MUM-10-04-2023

JNPA welcomes MoS – MoPSW; Reviews performance

Gati launches Grade A advanced mega surface transhipment centre and distribution warehouse in Bhiwandi

NAVI MUMBAI: The Union Minister of State for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, Shri Shantanu Thakur, visited Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA), recently. He interacted with the Senior Management andtouredJNPort,CPP&SEZ.

Cont’d. Pg. 6

APM Terminals Mumbai leads Performance Index with high volume and low vessel dwell times

MUMBAI: Gati Ltd., an Allcargo Group company and one of India’s premier express logistics and supply chain solutions providers, has launched a state-of-the-art and tech-enabled surface transhipment centre and distribution warehouse (STCDW) at BhiwandiontheoutskirtsofMumbai.

Spread over an area of over 1.48 lakh sq. ft. the mega STCDW is a Grade A warehouse observing the highest level of constructionquality,advancedtechnologies... Cont’d. Pg. 6

Shipping Cricketainment Premier League Season 2 sees enthusiasm among participants ..... Detailed pictorial feature on page 4-5

Cont’d. Pg. 29

MUMBAI: APM terminals Mumbai (also known as GTI) hasonceagainbeenrecognized as the ‘Top Performing Terminal’inIndia in the January 2023 ranking published byNICDCLogisticsDataServices.

Right to Le: Pirojshaw Sarkari, CEO, Ga Ltd; Adarsh Hegde, Managing Director, Ga Ltd. and Huafreed Nasarwanji, COO, GATI Ltd. at the launch

JNPA welcomes MoS – MoPSW; Reviews performance

Cont’d. from Pg. 2

He was was welcomed by Shri Sanjay Sethi, IAS, Chairman, JNPA and Shri Unmesh Sharad Wagh, IRS, Dy Chairman, JNPA. HereviewedtheperformanceoftheJNPort.

JNPA - India’s largest Container port, created the history recently when it registered its highest ever throughput of 6.05 MTEUs in 2022-23. The Port had crossed 6 MTEUs on March 30, 2023. During the corresponding period last year, JNPA handled 5.68 Million TEUs, which was also a record then. It accounts for an increase of 6.4% in the totalthroughput.

Currently JNPA operates 5 Container Terminals -NSFT, NSICT, NSIGT, BMCT and APMT. The Port also has a Shallow Water Berth for general cargo and another Liquid Cargo Terminal which is managed by

Gati launches Grade A advanced mega surface transhipment centre and distribution warehouse in Bhiwandi

• With 1.48 lakh sq area, the Mumbai mega hub delivers operaonal efficiency and visibilityusingnew-agetechnologiestocustomers

• Equipped with 61 bays with dock leveller capable of managing around 200 trucks a day withathroughputcapacityofapproximately150thousandtonnesamonth

• Hub launch is in line with Ga’s mission to redefine the efficiency and funconal capabilies of transhipment and distribuonhub

•Tocatertomulpleindustriesincludingautomove,electricalequipment,apparel,heavyengineering,pharmaceucal,etc.

Cont’d. from Pg. 2

... and a skilled and trained workforce to offer its customers the expertise of express cargo distribution operations, supply chain visibility, reduced dwell time and timedefinitedeliveries.

With a workforce strength of 276 people, the Mumbai mega distribution hub is a terminus for Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, to cater to short haul or regional distribution as well as consolidate-sort-dispatch of long-haul loads for the restofthecountry.

The Mumbai hub has been designed in compliance with thegreennormsandisequippedwithbuilt-to-suittechnologyenabled warehouses of global standards and advanced featuresandmaterialhandlingfacilitiesalongwithintegrated warehousing and distribution mechanisms and superior safety features. Battery operated hand pallet trolleys have been deployed at the facility to ensure operational efficiency. TheSteelpalletsinsteadofplasticorwoodenpalletsarebeing used at the facility keeping the environment sustainability in focus. The STCDW has also planned to have solarisation facility which will generate 150 KW of power. An AI-powered round-the-clocktrackingsystematthefacilityoffersreal-time visibilityofthecargomovements

Commenting on the launch, Adarsh Hegde, Managing Director, Gati Ltd. said, “The launch of super hub near Mumbai is a part of the Allcargo Group’s core vision to play an enabling role in the India growth. As India has emerged as a bright spot in the world economy, we are strengthening our end-to-end logistics delivery service capabilities to support the government’s initiative to boost logistics service efficiency. After consolidating our domestic supply chain, we are now working towards building greater operational efficiency and distribution bandwidth. We are well-positioned to cater to the needs of various growth-focussed businesses aiming to capture domestic markets and connect to global markets. AtAllcargo,wearecommittedtoprovideintegrated logisticssolutions,thussupportingthegovernment’svisionto makeIndiaaglobalmanufacturinghub.”

Pirojshaw Sarkari, CEO, Gati Ltd. said, “We are pleased to open the STCDW for companies of varied scale to use our facilities and services to grow their businesses. Our STCDW will help them enhance cost efficiency, inventory movements and speed-to-market. The launch of the Mumbai

STCDW will further strengthen our position in the highly competitive express logistics space. Bhiwandi has been an undisputed choice for us to set up our super hub thanks to its ability to offer seamless connectivity, congestion-free access to warehouses and convenient inward and outward movements of heavy-duty haulage trucks. With more STCs in line across India with Grade A warehousing facilities, we are working towards developing a robust supply chain backbone, cateringtoarangeofindustries."

The facility has Gati Niwas and a hostel which offer convenient stay while maintaining high standards of safety and hygiene to the Gati Associates, resident team members and handlers. It also has a divers' lounge with adequate safety and hygiene in place to ensure adequate rest and rejuvenationforthedrivers.

Gati aims to build a diverse workforce by encouraging womenprofessionalstojoinitsworkforce.

