Our ambition is to become the most efficient and least expensive port:
JNPA Chairman
MUMBAI: Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority, the state-owned e n t i t y t h a t runs India’s
s e c o n d
b u s i e s t container gateway at Nhava Sheva near Mumbai, is looking to make the port “the most efficient and least expensive in India and the world”.
“ T h a t i s o u r a m b i t i o n , ”
Shri Unmesh Wagh, IRS, Chairman, J N Port Authority was recently quoted in an interview
Cont’d. Pg. 20
Maritime SheEO Conference 2024: Celebrating Leadership, Diversity, and Inclusion in the Maritime Industry
S h e E O Conference 2024, held at Taj Santacruz, Mumbai, brought together over 300 industry leaders in person and more than 1,500 online participants from across the globe.
Cont’d. Pg. 6
Shri Unmesh Wagh, IRS
Ms. Sanjam Sahi Gupta
PSA Antwerp and Combinant sign agreement to enhance connectivity between PSA’s Deepsea Terminals and Combinant Rail Terminal
ANTWERP: Leading deepsea terminal operator PSA Antwerp and Antwerp-based rail terminal Combinant signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish an integrated service to optimize the connectivity between PSA’s Deepsea Terminals and Combinant Rail Terminal in the Port of Antwerp. This streamlined corridor aims to facilitate a modal shift from road to rail, thereby enhancing maritime intermodal rail solutions at the Port of Antwerp.
As businesses increasingly seek fast, cost-effective, and sustainable transport options for their products between the deepsea port and the respective hinterlands, the shift from road to rail has become a valuable alternative. The newly established trucking service will connect PSA's two deepsea terminals on the right bank of the river Scheldt (Noordzee and Europa Terminal) with the Combinant rail terminal in the north of the Port of Antwerp
Through the Combinant-Duisburg rail connection, operated by the intermodal network operator HUPAC, this new integrated service will connect PSA’s Antwerp terminals with PSA’s investment in the recently opened Duisburg Gateway Terminal (DGT)1 in the Ruhr area. Since early November 2024, HUPAC has rerouted its trains to DGT, making the following destinations directly bookable for maritime cargo through PSA’s Intermodal Solutions Department: Schkopau and Schwarzheide in Germany, Warsaw in Poland, Budapest in Hungary, Vienna in Austria, Ploiesti (Bucharest) in Romania, Starà Zagora in Bulgaria, Pančevo (Belgrade) in Serbia and Istanbul in Türkiye.
Additionally, rail operators calling Combinant can now offer connections between PSA’s Antwerp terminals and important logistics hotspots on the European continent
such as Ludwigshafen, Bettembourg, Milan, Verona, Barcelona and Madrid.
To further reduce carbon emissions, both companies will explore the introduction of sustainable electric trucks (eTrucks) to this corridor Last year, PSA Antwerp successfully conducted tests with Mercedes-Benz and Volvo eTrucks to assess their performance and feasibility in moving containers throughout the port.
Edward Tah, Managing Director of PSA Belgium, expressed enthusiasm about the opportunities this new MoU presents, “At PSA, we are committed to continuously enhancing the hinterland connectivity of our terminals, offering more multimodal, efficient, sustainable, and costeffective solutions to our customers. Our partnership with Combinant aligns with PSA Group’s strategic vision of expanding our services and product portfolio into the hinterland, as exemplified by our investment in the newly opened Duisburg Gateway Terminal and the announced acquisition of Polish intermodal operator Loconi Intermodal S.A.2. We look forward to collaborating closely with Combinant.”
Ben Beirnaert, General Manager Combinant N.V., sees a lot of potential for the future “By integrating maritime and continental volumes on trains, we have the optimal solution for the future. At Combinant, we see immense potential in this partnership with PSA Antwerp. We already offer more than 10 direct train destinations across Europe, available to the PoAB community. The only way forward is to collaborate with all stakeholders to achieve a modal shift across all volumes ”
The service can be booked via PSA Belgium’s Intermodal Solutions Department:
• For additional information and rate requests: psaa-cyrequest@globalpsa.com
• For bookings: psaa-cybooking@globalpsa.com
Maritime SheEO Conference 2024: Celebrating Leadership, Diversity, and Inclusion in the Maritime Industry
Cont’d. from Pg. 3
T h i s y e a r ’ s c o n f e r e n c e , strategically held on Gurunanak Jayanti, emphasized the importance of leadership in driving diversity and inclusion within the maritime sector With an exceptional lineup of speakers and thought-provoking sessions, the event was a resounding success.
