing fascinating image. This sounds easy but the clever part is staying in touch with your audience and being ahead of what they want. Sometimes changes happen because of what happens around us but Bowie seemed aware of this. Many of his fans will have treasured memories of events that influenced their lives. Even a concert ticket gives a chance to say “We were there” but importantly to remember that to succeed and survive we perhaps need to embrace Bowie’s motivational spirit.  His fans have enjoyed the merry dance on which David Bowie led us throughout his career. By grasping a belief in oneself and awareness for change we may achieve similar lasting success in our business adventures.  As Bowie sang early on in his career: –

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes, I said that time may change me!

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.

 

CSS Group Sales Strategy Meet 2015



CSS sales strategy meet this time was truly Innovative & Inspiring, doing justice to the theme they adopted. This year it was decided by the senior Management and the Chairman of CSS group, to conduct the Sales Strategy meet, a much awaited official meeting amongst the Sales teams of CSS, in the UAE region itself. And hence, CSS Marketing & Corporate communications ventured into the luxurious spaces of the Hilton Al Hamra beach & golf resort at Ras Al Khaimah. The dates chosen were the 20th & 21st of November 2015.

“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 meeting commenced with the announcement which declared the top 10 sales performers of the year 2015. This invited a good round of cheer and applause amongst the participants. Chairman’s message clearly reiterated the need for innovative minds to sail through the bad currents and to achieve goals. This was followed by the budget presentations by the Sales managers and unit heads. CSS Kingston was the latest entrant to the group in this year’s Strategy Meet. Last year’s performance was reviewed and the projections were thoroughly analysed throughout the session. The growth of online markets was a topic of discussion during the concluding session. Even though the market situations are not that much promising, the CSS achievement during the last year and the programmes designed for the New Year gives a clear signal of growth for the overall performance of the company.

Mentioning about the prospective regions for the company like Doha, Muscat etc drew attention from all those who have participated. Day one concluded with the grand dinner and entertainment programmes which included a DJ bash.

Expert Solutions for Automobile Movement

CSS Group shakes hand with Pangaea Cargo GMBH

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.

Pangaea Cargo utilizes the efficient Racking Systems for efficient transportation of all kinds of Automobiles including Bikes in containers. The Steel racking system since its inception has effectively reduced chances of damage to vehicles during transport and is environmentally friendly replacing the traditional Wood Packing that has been used in this mode of transport.  The use of the racking system also allows for various models, make or size to be consolidated into one container, thereby optimizing costs while ensuring integrity of the cargo is maintained.

Pangaea Cargo’s innovation combined with the CSS Group’s infrastructure and expertise in handling automobiles has already proved to be a great success. The throughput of vehicles through the CSS Group’s state of the art CFS has increased significantly since this product was launched commercially. Currently this service is being provided from Jebel Ali, but a road map is being designed to expand this to the rest of the Middle East using the CSS Group’s significant footprint across the Middle East Region.

The CSS Group’s strong presence in the relocation segment of our industry has also been assisted with boosting Pangaea Cargo’s other area of strength, which is removals and relocation. This allows both organizations to promote a one stop, safe and effective solution for household moves including automobiles and bikes.

Thomas Buse

Chief Executive Officer, Pangaea Cargo

We are looking forward to intensifying our exclusive relationship with CSS in Dubai and are proud to have such a well-respected partner on our side, maintaining the high level of quality especially in worldwide car shipping.

Martyna Dzierzynska

General Manager, Pangaea Cargo

Since we have established our alliance with CSS, we had great success on many levels. Not just in the car transportation, also the satisfaction on door to door solution for personal effects from our clients with overwhelming positive feedback has shown us the power of our engagement with CSS.

Benjamin Bartosch

Chief Business Development Officer, Pangaea Cargo

The demand of car transportation needs has always been very sustain from various economy impacts in the Middle East. The Market is very competitive and not comparable with the western market. Therefore it was highly important for us to find the right strategic partner to build an alliance of world class service. CSS has well honored our know-how and shown their capability to implement this knowledge into daily operations. Innovation, sustainability, German standards and environmentalism has been indicating key words for our future and I’m proud to say that this alliance has already truly surpassed all my expectations.

T S Kaladharan

Chairman, CSS Group

CSS Group had always strived to excel in each and every segment of its business from day one onwards. An association with Pangaea is seen with great importance, as we see an expert partner in them who can use CSS’s network strength and our resources in the Middle East effectively to deliver the best to the global competitive market of Automobile movement.