The launch of Mumbai STCDW is a part of Gati’s plan to set up 12 modern, automated and environmentally friendly STCs. After the launch of advanced hubs at Farukh Nagar (Gurugram), Nagpur, Guwahati, and Mumbai the company has plans to roll out STCs in Bengaluru, Hyderabad. Indore and Kolkata as it aims to further strengthen its supply chain andwarehousingcompetencies.

As part of GATI ESG initiatives, Gati aims to convert its entire pickup and delivery fleet of more than 2500 vehicles intoalternativefuelvehiclesby2025.

BPCL-IOCL consortium and the newly-constructed coastal berth.500 vehicles into alternative fuel vehicles by 2025.

NSCOWA

NHAVA SHEVA CONTAINER OPERATORS WELFARE ASSOCIATION

Unit No.AN 513, NMSEZ Commercial Complex, Plot No. 06, Sec-11, Dronagiri, Nhava Sheva, Navi Mumbai: 400 707.

NSCOWA/TradeAdvisory/01/2023-24

TRADE ADVISORY

Date : 04-04-2023

ThisistoinformallthestakeholdersofJNPAExport-ImportcontainerizedtradethattheoverallmovementofExport and import of dry and reefer containers from JNPAhas been severely hampered due to the on-going congestion sincelastmonthespeciallyatNSICT/GTgates.

ThereisanimpactontheoverallMovement,asthetrafcfromtheterminalgatesoftenqueuesupfor6to10kmsovera prolongedPeriodwhichalsoimpactsthemovementstoallotherterminalsandtheJNPAcentralizedparkingplaza.

NSCOWAhas constantly been escalating the matter to the concerned authorities and also reporting daily trafc statustothetradebuthowever,therehasbeennomajorimprovementandsituationcontinuestobeso.

JNPA administration has actively responded to our concerns and held meetings to discuss the matter with the concernedterminalsbutanyconcretestepstoeasethesituationarestillawaitedbytheresponsibleterminal.

Vide this TradeAdvisory, NSCOWAon behalf of its member transporters hereby would like to inform the tradethatanydelayincontainermovementandthelossesarisingoutofthosedelaysissolelyattributedto thecongestioninsideandoutsidetheterminalandtransportershavenocontrolonthesame.

In view of the above, our member transporters will not be held responsible for any nancial liabilities whatsoever arisingoutoftheon-goingsituation.

Sd/Sanjay Potdar Chairman

TO

DUE AT NSFT/NSICT/NSIGT/GTI/BMCT FOR EXPORT LOADING

FOR

NORTH CONT., SCANDINAVIAN, RED SEA & MED. PORTS from NSICT

Shpg. U.K., North Cont., Scandinavian, Red Sea & Med. Ports. Indial Indial Shpg. U.K., North Cont., Scandinavian, Red Sea & Med. Ports. Seahorse Ship U.K., North Continent, Scandinavian Ports & Riga, Klaipede, Tallim, St.Petersburg, Genoa, Valencia, Fos Globelink Globelink WW U.K., North Continent, Scandinavian Ports & Ashdod, Piraeus, Thessaloniki, Athens, Unifeeder Group Unifeeder Ag. U.K., North Continent & Scandinavian Ports. Dron.2 & TLP

TSS L'Global Ag. U.K., North Continent & Scandinavian Ports. Dronagiri-2

AMI Intl. AMI Global U.K., North Cont., Scandinavian, Red Sea & Med. Ports. Dronagiri-3 Kalko Faredeal U.K., North Continent & Scandinavian Ports. Dronagiri-3

Team Leader Team Leader Felixstowe, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Hamburg, Barcelona, JWR CFS Le Havre, Istanbul, Genova.

Safewater Safewater Lines U.K., North Continent, Red Sea & Med. Ports. Team Global Team Global Log. U.K., North Continent & Scandinavian Ports. Pun.Conware

FOR U.K., NORTH CONT., SCANDINAVIAN, RED SEA & MED. PORTS from NSIGT

TO LOAD FOR BLACK SEA, EAST EUROPE & C.I.S PORTS from NSFT / NSICT

TO LOAD FOR BLACK SEA, EAST EUROPE & C.I.S PORTS from

TO LOAD FOR USA, CANADA, ATLANTIC, PACIFIC, SOUTH

& WEST INDIES PORTS from NSIGT

TO LOAD FOR USA, CANADA, ATLANTIC, PACIFIC, SOUTH AMERICAN & WEST INDIES PORTS from GTI

TO LOAD FOR USA, CANADA, ATLANTIC, PACIFIC, SOUTH AMERICAN & WEST INDIES PORTS from BMCT

VESSELS DUE AT NSFT/NSICT/NSIGT/GTI/BMCT FOR EXPORT LOADING

TO LOAD FOR WEST ASIA GULF PORTS From NSICT

TO LOAD FOR WEST ASIA GULF PORTS From NSIGT

TO

19/0420/04

FOR WEST ASIA GULF PORTS From GTI

Global Feeder Sima Marine Jebel Ali, Bandar Abbas. Dronagiri

TBATBA Montpellier 23004E P0036

Unifeeder Group Transworld Shpg. Jebel Ali, Bandar Abbas. (IMX) Emirates Emirates Shpg. Jebel Ali, Sohar.

X-Press Feeders Sea Consortium Jebel Ali, Bandar Abbas. Dronagiri

LMR Logistic Ser. Jebel Ali, Bandar Abbas.

QNL/Milaha PoseidonShpg. Jebel Ali, Bandar Abbas. Speedy CFS

Cordelia Cordelia Cont. Jebel Ali, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dammam,Jubail, Hamad, Baharin, Shuaiba, Shuwaikh, Sohar, Umm Qasr Alligator Shpg. Aiyer Shpg. Jebel Ali.

BSS Bhavani Shpg. Jebel Ali, Doha, Kuwait, Bahrain, Bandar Abbas. Ashte CFS Seahorse Ship Gulf Ports.