Key Highlights
This year’s conference centered around the theme of leadership’s critical role in promoting diversity and inclusion in maritime, highlighting the need for collective action across the industry Session topics ranged from “Measuring Diversity and Closing the Pay Gap” to “Empowering Women Leaders and the BBNJ Agreement”, offering fresh insights and solutions to challenges that persist in the sector
A standout moment was t h e c o n c e p t launch of the “Inclusion of Women in the S r i L a n k a n M a r i t i m e I n d u s t r y -
A 2025 Study”, s e t t i n g a benchmark for future diversity research initiatives. Other popular sessions included “Navigating the Future: Technology & Innovation in Maritime” and “Supporting Wellbeing: From Sea to Shore”, which addressed the importance of mental and physical well-being in the industry
Notable Speakers and Participants
This year’s speaker roster featured high-profile leaders, including Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Monica Nagelgaard, Consul General at the Royal Norwegian Consulate General in Mumbai and Dr Malini Shankar, Vice Chancellor of the Indian Maritime University Industry insights were also shared by Guy Platten, SecretaryGeneral at the International Chamber of Shipping, Nathalie De Jaeger, Head of the Strategic Department, D G S h i p p i n g ( B e l g i u m ) , a n d M a x M e i j a , P r e s i d e n t o f t h e World Maritime University
Attendance Stats
Akanksha Batura Pai (Sinoda Shipping Agency)
•Champion of Diversity: Tevita Misdali Robanakadavu (Fiji National University)
•SheEO Entrepreneur of the Year: Zoe Upson (FACT - Freight and Commodity Talent)
•Lifetime Achievement Award: Dr. Malini V. Shankar, IAS (Retd.) (Indian Maritime University)
•SheEO Seafarer Rising Star Award: 3/O Shraddha Vishwakarma (Exmar)
•Best Practices in Sustainability: Transworld Group
•Seafarer Workplace Diversity Award: Seaspan India
•Diversied Maritime Education Award: T S Rahaman & Centrum Marine
The conference welcomed a diverse range of participants, including CXOs, seafarers, crew managers, and freight forwarders. Of the 300+ in-person attendees, a gender ratio of approximately 43% male and 57% female was seen. The global representation of attendees spanned countries such as the USA, UK, Netherlands, Norway, Australia, and India, showcasing the international reach of the event.
Achievements and Announcements
The Maritime SheEO Awards 2024 recognized both individuals and companies making significant contributions to diversity, sustainability, and leadership within the Maritime Industry.
Individual Awards:
•SheEO to Watch Out For:
Parnita Rasal (Anglo-Eastern)
Amal Albawardi (National Center for Environmental Compliance, KSA)
•SheEO Leader of The Year:
Anisha Ramakrishnan (Transworld Group)
Quotes
Founder of Maritime SheEO, Sanjam Sahi Gupta, emphasized the critical role of leadership in fostering diversity, stating:
“Diversity is not just a corporate goal; it is the bedrock of innovation and resilience in maritime. As we push for more inclusive practices, we are not only shaping a fairer industry but also a stronger, more competitive one that reflects the world it serves.”
Feedback and Testimonials
The conference was praised for its impactful sessions and relevant discussions. One attendee remarked:
“It was a very successful and very very relevant and very well conducted conference, international speakers and internationalaudienceaddedalotofflair Itwasahugepleasure to attend and huge appreciation for Sanjam and the entire team at Maritime SheEO Can't wait for the next one!!!” Future Plans
The Maritime SheEO Conference will return in November 2025, continuing its mission to lead the global maritime industry towards a more diverse, inclusive, and sustainable future.
Third Working Group meeting on Chabahar Port between India, Iran and Uzbekistan held in Mumbai
MUMBAI: The Third Working Group meeting on Chabahar Port between India, Iran and Uzbekistan was held on 22 November 2024 in Mumbai. A delegation from the Afghanistan Chambers of Commerce also attended the meeting as a special invitee.
During the meeting, participants emphasized the importance of Chabahar Port in supporting Afghanistan’s reconstruction and economic development, as well as providing an alternate trade corridor to Central Asia. They also noted the increase in transit traffic through Chabahar Port and discussed ways to enhance regional connectivity
The meeting was followed by interaction with the members of the business community A presentation on the operations of Shahid Beheshti Terminal, Chabahar Port highlighting the facilities being offered for transit, was delivered by India Ports Global Limited (IPGL). During the interaction, traders expressed keen interest in utilizing the Chabahar Port for trade and transit The business community was encouraged to come forward with suggestions to further enhance the trade and transit through the port to realize its full potential.
IPGL through its wholly owned subsidiary, India Ports
Global Chabahar Free Zone (IPGCFZ), took over the operations of the Chabahar Port on 24 December 2018. Since then, the port has handled over 450 vessels, 1,34,082 TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent) of containerized cargo and more than 8.7 million tons of bulk cargo. There has been an increase of 1200% increase of containers handled during the last financial year
It was decided to hold the next edition of the Working Group meeting at a mutually convenient date and venue.
CONCOR looking for Global partnerships with Shipping Lines like Maersk; Domestic expansion also in progress
NEW DELHI : CONCOR (Container Corporation of India) is in the process of making partnerships with major shipping lines like Maersk – to offer end-to-end solutions including their flagship first mile – last mile (FM – LM) services, officials said.
The CPSE, under the Ministry of Railways, is also awaiting delivery of tank containers from wagon-maker Braithwaite & Co. The ramp up of tank containers is seen as an attempt by CONCOR to shore up revenues from new segments in the domestic market, like cement.
Review of cap-ex Budget will soon be taken up depending on infrastructure requirements. In FY25, the guidance was Rs. 610 crore and by H1 around Rs. 277 crore of cap-ex has been through. The CPSE procured 5130 new containers in H1FY25 thereby taking its total number to 49,516.
According to Shri Sanjay Swarup, Chairman and Managing Director, CONCOR, meetings have been held with shipping lines in Mumbai; and the CPSE offered its warehousing services, first mile and last mile facilities and also apprised shipping lines of the volume-based incentives that are offered. These services, he said, will be offered “as a package”.“…..So all these things, they are part of the agreement that we are having with shipping lines,” he said during a recent investor call.
“I visited the headquarters of Maersk, which is the second biggest line in Copenhagen, Denmark. And they are quite excited when I told them about the green logistics, ESG norms being followed…and total business solutions.
So they have had internal discussions and all of them are coming forward to sign these agreements with us ” Shri Swarup further added.