Ajay Krishnan

Sr. General Manager, Freight forwarding, CSS Group

In our industry, if we do not innovate and if we do not continue to bring in new products for our customers we will stagnate. This is where our new association with Pangaea is significant. This technology used to transport vehicles in a safe/ environmentally friendly manner is not common here. We intend to position this as a key product to meet the growing demand in this business vertical here.

Ras Al Khaimah to Abu Dhabi with CSS

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.

FPS AGM at Jakarta


CSS Group representatives attended the recently concluded FPS AGM and conference at Jakarta.
The CSS Group was represented by Siby Kurian, Senior GM, Sales & Marketing and Thomas Mathew, Manager Pricing and Key Information Department, CSS Dubai, Jairam KR, Director, CSS India, Narayan R T, General Manager, CSS Bahrain and Dean Landers, General Manager, CSS Kuwait.
FPS Group – one of the largest and longest-established forwarding groups in the world – is to change its constitution to allow multiple memberships in each territory. The decision was reached at this year’s AGM and Conference, which took place in Jakarta, Indonesia, and was attended by representatives of the network’s global membership.
Advisory Board Chairman Sam Aparo, co-owner of one of the network’s founding members, told delegates that the original FPS Group policy of one member per country was no longer the best model. Although it had been very successful since its launch in 1998, “The strength we once had is now our weakness,” he said.
“If we have multiple members in each market, it means we all have multiple choices. It’s not just more members, it’s also about quality and additional opportunities. We should not be afraid of competition,” he continued.
“Networking at the FPS AGM and conference always provides an opportunity to meet new members from some of the geographical regions where we do think about exploring in the near future and hence CSS finds it very fruitful to be at this gathering” commented Siby Kurian.
FPS will also embark on an aggressive expansion programme in 2016, to fill gaps in its existing geographic coverage. Speaking after the conference, Sam Aparo added: “2016 is the year of expansion for our network. We have a tremendous and unrivalled asset in the quality, size, reputation and business base of FPS Group. New members will immediately benefit from this, as well as opening up new opportunities for the whole group.”
Aparo added that there had never been a better time for agents to join a quality network, enabling them to counteract falling margins with increased reciprocal sales and more professional marketing. “There is strength in numbers; both more effective marketing, and the opportunity to share its costs over a larger number of participants.”
“In a very uncertain global economic scenario we face, it’s extremely important to have regular overhauling of your contacts to keep the business lively and aggressive. CSS India has always utilised the opportunity of interacting at the FPS, from day one onwards and we have found it very useful” mentioned Jairam K R.

Emirates Skycargo’s Mainland China Network Expands

Emirates will expand its services in mainland China from May 3, 2016 with four weekly flights to Yinchuan and Zhengzhou, adding 56-tonnes of bellyhold cargo capacity to Emirates SkyCargo’s network.

The additions of Yinchuan and Zhengzhou expand Emirates’ offering on the mainland to five, including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Yinchuan serves as a gateway connecting China to Arab countries and is positioned as a hub for economic and trade cooperation and cultural exchange between China and the Middle East.

Zhengzhou is an educational, technological and economic centre and the second largest city in central China. Its strategic location has enabled the city to become one of the largest economic hubs in the country.

“With the opening of these new strategic routes, Emirates looks forward to contributing to the enhancement of China’s trade links with the rest of the world, in particular with the UAE and Arab world,” said Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, president of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, chairman of Emirates airline and CEO of the Emirates Group.

“We believe the new international air links will help create tourism and trade opportunities for Chinese business and leisure travellers that may not otherwise exist,” he added.

Emirates flights to Yinchuan and Zhengzhou will depart every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from Dubai as EK326 at 2.45am, arriving at Yinchuan Hedong International Airport at 1.35pm.

The service will then depart from Yinchuan at 3.20pm and arrive at Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport at 5pm. The return flight, EK327, will depart Zhengzhou at 9.10pm, arriving at Yinchuan at 10.55pm.

It will then depart Yinchuan at 12.40am, arriving in Dubai at 4.30am the next day.

A three-class configured Boeing 777-200LR airliner will operate the service, carrying up to 266 passengers and 14 tonnes in bellyhold cargo capacity.

Popular commodities expected to be transported on these services include electronics, such as mobile phones from Zhengzhou, and agricultural products such as goji berries and cashmere from Yinchuan.

Courtesy: Arabian Supply Chain

France Fines Express Operators €672m

Twenty express logistics companies have been fined a total of more than €672 million (£490m) by the French Competition Authority for price fixing between 2004 and 2010.

The largest fine was for Geodis at €196m, while Chronopost was fined €99m. Other companies fined include:

DHL Express France: €81m

TNT Express France: €58m

GLS France (Royal Mail): €55m

DPD France: €45m

Dachser France: €33m

Gefco: €31m

The competition authority (Autorité de la Concurrence) said the companies had agreed on annual price increases at meetings which took place at the TLF trade association between September 2004 and September 2010.