LMT Orchid Gulf Ports. Dronagiri-3

Bay Line Freight Conn. Port Sudan & Al Sokhna CWC, GDL & DRT

ICC Line Neptune UAE & Upper Gulf Ports.

Ceekay Parekh Gulf Ports.

Team Leader Team Leader Dubai, Jebel Ali JWR CFS

Team Lines Team Global Log. Gulf Ports.

TO LOAD FOR WEST ASIA GULF PORTS From BMCT

COASTAL SERVICE MOVEMENT

VESSELS DUE AT NSFT/NSICT/NSIGT/GTI/BMCT FOR EXPORT LOADING

TO LOAD FOR INDIAN SUB CONTINENT from BMCT

TO LOAD FOR FAR EAST, CHINA & JAPAN PORTS from NSFT

TO

PORTS from NSICT

Ningbo. Dronagiri

PIL/ONE PIL India/ONE(I) —/— 01/0502/05 TBATBA TS Kelang 23002E

24/0425/04 TBATBA Celsius Naples 895E

08/0509/05 TBATBA Celsius Nairobi 894E

Hapag ISS Shpg. P.Kelang, Singapore, Xiangang, Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo, Da Chan Bay. ULA CFS

KMTC KMTC (I)

P.Kelang,Singapore,Tanjung Pelepas,Xiangang,Qingdao,Laem Chabang. Dronagiri-3

13/0516/05

Ever Urban 172E

Navios Bahamas 890E HMM HMM Shpg. P.Kelang(S), Singapore, Xiangang,Qingdao, Kaohsiung. Seabird CFS

TS Lines TS Lines (I) P.Kelang,Singapore,Tanjung Pelepas,Xiangang,Qingdao,Laem Chabang. Dronagiri-2 20/0523/05

VESSELS DUE AT NSFT/NSICT/NSIGT/GTI/BMCT FOR EXPORT LOADING

PORTS from GTI

29/0430/04 TBATBA Northern Diamond 317E P0027 269448-04/04 (FM-3)

16/04 17/04 TBATBA Clemens Schulte 21E P0021 269399-03/04 ONE Line ONE (India) Port Kelang, Singapore, Laem Chabang,

23/04 24/04 TBATBA Seattle Bridge 077E X-Press Feeders Sea Consortium Port Kelang, Singapore, Laem Chabang. (TIP Service)

30/04 01/05 TBATBA Wide Juliet

TO LOAD FOR FAR EAST, CHINA & JAPAN PORTS from BMCT

& Mul.

VESSELS DUE AT NSFT/NSICT/NSIGT/GTI/BMCT FOR EXPORT LOADING

TO

TO

TO LOAD FOR EAST, WEST & SOUTH AFRICAN PORTS from NSICT

TO LOAD FOR EAST, WEST & SOUTH AFRICAN PORTS from NSIGT

TO LOAD FOR EAST, WEST & SOUTH AFRICAN PORTS from BMCT

MoPSW proposes Infrastructure Status for Coastal Shipping : Sarbananda Sonowal

NEWDELHI:TheUnionMinistryfor Ports, Shipping and Waterways has proposed giving infrastructure status to Coastal Shipping given Government’s priority. The status entitles a sector to several benefits and concessions, includingcheaperbankloans.TheUnion Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, said the Ministry is holding stakeholder consultations for developing Coastal Shipping in a public-private partnership mode.

He also said that stakeholder consultation is underway for proposed viability-gap funding (VGF) for coastal shipping—when ships move between portswithinaCountry.

Boosting performance of maritime sector

Our aim is to boost the performance and productivity of ports, shipping and waterways and to strengthen our position of eminence in the global maritime sector. Targets set out in Maritime India Vision-2030 provide a clear roadmap for bringing all-round improvement in port modernization and automation, coastal shipping, shipbuilding, ship repair, transition to renewable energy, increasing share of Indian seafarers across the globe, improving vessel turnaround time, developing transhipment hubs, cruise shipping and augmenting capacities at the major ports. Focus is also on developing and operationalizing inland waterways for improved connectivity and creating an environment for a positive modal shift from road and rail to waterways.

Promoting Coastal Shipping

Coastal Shipping shall be promoted as an energy-efficient, low-cost mode of transportation through PPP with VGF (Viability Gap Funding) support. A number of initiatives have already been taken by the ministry to promote coastal shipping.Facilitieslikededicatedcoastal berths, priority berthing, cabotage relaxation to Ro-Ro/Ro-Pax vessels, concessions in berth and handling charges, and bunkering, among others, are already being provided to motivate all stakeholders to adopt coastal transportation for the transport of passenger and goods in the country.

Ministry is proposing to include ‘coastal shipping’ as an eligible sector in the existing VGF scheme of the ministry of finance.Theinclusionofcoastalshipping as a sector in the ‘Harmonized List of Infrastructure’ is also being proposed. These steps will make the sector eligible for various concessions to enhance the overall viability of the sector and help in attracting cargo and passengers to this modeoftransport.