Some of the other business houses who had previously been named by the CMD as prospective candidates included Tata, Vedanta, Reliance and Jindal. It has long term agreements with the Jindal Group for export-Import trade only.
Double Stack Container Services
According to Swarup, Braithwaite Corporation will look to supply bulk cement and tank containers December onwards. Discussions are already underway with cement companies “We are in touch with leading cement companies…. and we hope to garner very good business in domestic in the coming months,” he said.
Rail services between Kandla port and ICDs (inland container depots) of North India have already begun; and, CONCOR will soon start double stack container train services from North India locations to Varnama (near Baroda), a part oftheWesternDedicatedFreightCorridor(WDFC)
The terminal at Varnama will have connectivity with both the Indian Railways network and the DFC with the latter part under – construction at present “We will run double stack train from Dadri and Kathuwas upto Varnama. And from there we break it to two single stack trains. And they will go on Indian Railways route upto JNPT for the last 400 kms And the reverse will happen for imports,” Swarup said during the call
CONCOR : Bolstering India’s position in the global fruit export market
NEW DELHI: Container Corporation of India Ltd. started the First Banana Export Train of the Season from Tadipatri, Andhra Pradesh on November 22, 2024
This event marks a significant step towards bolstering India’s position in the global fruit export market The train, carrying 680 Tonnes of Bananas, exported by SK Exports, is en-route to Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), Mumbai, from where it will be further distributed to various international markets
This train is part of a larger effort to facilitate the seamless movement of agricultural produce from India to global destinations.
COSCO SHIPPING LINES (INDIA) PVt. ltd.
NORTH WEST INDIA SERVICES
AIS Service
ASIA INDIA SUB-CONTINENT SERVICE
ASX Service
ARABIAN SEA EXPRESS
EAX6 Service
EAST AFRICA SERVICE
TCX Service
THAILAND CHENNAI EXPRESS
Sole General Agents in India :
Head Office - Mumbai :
Unit 802, B Wing, 8th Floor, Godrej Two, Pirojsha Nagar, Eastern Express Highway, Vikhroli (E), Mumbai, 400079, India
NBCL Axis Shpg. Felixstowe, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Antwerp & All Inland Desti. Dronagiri-1 Service
ICC Line Neptune Felixstowe, Hamburg,Rotterdam & other Inland Dest. GDL-3 & Dron-3
GLS Global Log. UK, North Continent & Scandinavian Ports. JWR
Team Leader Team Leader Felixstowe, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Hamburg, Barcelona, JWR CFS Le Havre, Istanbul, Genoa.
Team Global Team Global Log. UK, North Continent & Scandinavian Ports. Pun.Conware
28/1129/11 27/11 1000 America IU447A Q1999 1110952-14/11 MSC MSC Agency Haifa. (INDUS) Hind Terminal 29/1130/11
MSC Agency Antwerp, Le Havre, Rotterdam, Dunkirk, Felixstowe, Southampton, Hind Terminals 06/1207/12 06/12 0900 MSC York VII IP449A Helsingborg, Gothenburg & Red Sea, Med, Gioia Tauro (D). 13/1214/12 13/12 0900 MSC Greenwich IP450A SCI CMT Southampton, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Dunkirk, Felixstowe, Le Havre (EPIC / IPAK) COSCO COSCO Shpg. UK, North Cont, Scandinavian, Red Sea & Med. Ports. Indial Indial Shpg. UK, North Cont, Scandinavian, Red Sea & Med. Ports. Seahorse Ship UK, North Continent, Scandinavian Ports & Riga, Klaipede, Tallim, St.Petersburg, Genoa, Valencia, Fos. Globelink Globelink WW UK, North Continent, Scandinavian Ports & Ashdod, Piraeus, Thessaloniki, Athens.
TSS L'Global Ag. UK, North Continent & Scandinavian Ports. Dronagiri-2 AMI Intl. AMI Global UK, North Cont., Scandinavian, Red Sea & Med. Ports. Dronagiri-3 Kalko Faredeal UK, North Continent & Scandinavian Ports. Dronagiri-3 Team Leader Team Leader Felixstowe, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Hamburg, Barcelona, JWR CFS Le Havre, Istanbul, Genova.
Safewater Safewater Lines UK, North Continent, Red Sea & Med. Ports. Team Global Team Global Log. UK, North Continent & Scandinavian Ports. Pun.Conware
TO LOAD FOR U.K., NORTH CONT., SCANDINAVIAN, RED SEA & MED. PORTS from GTI
27/1128/11
TBATBA Seaspan Oceania 042W Q1978 1110619-12/11 Hapag ISS Shpg. Suez, Port Said, La Spezia, Genoa. Fos, Barcelona, ULA CFS 04/1205/12
06/1207/12 TBATBA K R Tasman 2448W Q2047 1111902-21/11 CU Lines Seahorse Shpg. Djibouti, Jeddah, Aden. 13/1214/12 TBATBA R C Ocean 2449W C
VESSELS DUE AT NSFT/NSICT/NSIGT/GTI/BMCT FOR EXPORT LOADING
TO LOAD FOR USA, CANADA, ATLANTIC, PACIFIC, SOUTH AMERICAN & WEST INDIES PORTS
HindTerminals 06/1207/12 06/12 0900 MSC York VII IP449A Callao, La Guaira, Paita, Puerto Cabello, Puerto Angamos, Iquique, 13/1214/12 13/12 0900 MSC Greenwich IP450A
Valparaiso,Cartagena,Coronel,San Antonio,Santiago De Cuba,Mariel (Himalaya Express)
Globelink Globelink WW USA, East & West Coast.