The companies involved are: Alloin, BMVirolle, Chronopost, Exapaq (now DPD France) Ciblex France, Dachser France, DHL Express France, FedEx Express France, Gefco, Geodis, GLS France, Heppner, Lambert et Vallette, XP France, Norbert Dentressangle Distribution, Normatrans, Jewel-Schenker (now Schenker France), TNT Express France, Transport Henri Ducros, Ziegler France.

Kuehne + Nagel acquired the Alloin Group in 2009. In a statement K+N said: “Regarding the fine of €32 million for the Alloin Group, approximately €31m are attributable to the time before the acquisition of the Alloin Group by Kuehne + Nagel.

“Kuehne + Nagel dissociates itself from such business practises, has a comprehensive compliance programme in place, which is continuously improving, and has been cooperating with the French Competition Authority since 2010. Kuehne + Nagel is reviewing all options, including an appeal against the decision as well as a recourse against the sellers.”

Royal Mail has also issued a statement saying that by agreeing not to contest the allegations and provide compliance commitments, Royal Mail has benefited from a reduction in the French competition authority’s fine to €55.1 million (£40.2 million).

TNT said it had co-operated with the investigation since it started in 2010. “During the third quarter of 2014, TNT entered into a settlement agreement with the FCA and booked a provision of €50 million in relation to this matter. TNT will review the merits of the decision.”

United Heavy Lift Middle East Launched its Operations

United Heavy Lift Germany launched its operations in the Middle East by participation at the Break Bulk Middle East Exhibition and conference recently concluded in Abu Dhabi. A special Mena Regional Office launch function and event was also held for key and potential customers in this market whereby over 100 VIP guests were entertained at a special venue in Abu Dhabi.

UHL was Founded in February 2015 by Mr. Lars Rolner, who has held various executive roles in the heavy lift industry for more than 30 years to accommodate the unique requirements of various clients

United Heavy Lift’s team  provide individual and innovative solutions for heavy lift transports. An experienced team of engineers, naval architects and other specialists provide a wide range of services to ensure safe and efficient operations.

They currently have a fleet of 14 vessels, with up to 800 ton lifting capacity, in commercial management.

The reason for the UHL’s participation in this year’s Break Bulk event in Abu Dhabi and Mena region set up in Dubai is in line with UHL’s strategy to be close to key clients and markets, hence UHL recently established a representative office in Dubai to cover the entire Middle East region in close cooperation with UHL’s headquarters in Hamburg.

The Reason for this is for UHL to Develop Sales and Brand UHL in the Mena region as well as add value to the UHL Global Network.

Adani Begins Work on International Transshipment Project at Vizhinjam

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ), India’s largest port developer and part of the Adani Group, has started development of India’s first international transhipment project in Vizhinjam, Kerala. It shall be completed within the stipulated time period of four years.

Oommen Chandy, chief minister of Kerala, along with Union Minister for Transport, Highways and Shipping, Nitin Gadkari, chairman of Adani Group, Gautam Adani and other dignitaries from the Government of Kerala laid the foundation stone at the ground breaking ceremony at the proposed international port site in Vizhinjam. The project will be Kerala’s first ever deep water container transhipment port.

Speaking on the occasion, Gautam Adani, Chairman, Adani Group, said, “We are honoured by the trust bestowed on us by the Government of Kerala. Developing India’s first international deepwater seaport project in a record time of just one thousand days is another opportunity for us to fulfill our commitment to Nation Building. Given Vizhinjam’s access to prominent international waterways, the project will be a significant catalyst in positioning India strategically as a global transhipment hub. It will also help us in accelerating our journey towards achieving our vision of annually handling 200 million tons of cargo by 2020.”

Government Supports Financial Assistance for ‘Make in India’ Ship Building

In order to promote the shipbuilding industry under the ‘Make in India’ initiative, the Cabinet approved a proposal for financial assistance of 20 per cent for ships built in the country.

The implementation of the policy, which would be in force for 10 years, requires a budgetary support of Rs 4,000 crore. “It includes a policy for grant of financial assistance to shipyards, after delivery of ship, to counter cost disadvantages at 20 per cent of the contract price or the fair price, whichever is lower; such assistance is to be reduced at 3 per cent every three years and will be given for all types of ships,” the official statement said. The proposal also includes grant of a Right of First Refusal for Indian shipyards for government purchases; tax incentives and grant of infrastructure status for shipbuilding and ship repair industry.