Deep draft port at Vadhavan

A modern deep draft (20 metres) allweather port has been sanctioned at Vadhavan. It will be located in Dahanu Taluka in Maharashtra. The port will be developedasaLandLordmodelandshall have a capacity of 308 MTPA once completed and fully functional. The port will be developed by an SPV having JNPA and Maharashtra Maritime Board as members (with equity share of 74% and 26%, respectively). In-principle approval for the project was granted in February 2020. Basic infrastructure, including

breakwater, reclamation, rail and road connectivity linkages, power, water lines, andcommonutilities,amongothers,willbe developed by the SPV (Special Purpose Vehicle). Terminal operations & Cargo handling infrastructure shall be offered to Private agencies under PPP mode. The projectiscurrentlyinthestageofobtaining NOC from DTEPA (Dahanu Taluka EcologicallyFragileArea)asapartofToR (TermsofReference)forprocessingforEC (Environmental Clearance) and CRZ (CoastalRegulationZone)Clearance. Regional waterway grid

Encouraged by progress on the augmentation of the Ganga river system (National Waterways 1) and the huge trade potential with Bangladesh and wider East Asia, the government has been firming up the plan to develop a ‘Regional Waterways Grid’, comprising key waterways and certain international routes, primarily situated in India and Bangladesh, of about 5000 km navigable waterways to boost regional integration and trade. Seamless connection of NW l (Ganges) and NW2 (Brahmaputra) would also create an opportunity for developinganeconomiccorridorof3500 km connecting North Eastern India with the rest of India through Bangladesh and also linking Bhutan and Nepal to Bangladesh and India through multimodal connection. The Eastern Grid will benefit 600 million people in one of the densest parts of the world. The project report for the grid is under preparation for placing before the finance ministry as a project. The total project cost is likely to be between Rs.7000-9,000crore.

CBIC waives interest charges on Export-Import traders due to payment woes

NEW DELHI: The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has announced interim relief for traders grapplingwithdifficultiesinpayingimport duty through the automated payment systemthatwentliveonApril1.

The Government has now allowed a temporary waiver of interest charges till April 10 in case there is a delay in paying duty due to technical glitches. Additionally, the government has also reverted to the manual clearance of certaincategoriesofgoods.

According to the Customs Act, if an importer fails to pay the Customs duty within a specified time, 10-36 per cent of interestisleviedondutynotpaid.

“The trade has, in a large number of cases,facedthedifficultyofbeingunable to complete the process whereby accounting is made in the duty payment process initiated by them because of unanticipated technical difficulties on the Common Portal and with the authorised banks…as a result…the interest is arising,” the CBIC said in a notification.

TheCBICnotificationaddedthathad such glitches not arisen, interest might not have accrued for traders. The Directorate General of Systems, it said, was working towards resolving the challengesinthenewframework.

Over the past few days, importers and exporters have been worried about challenges arising from the new electronics cash ledger (ECL) and this has also resulted in the piling up of consignmentsatports.

To facilitate uninterrupted supply of goods, the government has allowed manual clearance of consignments for perishable items, pharmaceutical products, liquid bulk cargo, among others. This means that if an importer produces a certificate from a bank indicating payment of import duty, then suchconsignmentscanbecleared.

Besides,sinceimportersarenotableto cleartheirgoodsattheports,theCBIChas urgedshippinglinestowaivedetentionand demurragechargestillApril10.

• Waiver of interest allowed till April 10 in case of delay in payment of

importdutyduetotechglitches

• Govt reverts to manual clearance of perishable items, pharma products that move in cold chain, and liquidbulkcargo,amongothers

• Importer has to produce a certificate from a bank, indicating payment of import duty, following which consignmentcanbecleared

• CBIC has urged shipping lines to waive detention and demurrage chargestillApril10

The development comes in the backdrop of the phased implementation of ECL that kicked off over the weekend. The government has created an electronic account in which money can be loaded and duty paid as and when required, in a system that is akin to digital wallets. This was done to ease the complianceburdenfortraders.

The ECL has an enabling provision, where the importer or exporter is liable to pay duty under the Customs Act, and has to make a non-interest bearing deposit with the government for paymentoftaxes.

RBI leaves policy rates unchanged, RBI Governor says war against inflation has to continue

MUMBAI: Delivering the bimonthly Monetary Policy Statement of the RBI through the RBI’s YouTube channel recently, the RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das has informed that the Monetary Policy Committee has decided unanimously to keep the policy repo rate unchanged at 6.50 per cent with readiness to act, should the situation so warrant. Consequently, the standing deposit facility (SDF) rate will remain unchanged at 6.25 per cent and the marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate at6.75percent.

The Governor observed that inflation is above the target and given its current level, the present policy

rate can still be regarded as accommodative. Hence, the MPC decided to remain focused on withdrawalofaccommodation.

Noting that economic activity remains resilient amidst global volatility, the Governor informed that India’s real GDP growth for 2023-24 is projected at 6.5 per cent, with Q1 at 7.8 per cent; Q2 at 6.2 per cent; Q3 at 6.1percent;andQ4at5.9percent.

The Governor informed that CPI inflation is projected to moderate to 5.2 per cent for 2023-24; with Q1 at 5.1 per cent; Q2 at 5.4 per cent; Q3 at 5.4percent;andQ4at5.2percent.

Commenting on Monetary Policy, Mr. Rajiv Agarwal, Operating Partner (Infrastructure), Essar

and Managing Director, Essar Ports said, “The decision of the ReserveBankofIndiatoincreasethe repo rate by 35 bps to 6.25% is a move thatwasanticipatedbythemarketand reflects that inflation has peaked out. This gives hope especially for the infrastructureindustry.Withimproved confidence and industry sentiments, there is a sense of optimism towards business outlook and demand growth. The GDP growth rate and the Indian Rupee has been resilient and shown stability,thustidingthroughtheglobal stormwithconfidenceandendurance. The commitment of RBI to constantly monitortheinflationdynamicswithout effectingthegrowthrateisreassuring fortheindustry.’’

FIEO welcomes the milestone achievement of USD 767 bn goods and services exports, amidst global headwinds: Dr A Sakthivel, President, FIEO

NEW DELHI: FIEO welcomes the milestone achievement ofUSD767bngoodsand services, amidst global headwinds during 2022-23. With this India’s goods exports hit a three-quarter high to cross USD 40 billion in March, 2023.

FIEO President, Dr A Sakthivel said that the country is making huge progress in various areas under the visionary and able leadership of

Hon'ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi ranging from social sectors to economy particularly exports.Headdedthatroughly40%of the additional GDP in 2022-23 was contributed by exports. Such spectacular feat has been possible due to the enabling and supportive eco system created by all the concerned ministries and departments,saidDrSakthivel.