Agency New York, Charleston, Huston, Freeport. Hind Terminals 05/1206/12 TBA 1000 MSC Silvana VIII IU448A
Kotak Global Kotak Global US East, West & Gulf Coast (INDUS)
TBATBA CMA CGM Nabucco 0INIJW1 OOCL OOCL(I) Other US East Coast Ports. Dronagiri-2 14/1215/12
TBATBA CMA CGM La Scala 0INILW1
ONE Line ONE (India) India America Express (INDAMEX) (INDAMEX)
COSCO COSCO Shpg. Indial Indial Shpg. US East Coast & South America
ICC Line Neptune New York,Norfolk,Charleston,Miami,Baltimore,Houston & Other Ports. GDL/Dron.-3 Team Lines Team Global Log. Norfolk, Charleston. ConexTerminal Pegasus Maritime Noble Shipping US East Coast & West Coast Dronagiri-1 Kotak Global Kotak Global US East, West & Gulf Coast
01/1202/12
TBATBA Colombo Express 4148 Q1952 1110237-08/11 Hapag ISS Shpg. New York, Norfolk, Charleston, Savannah ULA CFS 09/1210/12 TBATBA Tirua 4149 (TPI/INDAMEX) TO
LOAD FOR USA, CANADA, ATLANTIC, PACIFIC, SOUTH AMERICAN & WEST INDIES PORTS from GTI
TBATBA Inter Sydney 0168 Q2014 1111000-15/11 Interworld Efficient Marine Bandar Abbas, Chabahar (BMM) Alligator Shpg. Aiyer Shpg. Bandar Abbas, Chabahar.
TBATBA Maersk Columbus 447W Q1919 1109855-06/11 Maersk Line Maersk India Salallah. (MECL) Maersk CFS
01/1202/12 TBATBA Marathopolis 449S Q1920 1109856-06/11 Maersk Line Maersk India Port Qasim, Salallah. (MWE SERVICE) Maersk
FOR
In Port 27/11 Celsius Nairobi 0921 Q1988 1110828-13/11 X-Press Feeders Sea Consortium Khalifa, Jebel Ali. 01/1203/12 TBATBA SCI Mumbai 24047 Q2054 1111941-21/11 UnifeederUnifeeder Basra. (ASX) QNL/Milaha Poseidon Shpg. Jebel Ali, Bandar Abbas. Speedy CFS Alligator Shpg. Aiyer Shpg. Jebel Ali. Cordelia Cordelia Cont. West Asia Gulf Ports. Bay Line Freight Conn. Port Sudan & Al Sokhna
28/1129/11 TBATBA Cap San Sounio 447W Q1916 1109854-06/11 Maersk Line Maersk India Salallah (ME 2) Maersk CFS
LOAD FOR WEST ASIA GULF PORTS From BMCT
27/1128/11 TBATBA Future 024W Q1972 1110504-11/11 COSCO COSCO Shpg. Khalifa, Jebel Ali, Sharjah, Bahrain 11/1212/12 TBATBA Sprinter 063 Q1983 1110720-13/11 OOCL OOCL (I) (AGI-2) 28/1129/11 TBATBA SM Neyyar 447W Q2012 1111096-15/11 Maersk Line Maersk India Jebel Ali Maersk CFS
04/1205/12 TBATBA Seaspan Jakarta 448W Q1948 1110213-08/11 Global Feeder Sima Marine Jebel Ali, Bandar Abbas. (SHE) Dronagiri 28/1129/11 26/11 1100 Hyundai Platinum 0089W Q2028 1111403-18/11 HMM HMM Shpg Karachi (FIM West Bound)
TBATBA Zhong Gu Ji Nan 24007E COSCO COSCO Shpg. (AIS SERVICE)
TBATBA Xin Pu Dong 278 Emirates Emirates Shpg. Port Kelang, Hongkong, Qingdao, Kwangyang, Pusan,Ningbo, Shekou, Singapore Dronagiri-2 26/1127/11 26/11 2100 An Tong Da Lian 2402W Q2002 1111012-14/11 Sinolines Transorient Shanghai, Ningbo, Shekou & Other Far East Ports. (CIW)
25/1126/11
TBATBA Hyundai Saturn 0047E Q1939 1110191-01/11 HMM HMM Shpg. Singapore, Da Chan Bay, Busan, Kwangyang, Seabird CFS 30/1101/12
Our ambition is to become the most efcient and least expensive port: JNPA Chairman
Cont’d. from Pg. 3
Wagh stated that publicprivate partnership (PPP) was the “way forward for the Indian ports sector and that ports should be run on the landlord model”.
“Mundra and J N Port are not competing but are complementing each other. Instead of saying competition, our common area is the northern hinterland, which is NCR, Delhi,” he said Distance-wise, Mundra Port has an advantage over J N Port because it is closer to the northern hinterland. Besides, Mundra Port is already linked to the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC).
“We are still waiting, and we have to wait till next year to get connected to the DFC,” Wagh informed.
The haulage cost of northern cargo is almost 30 percent less in Mundra Port.
“Then, what is left for us? We cannot sit and wait for that (DFC connectivity) to come. So, we decided to cut down other costs in J N Port and when we decided to cut down costs, we also thought that we will pass on all the cost reduction to the trade,” he said.
Earlier, the factory-stuffed export container incurred some Rs10,000 per twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU).
“We have reduced it to Rs150 per TEU in the centralised parking plaza and we passed on all that benefit to the trade. We could have charged Rs 5,000 a container, still the trade would have been happy because that is a 50 percent reduction, but we passed on 99 percent to the trade so that we want to be competitive and our export cargo should be competitive,” he stated.
In the case of direct port delivery (DPD), the Customs Department said that 80 percent of the import containers can directly go the hinterland; they don’t have to wait for the Customs because Customs clearance will be done before the cargo reaches the port.
“But some of the importers are not in a position to take the cargo directly to the factories or warehouses due to logistic issues. So, we have decided to create a DPD warehousing in J N Port so that they can keep their cargo for three four days, almost free of cost. We will charge a little for that and there also we will only charge for the services rendered. We will recover that cost only with a small extra so that it should be sustainable in future. That will reduce the cost of imports through J N Port further,” Wagh noted.
In another key initiative to cut costs, J N Port Authority is creating a big empty container yard in the port to help faster turnaround of empty containers by reducing the time taken for turnaround to 20 percent shortly
“We will make it so efficient that J N Port will be the most efficient and least expensive port not only in India but also in the world. That is our ambition,” Wagh said.
With J N Port completely exhausting capacity by 2029, plans are underway to build a new port at Vadhvan.
“It will also become a role model because it will just copy paste what is happening here in J N Port. You can say it is a laboratory experiment for Vadhvan.
The new port will further reduce the costs because it is closer to the northern hinterland,” he pointed out.
“J N Port and Mundra Port are not competitors; they complement each other because in the end what is important to all of us is that our trade should be competitive in the world market. Even if we earn less we should do more volumes so that our profit will remain the same and in the end the Indian trade will benefit and I am quite sure that once we cut down the costs, other ports will also follow suit and that is our aim. We should not add to the logistic cost of doing business rather we should reduce it further,”
Wagh explained
J N Port Authority has been successful in adopting the PPP model for privatising cargo terminals and allied facilities such as the port run hospital.
The port has eight PPP projects – seven cargo terminals, one hospital with one more facility –agro processing unit – to be awarded soon to a private entity.
The PPP initiative in JNPA, according to Wagh, is “almost settled”.
“We are guiding other ports so that they should base their PPP on JNPA’s model,” he asserted.
On asking how has the PPP helped the port authority achieve its goal?
He replied, “I can give you an important example of the last terminal which we handed over on PPP basis to a consortium of J M Baxi Ports and Logistics and CMA Terminals Two years back we handed it over to the private operator and this is the second year of operations under a private entity We were incurring loss of Rs 200 crore when the port authority was running the terminal and this year, we will get Rs 300 crore in royalty and the concessionaire is also making profit So, they are profitable We covered Rs200 crore loss and is earning Rs300 crore in royalty revenue What does this mean? It means there are inherent inefficiencies which the port authority was not able to overcome I don’t want to go into the reasons behind it, but this was a fact that we were making losses and now we are making profit ”
“Private operators bring in a lot of expertise, not only the investment. That is one important criterion but investment was not the criteria when we went for PPP for the last terminal because JNPA has the money but the expertise, the new technology and processes and the experience that we get with this PPP, that helps the port not only become more efficient, more profitable but also more productive,” Wagh said.
“That not only help us but also help the trade because in the end you pass on most of the benefits to the trade. That way, our experience in PPP is very positive and I think this should be the way forward for the Indian ports sector that ports should be run on the landlord model Port authorities should do other things like talking to various agencies like road, rail, revenue and the Government as a concession authority and all the basic job at the terminal and at the yard should be done by the private sector,” he added.
Sea-Intelligence : 2024-Q3 major carrier EBIT
C O P E N H A G E N : T h e m a j o r carriers have reported a combined 2024-Q3 EBIT of USD 17.06bn, which is a 600% increase Y/Y – the Y/Y increase is discounting ZIM who reported a onetime non-cash impairment loss of USD 2.06bn in 2023-Q3; including this figure would over-inflate Y/Y growth for 2024Q3. This is on the back of a USD 6.12bn EBIT in 2024-Q2.
Of these 9 reporting carriers, 8 have reported EBIT of over USD 1bn, of which 3 have reported EBIT of over USD 2bn. COSCO had the highest 2024Q3 EBIT of USD 4.71bn. Even with the highest EBIT, COSCO did not have the
highest EBIT/TEU as they also grew their global volumes by 10.8%. Their EBIT/TEU of 716 USD/TEU was surpassed by ZIM’s EBIT/TEU of 1,273 U
(567 USD/TEU), and Maersk (446 USD/TEU).
Given these results, it seems as though the market is in a conflicted state. While this is clearly not pandemic level profitability, it is also higher than any “normal” Q3. It seems as if the current supply chain disruptions have jolted the market enough to drive up freight rates, increase volumes (only
profitability to a level not seen across the pre-pandemic decade, but not enough to increase these figures to the highs seen during 2021-2022.
Commerce Secretary visits Norway for implementation of Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA)
…TEPA to boost 99.6% of Indian exports with Market Access to EFTA countries and drive $100 billion investment
NEW DELHI : The Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Shri Sunil Barthwal, accompanied by senior officials, visited Norway on 22nd November 2024. The visit was aimed at furthering the objectives of Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) and unlocking the large market in EFTA countries for Indian exports of goods & services and push for early implementation of $100 bn investment. TEPA was signed in March 2024.