FIEO Chief is confident of achieving the exports target of USD 2

tn by 2030. The timely guidance and support from the Hon'ble Commerce & Industry Minister, Shri Piyush Goyal, who constantly engaged with the trade and industry especially exporters and monitored their progress through frequent engagements, has helped the exporting community achieve this feat. Dr A Sakthivel reiterated that exports have now become a national priority,whichhashelpedinproviding furthermomentumtothesector.

Vessel Traffic System apps launched for VOC Port

TUTICORIN : The V O Chidambaranar Port at Tuticorin received a major boost as Secretary of Shipping, Government of India, Sudhansh Pant launched six projects duringhisvisitrecently.

One of the key projects launched was the Vessel Traffic System mobile app, which aims to improve navigation in and out of the port. Developed by the NationalTechnologyCentre for Ports, Waterways and Coasts (NTCPWC), the Vessel Traffic System app features an AI-driven smart virtual aid that enhances navigation channelvisibility,whilethePilotCard appdigitalizespilotmovements.Both theappsarepartoftheport’s“Digital India” and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives.

In addition to the mobile apps, the secretary also inaugurated a webbased GIS system for identifying various buildings, plots, and other installationswithintheport,aswellas a cloud-based storage migration system with a disaster recovery

facility. An upgradation of the high tension electrical network and a 4000-squaremeter herbal garden with over 500 herbal plants and treeswerealsolaunched.

During the event, Pant urged the port to complete all infrastructure augmentation projects within the scheduled completion time and to scale up its digitalization initiatives, EoDB measures for export-import trade, port-led industrialization, and investment in green hydrogen and green ammoniaprojects.

Furthermore, the secretary participated in an awards night held earlier in the port to recognize the contributions of key industry players who have made a significant impact ontheport’slogisticsperformance.

MoPSW to exceed 4-yr asset monetization target

NEWDELHI:TheUnionMinistry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways is set to widely surpass its four-year asset monetization target of ₹12,828 crore ahead of the deadline thanks to robustawardingofprojectsunderthe public-private partnership (PPP) model.

The Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal said the aim is to raise ₹6,760 crore this fiscal year through the development of berths and terminals at major ports under thePPPinitiative.

He said 20 projects worth close to ₹7,000 crore would be put on the block for monetization this fiscal. This would help the Ministry exceed the monetization target set for the sector under the National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP) of ₹6 trillion finalized by the finance ministry in 2021, he added.

Most of the current year’s monetization would involve developing a new berth at the Deendayal Port (Kandla, Gujarat), setting up a container terminal at Haldia Dock Complex of Shyama Prasad Mookerjee Port (Kolkata, West Bengal), and plan for a dry dock

inVadinar(Gujarat).

In the first two years of monetization (FY22 and Fy23), the Ministry of Ports had monetized ₹10,519 crore of assets, involving a dozen projects, as against a target of ₹4,936 crore. This was more than two times the target for the two-year period.

Sonowal noted the strong performance of his Ministry in terms of asset monetization in the past two fiscal years. In FY22, the Centre approved 13 projects worth ₹6,944 crore, and according to a year-end review report released by the Ministry for 2022, seven projects worth ₹5,278 crore were awarded and others were in various stages of bidding. Finally, monetization achieved ₹975 crore in terms of value thatyear.

The Ministry has a pipeline of 81 projects totalling more than ₹42,400 crore,tobeawardedonPPPmodetill FY25 even though the target under theNMPisjustover ₹12,000crore.

According to the NMP, assets put under the monetization process, including additional berths, mechanisation, development of oil

jetty, container jetties, operation and maintenance of container terminal, operation and maintenance of international cruise terminal and development of marina. The primary model for monetization of ports and shipping assets is through grant of PPPconcessions.

Shipping has been among the few departments along with coal and mines ministries, which have exceeded their monetization targets last fiscal. For FY23, the Centre had set a target of ₹1.62 trillion, and till FY25, the government seeks to monetize assets worth ₹6 trillion undertheNMP.

In FY22, transactions worth ₹96,000 crore under the NMP were completed, largely backed by shipping, coal and mining assets, exceeding the target of ₹88,000 crore. The NMP has been designed for a dozen infrastructure line ministries and are spread across 20 asset classes. The announcement was made in the FY22 budget with Niti Aayog given the mandate to develop it. The ambitious asset monetization planwasannouncedtoboostfinancial resources for the National InfrastructurePipeline.

Duty remission scheme for exporters may be extended beyond September

NEW DELHI : Central Government is likely to extend the expanded duty remission scheme for exporters beyond the September deadline, providing relief to the pharmaceuticals,steelandchemicals sectors,saidofficials.

The Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) scheme was expanded in December last year to include pharmaceuticals, chemicals and selectsteelproducts.

The Commerce Department had stipulated that the additional products would be eligible for tax refundsuptoSeptember30,2023.The department wanted to gauge if it had adequatebudgetaryoutlaytofundthe tax remission for the full financial year2023-24.

The Government now feels the budgetary allocation would be sufficient for the entire 2023-24, accordingtoofficials.

“Currently, the monthly refund claims under the RoDTEP scheme

are about Rs. 1,200 crore. So, the budgetedallocationofRs.15,069crore forFY24shouldbeenoughtocontinue to extend this benefit to the sectors that were included later,” a senior officialtold.

However, if the Department decidestofurtherexpandthescheme and include the entire iron and steel segment, it will require an additional Rs 1,000 crore for this fiscal, said the official.

In 2022-23, the Government had disbursed Rs. 13,699 crore through thescheme.

The Government will review the scheme before September 30 and notifyitsdecision,saidtheofficial.

Launched on January 1, 2021, the scheme refunds central, state and local levies incurred in the manufacture and export of products not covered by any other incentive scheme.