TEPA is a modern and ambitious Trade Agreement which India signed with four developed nations - an important economic bloc in Europe The agreement will give a boost to Make in India and provide opportunities to the young & talented workforce. EFTA is offering 92.2% of its tariff lines which
covers 99 6% of India’s exports The EFTA’s market access offer covers 100% of non-agri products and tariff concession on Processed Agricultural Products (PAP). India is offering 82.7% of its tariff lines which covers 95.3% of EFTA exports India has offered 105 sub-sectors to the EFTA and secured commitments in 114 from Norway TEPA would stimulate our services exports in sectors of our key strength / interest such as IT services, business services, personal, cultural, sporting and recreational services, other education services, audio-visual services etc. Services offered from EFTA include better access through digital delivery of Services (Mode 1), commercial presence (Mode 3) and improved commitments and certainty for entry and temporary stay of key
personnel (Mode 4).
TEPA will give impetus to “Make in India” and Atmanirbhar Bharat by encouraging domestic manufacturing in sectors such as Infrastructure and C
Chemicals, Food Processing, Transport and Logistics, Banking and Financial Services and Insurance.
TEPA is expected to accelerate the creation of a large number of direct jobs for India’s young aspirational workforce in the next 15 years in India, including better facilities for vocational and technical training. TEPA also facilitates technology collaboration a
technologies in precision engineering, health sciences, renewable energy, Innovation and R&D.
Transport assets worth $400 bn in India exposed to climate hazards: Report
MUMBAI : Transport assets worth approximately USD 575 billion in South Asia, including USD 400 billion in India, are exposed to climate hazards and rapid deployment of resilience measures needed to prevent risk to the sector which contributes significantly to the region’s GDP , according to a report.
The South Asian region faces cascading economic losses due to climate risks, with disruptions in transport having cascading effects on key sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, and services among others, as per the report jointly published by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).
With the frequency and severity of climate events in South Asia escalating sharply in recent years, the cost of inaction in South Asia is staggering and without strategic interventions, climate
development progress, the report titled ‘Transport Infrastructure Reimagined: Forging Resilient Connections ‘An Integrated Framework to Unlocking ResilienceDividendsforSouthAsia’said
“With USD 400 billion worth of transport assets in India being severely exposed to the perils of disaster and climate change, rapid deployment of resilience measures is a must; innovation has a major role to play,” Vineet Vijayavargia, Managing Director and Partner at BCG said in a statement.
According to the report, in South A
approximately USD 575 billion are exposed to climate hazards as of 2022, posing risks to a sector that contributes four to eight per cent of the region’s GDP
“These risks extend beyond direct physical damage, as disruptions in
transport networks can trigger
interconnected economic systems,
m
manufacturing schedules, and overall economic output,” it added.
“India accounting for 80 per cent of the South Asian region’s asset exposure to geo-climatic hazards stands at an opportune moment to avert significant infrastructure losses by adopting an i n t e g r a t e d a p p r o a c h t o e m b e d resilience across existing and planned projects,” said Anirban Mukherjee, Managing Director and Partner at BCG.
CDRI Director General, Amit Prothi said, “The climate challenges facing South Asia are immense, but so are the o p p o r t u n i t i e s B y r e i m a g i n i n g transport infrastructure through a resilience lens, we can unlock significant economic, environmental, and societal dividends for the region.
Majority of steel imports under FTAs, making any duty hike ineffective, says Steel Secretary
NEW DELHI : Around 62 per cent of steel imports are landing from FTA countries at nil duty and any duty hike will not have any impact on these shipments, Steel Secretary Sandeep Poundrik said recentlywhile acknowledging that there is a genuine p r o b l e m o f s u p p l y g l u t d u e toincreased imports.
His comments have come against the background of domestic steel players raising concerns over rising cheap steel imports from select n a t i o n s , a f f e c t i n g t h e i r competitiveness The domestic industry has also sought an increase in customs duty on steel products to check belowcost shipments.
Speaking at a Ficci event here, the S t e e l S e c r e t a r y e v e n i f t h e government raises the basic customs duty on imports, the move will not have the desired impact as 62 per cent
of the shipments entering India from FTA nations There is a genuine problem and the ministry is aware of that, Poundrik said adding that there are multiple ways to protect the domestic industry but the only problem is that 62 per cent of imports are from FTA countries.
“So, if we increase basic customs duty, there is no impact on these 62 per cent imports because there is no duty,” the Secretary said.
He also said there have been concerns for almost a year, especially in the last few months that dumping is happening at the international level and steel prices have come down.
Indian imports in the first half of this financial year increased by around 41 per cent and exports have gone down by 36 per cent.
The inventory levels in steel companies have increased from
normal 15-16 days to up to 30 days, he said adding the industry is facing a genuine problem.
He also said that the steel demand has expanded by 13 per cent in the first half of the year and per capita steel consumption is heading towards 100 kg. The installed capacity stands at 180 million tonnes (MT) and another 120 MT is to be installed by 2030 to meet the 300 MT target.
According to BigMint, India’s steel imports were at 5.51 million tonnes (MT) in April-September 2024-25, higher from 3.66 MT in the yearago period, Imports from China surged to 1.85 MT during that period from 1.02 MT in April-September period of financial year 2023-24, it said.
India has free trade agreements (FTA) with countries like Japan, South Korea, Mauritius and the ASEAN bloc.
Steel retaliation: India cautiously weighs proposed duties on EU goods
KOLKATA : India is stepping cautiously on its proposed imposition of retaliatory duties on EU goods for wrongful extension of safeguard tariffs on its steel as it is weighing diplomatic considerations such as action by other countries similarly hurt by the measures and an assessment of overall trade relations with the bloc, sources have said.
“New Delhi made it clear this September that it believes that the safeguard duties imposed on Indian steel by the EU are wrongful when it informed the WTO of its proposed retaliatory duties on imports from the bloc. However, it has still not gone ahead with the move as several diplomatic factors need to be considered given that the EU is a valuable trade partner,” an official tracking the matter said.
The EU imposed safeguard
measures in 2019 after the US imposed additional duties on its steel i m p o r t s d u r i n g t h e Tr u m p Administration. It was in the form of Tariff-Rate-Quotas (TRQs) reflecting traditional trade flows, above which a 25 per cent duty was levied on imports, and it was applied for a five year period till June 2024.
“Several countries affected by the safeguard duties including India, Russia, Brazil, China and Turkey had tried to convince the EU to withdraw the duties and later not to extend the duties beyond June 2024 as the move was not in line with WTO rules However, the EU went ahead and extended the safeguard duties for another two years till 2026,” the official noted.
I n S e p t e m b e r 2 0 2 4 , I n d i a submitted to the WTO that it reserved its right to effectuate a proposed
suspension of concessions to the EU, equivalent to the hit taken by its industry because of the extension of the safeguard measures.
“India hereby informs that from 2018 to 2023 the safeguard measures have resulted in cumulative trade loss for India to the tune of $ 4.412 billion on which the duty collection would be $ 1.103 billion. Accordingly, India’s proposed suspension of concessions would result in an equivalent amount of duty collected from products originating in the EU,” per India’s submission to the WTO
To ensure the effective exercise of its right to suspend substantially equivalent concessions or other obligations referred to in Article 8.2, India reserves its right to effectuate t h e p r o p o s e d s u s p e n s i o n immediately and adjust the products as well as the tariff rates, it added.
Bangladesh Govt approves rice import from India
D H A K A : T h e B a n g l a d e s h Government has approved a proposal from the Ministry of Food to import 50,000 tons of non-basmati parboiled rice from India through an open tender process. The total expenditure for the purchase will amount to Tk282.96 crore.
The decision was finalized at a
meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchases, chaired by Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, at the Secretariat recently According to meeting sources, the Indian company M/s SAEL Agri Commodities Limited will supply the rice. This follows the earlier approval by the Advisory Council
Committee on Economic Affairs for importing 500,000 tons of rice from international sources during the 202425 fiscal year to address state emergencies and ser ve public interest.
The cost of the 50,000 tons of rice is estimated at
, amounting to $23.58 million.
DGFT launches probe into Indian sugar exports to Maldives being diverted to Lanka
NEW DELHI : The DirectorateGeneral of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has launched a probe into sugar exports from India to Maldives under a bilateral treaty being diverted to Sri Lanka, trade sources said.
On October 25, it was reported that some exporters allegedly misused a part of the 64,494.33 tonnes of sugar allocated by the Centre for exports to Maldives under a bilateral agreement between the two countries. Following this, the DGFT launched a probe and trade sources said sugar exports to Maldives have come to a halt.
The sources said at least seven parcels of sugar set to be exported to Maldives have been detained at the Nhava Sheva port on the suspicion that it was being diverted to some
otherorigin
Bilateral pact
On the other hand, Sri Lankan Customs officials have detained about 70 containers of Indian sugar diverted to Colombo after an alert according to a report.
On April 5, 2024, the DGFT issued a notification under a bilateral agreement with Maldives permitting rice, wheat flour, dal, sugar, eggs, potatoes and onions, besides stone aggregate and river sand.
Though India did not allow sugar exports in the 2023-24 season (September-October) because of a decline in production, it allowed shipments of limited quantities to a few countries such as Maldives.
Later on April 15, 2024, the DGFT
said the exports of commodities under the bilateral treaty would be permitted only through Mundra, Tuticorin and Nhava Sheva sea ports besides the Inland Container Depot, Tughlakabad.
At standstill
Following the launch of the investigation into the diversion, exports of sugar to Maldives have almost come to a standstill Trade sources said Sri Lanka officials have stopped clearances at Colombo. They have begun a separate probe against the buyers based in Lanka.
Over 80 container loads of sugar f r o m t h e c o u n t r y, p e r m i t t e d for exports to Maldives, landed i n C
mid-October
Government aims to cut red tape and accelerate Port infrastructure
NEW DELHI : Govt mulls greater autonomy for major ports to boost efficiency and reduce bureaucratic delays. In its drive to transform state-
o w n e d p o r t s i n t o s e l f- r e l i a n t commercial hubs, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways is exploring plans to enhance decisionmaking autonomy for India’s 12 major ports, officials close to the matter revealed.
A key proposal under review would empower these ports to independently manage their capital expenditure (capex), provided it is financed through internal resources. This shift aims to deepen the corporatisation of major ports, reducing bureaucratic dependency and fostering operational efficiency
“This initiative could unlock greater flexibility and efficiency in p o r t m a n a g e m e n t , ” a s e n i o r Government official noted “By allowing ports to leverage their resources, we can streamline infrastructure development and meet evolving trade demands more effectively
Over 10,000 steel user units are facing a crisis due to prolonged port delays and burdensome regulatory requirements, and the government should look at streamlining import processes and digitise systems to help the sector, think tank GTRI said on Monday. The Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) also said that policies aimed at protecting
development
domestic steelmakers, including import restrictions and quality
c o n t r o l m e a s u r e s , h a v e unintentionally penalised industries dependent on imported steel.