The move will help exporters of these goods as they compete for orders amid a demand slowdown in

key developed markets. Exports of chemicals and pharmaceuticals, and select steel products, totalled $61 billion until February last fiscal year, constituting about 15% of the overall merchandisedespatches,showedthe officialdata.

The Foreign Trade Policy 2023 announced last week flagged timely tax remission for exporters, as it seeks to move away from any incentive-based regime. The RoDTEP scheme is compliant with the World Trade Organization (WTO) norms.

The expanded RoDTEP scheme covers10,342exportproducts,against 8,731 earlier. The scheme is based on the globally accepted principle that exports can be exempt from taxes, andleviesimposedcanberefunded.

Expertsseetheremissionscheme as critical to improving the country’s export competitiveness and achieving the $1 trillion merchandise exporttargetby2030from$447billion in2022-23.

NPG under PM GatiShakti recommends 4 Infrastructure projects : Special Secretary, Logistics

NEW DELHI: The Network Planning Group (NPG) under PM GatiShakti at its 46th session examined and recommended 4 Infrastructure projects. The meeting was chaired by the Special Secretary, LogisticsDivision,DPIIT,Ms.Sumita Dawraandsawactiveparticipationof senior officials from key member ministries/departments including

Department of Telecommunication (DoT), M/o Environment, Forest and Climate Change, M/o Railways, M/o Ports, Shipping and Waterways, M/o Civil Aviation, M/o Power, NITI Aayog, M/o Road Transport and Highways, M/o Petroleum and Natural Gas and M/o New and Renewable Energy. During the meeting 4 projects by M/o Railways

were examined by the NPG and recommended. These projects will be developed in tandem with the PM GatiShakti Principles using the integrated and holistic approach. These projects will also provide multimodal connectivity, seamless movement of goods and passengers as well as increase logistics efficiencyacrossthecountry.

WTO : Global Trade growth to slow to 1.7% in 2023 following 2.7% expansion in 2022

GENEVA: The WTO's trade projections,setoutinthenew“Global Trade Outlook and Statistics” report, estimate real global GDP growth at market exchange rates of 2.4% for 2023. Projections for both trade and outputgrowtharebelowtheaverages for the past 12 years of 2.6% and 2.7% respectively(seechart).

WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said: “Trade continues to be a force for resilience in the global economy, but it will remain under pressure from external factors in 2023.This makes it even more important for governments to avoidtradefragmentationandrefrain from introducing obstacles to trade. Investing in multilateral cooperation on trade, as WTO members did at our Twelfth Ministerial Conference last June, would bolster economic growth andpeople'slivingstandardsoverthe longterm.”

The 2.7% increase in world trade volume in 2022 was weaker than the WTO's October forecast of 3.5%, as a sharper-than-expected quarter-onquarter decline in the fourth quarter dragged down growth for the year. Several factors contributed to that slump, including elevated global commodity prices, monetary policy tightening in response to inflation, and outbreaks of COVID 19 that disrupted production and trade in China.

Notably, trade growth last year turnedouttobeinlinewiththe2.4%to 3.0% baseline scenario in the WTO's March2022initialreportonthewarin Ukraine, and well above its more

pessimistic scenario in which trade would have grown just 0.5% as countries started to split into competing economic blocs. In the event, international markets remained broadly open. A follow-up study the WTO released last month documented how vulnerable economies were able to compensate for essential food supplies cut off by the war by finding alternative productsandsuppliers.

The1.7%forecastfortradegrowth in 2023, meanwhile, is up from the previous estimate of 1.0% from last October. A key factor here is the relaxation of COVID-19 pandemic controlsinChina,whichisexpectedto unleashpent-upconsumerdemandin the country, in turn boosting internationaltrade(seetable).

WTO Chief Economist

Ralph Ossa said: “The lingering effects of COVID-19 and the rising geopolitical tensions were the main factors impacting trade and output in 2022 and this is likely to be the case in 2023 as well. Interest rate hikes in advanced economies have also revealed weaknesses in banking systems that could lead to wider financial instability if left unchecked. Governments and regulators need to be alert to these and other financial risksinthecomingmonths.”

Looking ahead to 2024, trade growth should rebound to 3.2%, as GDP picks up to 2.6%, but this estimateismoreuncertainthanusual due to the presence of substantial downside risks, including geopolitical tensions, food supply shocks, and the possibility of unforeseen fallout from monetarytightening.

Foreign exchange reserves at $578.45 bn, snaps 2-week rise

MUMBAI: India's foreign exchange reserves retreated from more than eight-month highs to $578.45 billion as of the week ended March31,theReserveBankofIndia's

(RBI) statistical supplement showed. A comfortable level of foreign exchange reserves will further bolster macroeconomic stability, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said while

announcing the bank's monetary policydecision.

The rupee moved in an orderly mannerin2022andcontinuestodoso in2023,Dassaid.

PM recalls all who contributed to India's strides in Maritime World on National Maritime Day

NEWDELHI:ThePrimeMinister, Shri Narendra Modi has reaffirmed India's commitment to port-led development on National Maritime Dayrecently.

Responding to the tweet by

Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, the Prime Minister tweeted: "We in India have been blessed with a rich maritime heritage and we are very proud of

that. On National Maritime Day, we recall all those who contributed to India's strides in the maritime world and reaffirm our commitment to further port-led development."

Free trade deals give Delhi Air Cargo Reefer exports a boost

NEW DELHI: Delhi Air Cargo is betting high on reefer cargo exports, as Indian shippers steadily scale up their global market reach, aided by recent bilateral free trade deals.

AccordingtoKameshPeri,CEOof Celebi Delhi Cargo Terminal Management, perishable air freight out of the terminal has seen

measurable traction in recent months.

He said the terminal had more than 3,000 sq metres of space for temperature-controlled cargo handling, “a dedicated set up that enables a monthly capacity for handling over 2,000 mt of cargo, such as fruit, vegetables, meat and other perishables”.

Mr Peri said the market was seeing an uptick in reefer truck deployment by forwarders and shippers, encouraged by the longtermeconomicgrowthoutlook.

Celebi is also eyeing more mango shipments, as Indian fruit producers and traders look beyond the traditional Gulf markets for India’s “kingofallfruits”.

Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Malaysia & Egypt eager to Trade in Rupee

NEW DELHI: Last year, Sri Lanka’s debt default was partially causedbyalackofdollars.Bangladesh also borrowed money from the IMF to boostitsownreserves.

With as many as 18 nations, India has an agreement in place to settle trade agreements in rupee. It will be carried through 30 separate rupee bank accounts. In order to facilitate the movement of the rupee abroad, the RBI has also permitted various Indian banks, notably HDFC Bank and UCO Bank, to establish unique rupee vostro accounts tie-ups with 30foreignbanks.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated recently that India and Malaysia have signed a major deal.

It would allow the two countries to settle commerce in Indian rupees. Meanwhile, adjustments to the FTP have been made to facilitate international trade settlement in Indianrupees,withthegoalofmaking INRaworldwidecurrency.

TheGovernmenthasinvitedtrade organisations and banks to look into chances to trade in rupees with other countries. Indian banks have created special rupee vostro accounts with banks from throughout the world. It will put the rupee trade arrangement into action. Gazprom, a Russian bank with no presence in India, has also established an account with KolkatabasedUCOBank.

The decision to create the special

vostroaccountpavedthewayforrupee payments to be settled for commerce betweenIndiaandRussia,allowingfor cross-border trading in the Indian currency. To assist popularise the new structure,theRBIhasalsoauthorised the special vostro accounts to invest the surplus balance in Indian governmentsecurities.

Up to 18 nations have previously consented to trade in Indian money. The Commerce Secretary, Sunil Barthwal, said the Government is concentratingonimprovingtherupee payment system. This came after the announcement of the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023, which aspires to grow India’s exports to USD 2 trillion by2030.

Diamond Jubilee Celebrations of National Maritime Day 2023 held in Mumbai

MUMBAI: The Grand Finale function of Diamond Jubilee of NationalMaritimeDaywasorganised at Domestic Cruise Terminus, Mumbai,with‘AmritKaalinshipping’ as its theme. The day is celebrated to commemorate embarkation of the first Indian-owned vessel “S S Loyalty” on her maiden voyage from Mumbai to London, on this day in 1919.Eminentmaritimepersonalities from India and abroad and seafarers and their families participated in the colourful event held in Mumbai recently.

The Chief Guest for the function was function was Minister for Infrastructure and Water Management, Kingdom of the Netherlands Mark Harbers, and the event was presided over by Union MinisterofStateforPorts,Shipping andWaterways,ShantanuThakur.

In his written message, the Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda

Sonowal said he is very pleased to learn that the theme adopted for the 60th edition of the National Maritime Day2023celebrationsisAmritKaalin Shipping. This theme refers to the most auspicious period to start new ventures which also holds true for shipping,saidtheMinister.

The Minister of Netherlands recalled the age-old maritime relationship between the two countriesandsaidthattheCountryis happy to share its maritime expertise withitsfriendssuchasIndia.

Director General of Shipping, Rajiv Jalota reminded all stakeholders of the past glory and dominance of India in shipping and seaborne trade. “Documented proofs of maritime trade are found in Indus Valleycivilizationandinexcavationof

our tidal dockyard at Lothal, Gujarat which date back to 2500 B.C. The concept of maritime insurance and administrative setup related to merchant marines are found in Chanakya’s Arthashastra. During ChhatrapatiShivajiMaharaj’sregime in Maharashtra, the importance of maritime dominance was acknowledgedandstrengthened.”

Duringthisprogram,thefollowing Sagar Samman Awards were conferred upon the meritorious persons.

Moreover, 14 maritime organisations were recognised for their outstanding performance in differentfields.

SHIPPING MOVEMENTS AT DEENDAYAL PORT

VESSELS IN PORT & DUE FOR EXPORT LOADING

VESSELS IN PORT & DUE FOR IMPORT DISCHARGE

GENERAL CARGO VESSELS

SHIPS READY FOR BERTH I.G.M. Nos. filed at Kandla Customs

LIQUID CARGO VESSELS

SHIPPING MOVEMENTS AT ADANI PORT

ADANI PORTS & SEZ LTD. (APSEZ) MUNDRA

VESSELS DUE IN PORT FOR IMPORT DISCHARGE & EXPORT LOADING

ADANI MUNDRA CONTAINER TERMINAL (AMCT)

CONTAINER VESSELS DUE / IN PORT FOR IMPORT DISCHARGE

CONTAINER VESSELS DUE / IN PORT FOR IMPORT DISCHARGE

ADANI CMA MUNDRA

TERMINAL PVT LTD (ACMTPL), MUNDRA

BLACK SEA, RED SEA, EAST EUROPE &

PORT

ADANI MUNDRA CONTAINER TERMINAL (AMCT)

ADANI INTERNATIONAL CONTAINER TERMINAL PVT LTD. (AICT)

SHIPPING MOVEMENTS AT GUJARAT PORTS PORT PIPAVAV

TO LOAD FOR WEST ASIA GULF, RED SEA & EAST AFRICAN PORTS

OTHER PORTS OF GUJARAT

IMPORTER'S GUIDE

VESSELS DUE / IN PORT FOR IMPORT DISCHARGE

I.G.M. FILED AT JAWAHAR CUSTOMS FOR NSFT/NSICT/NSIGT/BMCT/GTI VESSELS

GTI

Gibraltar

APM Terminals Mumbai leads Performance Index with high volume and low vessel dwell times

Cont’d. from Pg. 2

This is 64th month in a row, that APM Terminals Mumbai has been placed in the star performance quadrant – for its combination of high volumes and outstandinglylowvesseldwelltimes.