Over 10,000 units are struggling with operational and financial challenges, threatening their production and export capabilities, it added. It also said that Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) need careful scrutiny as some FTAs allow Indian fir ms to partner with foreign producers and re-import steel at concessional rates, raising concerns about competition. “Port delays and red tape are choking India’s steel user industries Over 10,000 steel user units face financial strain due to delays at ports and unclear regulatory requirements. Essential imports for manufacturing industries face excessive scrutiny,” GTRI Founder Ajay Srivastava said.
To m o n i t o r i m p o r t s , t h e government introduced the Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS), requiring detailed declarations before goods arrive Additionally, Quality Control Orders (QCOs) mandate registration with the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) for specific steel products However, he said, C u s t o m s h a s e x t e n d e d t h e s e requirements indiscriminately, demanding BIS No Objection Certificates (NOCs) even for items outside the QCO’s scope.
“This creates confusion, delays,
and added costs, as BIS rarely issues NOCs promptly. Compounding the problem, the Steel Ministry’s Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS) for registering consignments often malfunctions, further delaying clearances,” Srivastava said. India’s steel user industry urged the G o v e r n m e n t t o e n s u r e c l e a r, transparent, and efficient processes. If import restrictions are necessary, the GTRI said, they should be implemented through well-defined policies rather than procedural roadblocks.
To e n s u r e t h e g r o w t h a n d competitiveness of both steelmakers and steel user industries, the Government should take steps such as streamlining import processes, digitizing systems, and focusing on the domestic production of highquality specialty steel are critical “Without these measures, policyinduced bottlenecks could harm the broader economy and undermine India’s aspirations for global manufacturing leadership,” the think tank said, adding QCOs should be mandatory only for steel made domestically in sufficient quantities and there is a need to revamp SIMS. India’s steel industry can be divided into two categories — steelmaking firms and steel-user industries. The user industries use steel to create value-added products like flat and long steel items, specialty steel, stainless steel, and fabricated component.
SHIPPING MOVEMENTS AT GUJARAT PORTS
TODAY’S TIDE 25/11/2024
Cargo Steamer's Agent's ETD Jetty Name Name
CJ-I VACANT
CJ-II Ruby Confidence B S Shipping 28/11
CJ-III Future ID DBC 26/11
CJ-IV Nord Tokyo Mihir & Co. 27/11
CJ-V Thor Niramit Mihir & Co. 29/11
CJ-VI Flora DBC 30/11
CJ-VII Incredible Blue Anline Shpg. 28/11
CJ-VIII Iyo Sea Rishi Shpg. 27/11
CJ-IX Sambhu Sagar Inayat Cargo 28/11
CJ-X Happy Trader Samudra 30/11
CJ-XI VACANT CJ-XII VACANT
CJ-XIII Pan Spirit Cross Trade 29/11
CJ-XIV Clipper Brunello B S Shipping 28/11
CJ-XV African Finfoot Aditya Marine 27/11
CJ-XVA Savita Naree Trueblue 26/11
CJ-XVI African Arrow Cross Trade 28/11
TUNA VESSEL'S NAME AGENT'S NAME ETD CSSC Rotterdam Seascape 23/11
OIL JETTY VESSEL'S NAME AGENT'S NAME ETD
OJ-I
OJ-II World Performance V Ocean 26/11 OJ-III Sinar Mendawai Seaport S 26/11
24/11 24/11-AM Melbourne Bridge 2407 4114232 Global Feeder Sima Marine Port Kelang, Busan, Gwangyang (CSC)
PORTS
24/11 24/11-AM Wan Hai 627 19E 4114173 Heung A / WHL Sinokor (I) / WHL Port Kelang, Shekou, Dalian, Shanghai, Ningbo, Hongkong (C16) 25/11 01/12 01/12-AM GSL Christen 448E 4114218 X-Press Feeder Sea Consortium Singapore, Dalian, Xingang, Qingdao, Busan, Kwangyang, 02/12 Maersk Line Maersk India Ningbo, Tanjung, Pelepas, Port Kelang (NWX) 02/12 01/12-PM Inter Sydney 168 4114345 Interworld Efficient Marine China (BMM) 03/12 TBA Asyad Line Seabridge Marine Haiphong, Laem Chaban, Jakarta (IEX) TO LOAD FOR INDIAN SUB CONTINENT
23/11 Seatrade Peru (V-931S) OOCL India Jebel Ali 24/11 Melbourne Bridge (V-2407) 4114232 Parekh Marine Nhava Sheva
CB-2
24/11 Wan Hai 627 (V-19E) 4114173 Wan Hai Line Nhava Sheva 24/11 Maersk Brownsville (V-447W)4114227 Maersk India Nhava Sheva 25/11 Cap San Sounio (V-447W) 4114110 Maersk India Jebel Ali
Inter Sydney (V-167) Bandar Abbas 20-11-2024 X-Press Carina (V-24046E) Port Kelang 21-11-2024 Maersk Cape Town(V-447S) Port Qasim 21-11-2024
ADANI MUNDRA CONTAINER TERMINAL (AMCT)
Hyundai Mars 49W 2404158 Hyundai Seabridge Maritime Jeddah, Damietta, Piraeus, Genoa, Valencia, Barcelona (FIM WEST)
NEW DELHI : DLF Tower A, 1201-1202, 12th Floor, Jasola District Center, Jasola, New Delhi 110 025. Tel: +91 11 4312 1700 | Fax: +91 11 4312 1701 | Email : del@ekmtc.com
MUNDRA/GANDHIDHAM : Rabindranath Tagore Road, Plot No. 335 I and II Floor, Sector 1A, Near Olso Circle, Gandhidham, District : Kutch Gujarat 370 201. Tel: +91 2836 237011 | Email : gdm@ekmtc.com
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