APM Terminals Mumbai applies the company’s global approach to continuous improvement, known as the APM Terminals Way of Working. One element of this is to use Kaizen (Continuous Improvement) Events to map processesindetailandusethecombinedexpertiseofpeople on the front line to identify opportunities to, for example, shave precious minutes of tasks, reduce waste or improve safety. Kaizen Events are directly linked to the company strategyandassuch,acriticalenablertosuccess.

HighestgatewayterminalvolumesinIndia

Despite having the highest volumes of any gateway terminal in India, APM Terminals Mumbai managed to maintain some of the lowest dwell times for export and importcontainers.Dwelltimesimprovedfurtherstill-by over 7% - in the latest measurement between December 2022andJanuary2023.

Every colleague is encouraged and trained to be continuously looking for opportunities to improve performance. This loop then repeats, further refining whatthecompanydoesandhowitdoesit.Theelements and methods used in Way of Working are used across terminals globally, creating a common language, sharedbestpracticeandonewayofworking.

“At GTI, our people are our most important asset. TheircommitmenttowardsadoptingourWayofWorking creates an environment of continuous improvement focused on delivering best in class customer experience,” commented Sunay Mukherjee,

ChiefOperatingOfficeratGTI.

“Team GTI aims to be a shock absorber for shipping line networks, by constantly reducing vessel dwell time, allowingshipstogetbackonscheduleorenablingslower steam and reducing emissions. We have an ambition to reducethetimespentbyvesselsatportbymorethan20% incomparisontopreviousyears.”

30%TargetforPortStayReduction

Becauseofthis,learningsatAPMTerminalsMumbai can be applied globally to help the company achieve its global aspiration of a 20% average port stay reduction by 2023 (compared to 2021) and 30% by 2025 across terminalsworldwide.

“We have set the bar high, because we know that –especially in challenging times ahead – our customers need to unlock new opportunities to keep growing,” said APM Terminals CEO, Keith Svendsen. “And by reducing port stays across our terminals, we are unlocking new opportunities to save time, increase efficienciesandreduceemissions–becausewe’reableto make vessels’ journey through each of our terminals easierandfasterthaneverbefore.”

LogisticsDataServices

The Logistics Databank Analytics Report is published by NICDC Logistics Data Services (NLDS) - a joint venture between Government of India represented by National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust (NICDIT) and Japanese IT major NEC Corporation, with 50:50 equity participation. NLDSwasestablishedtoleverageICTacrosstheIndian Logistics Sector, and share best practices across the various processes and work towards bringing in efficiencyinthesupplychain.

ANTWERP: Moving more goods, faster and more economically by rail because it’s good for the economy and goodfortheenvironment.That’stheessenceofthisstory.The neutral operation of the automatic hump yard at the AntwerpNorth marshalling yard in the port is an important factor in achieving that goal. Thanks to this rail infrastructure in Belgium's largest and busiest freight station, trains can be assembled more efficiently. In order to create a level playing field for everyone, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, Railport Antwerp, Lineas and Infrabel are working together to make thisimportantfacilityavailabletoallrailoperators.

Fasterandmoreefficientfreighttraincomposition

Thanks to the automatic shuntingfacility at the AntwerpNorth marshalling yard in the Port of Antwerp-Bruges (PoAB), freight trains can be assembled up to six times faster. The importance of this logistics node, where "puzzling out" freight trains is part of daily business, should therefore not be underestimated. Nevertheless, this facility has been underutilized for some time. For many railway undertakings, theinvestments are too high because they need shunting locomotives and skilled personnel. A joint plan by Port of Antwerp-Bruges,RailportAntwerp,thefreightcarrierLineas and the infrastructure manager Infrabel is now set to change that. The centerpiece of this plan: neutral operation of the automatic shunting facility. It’s the first time in the history of Belgian railroads that something like this has happened. Morethanthat,it’sevenaEuropeanfirst!

Levelplayingfieldforall

Neutral operation of the rail facility began on April 1, 2023. This means that it’s available to all rail operators on equal terms. Lineas is committed to providing shuntingservices to all at market-based, transparent prices and conditions. This activity will be followed up by Infrabel in collaboration with PoAB. Furthermore, the pricing for

shuntingservicesiscontrolledbytherailregulator.

Neutral management does not only lower the treshold, it also encourages cooperation between different companies in order to collect their goods. This eliminates some unnecessary train movements – which is not only safer but also frees up more capacity in the very busy rail yards in the Antwerp port area. So this joint plan checks all the boxes, making freight rail transport in the PoAB safer, faster, more efficient,economicalandenvironmentallyfriendly.

Transparentsoftwaretotrackactivities

In order to further streamline everything, Infrabel and PoAB are working on a high-performance software program. Customers can easily and quickly monitor their requests using this computer system, which is linked to the shunting installation. Users can monitor the status of their freight train and/or wagons in real-time. For example, when it will be ready and where it is located. Each step of the shunting process is recorded in the system and can be accessed at any time. This gives all customers a clear picture. The infrastructure manager, in collaboration with the neutral operator Lineas, will be ultimately responsible for planning, allocating capacity, and finding solutions in the eventofdoublebookings.

Modalshift-Doublingofrailfreighttraffic

The neutral management of the shunting plant is an important part of the sustainable rail vision 2030. This joint vision of the future, developed by Infrabel, PoAB and Railport Antwerp aims to double the proportion of freight transported by rail in the port of Antwerp by 2030. This socalled modal shift seeks to make rail more attractive so that more and more companies choose it. After all, those who transport their goods by rail, opt for fewer trucks and less road congestion. That's a win-win situation for both the economyandtheenvironment.

A European first: hump yard in the Port of Antwerp operated neutrally for the first time