India is going to change the face of rail transport with its first hydrogen-fuelled train, to be tested on a route between Haryana's Jind and Sonipat stations. Designed by the Research, Design, and Standard Organisation (RDSO), this is an initiative that makes India one among a small group of nations looking into hydrogen as a fuel for the railways. The hydrogen train is a first-of-its-kind large-scale endeavour in the world. It is likely to be tested for the last time in the first quarter of the next year. RDSO has designed it with much care and added modern utility and innovation to make it on par with the global level. The project was first introduced in December 2021, when the design was presented during the International Innovative Rail Expo in Lucknow. While hydrogen fuel has been tested in road transport, its application in railways is still in its nascent stages worldwide. India's advancements in this domain signify a major leap toward sustainable energy," said RDSO Director General Uday Borwankar while highlighting the features of the train. The hydrogen-powered train has eight passenger coaches with a carrying capacity of 2,638 passengers per trip. Additionally, three more coaches have space for hydrogen cylinders and store integrated fuel cell converters, batteries, and air reservoirs. At a maximum speed of 110 km/h, this train is suited for shorter distances, and it has already been integrated at the Chennai Integral Coach Factory. Hydrogen-powered trains generate electricity through the reaction of fuel cells combining hydrogen and oxygen to power the motor. While Germany and China are leading the way in hydrogen rail transport, success remains on smaller scales. In Germany, for example, there are hydrogen trains that run only two coaches. India's hydrogen train will not only represent the nation's commitment to green energy but also place it ahead of the pack in regards to sustainable transportation. Officials have unofficially referred to the train as "Namo Green Rail," but indicated that the name will come at launch. The nation breathes in as it eagerly awaits the trial run while this ambitious project reaffirms India's strides toward a greener, cleaner future in rail mobility.
The first shipments on a newly-launched railway line from the Myanmar border to the key commercial hub of Chengdu in western China, that provides China a new road-rail transportation channel to the Indian Ocean, were delivered last week, state media reported on Tuesday. A “test cargo” through what is being called the China-Myanmar New Passage arrived at the Chengdu rail port in Sichuan province on August 27, the official China News Service reported. The transport corridor involves a sea-road-rail link. Goods from Singapore reached Yangon Port, arriving by ship through the Andaman Sea of the northeastern Indian Ocean, and were then transported by road to Lincang on the Chinese side of the Myanmar-China border in Yunnan province. The new railway line that runs from the border town of Lincang to Chengdu, a key trade hub in western China, completes the corridor. “This passage connects the logistics lines of Singapore, Myanmar and China, and is currently the most convenient land and sea channel linking the Indian Ocean with southwest China,” the China News Service said, adding that "the one-way journey saves 20 to 22 days.” China also has plans to develop another port in Kyaukphyu in the Rakhine state, including a proposed railway line from Yunnan directly to the port, but the progress there has been stalled by unrest in Myanmar.
The automotive manufacturing sector works on ‘Just-In-Time’ model for the supply chains of its parts and components. Automotive manufacturers require highly reliable logistics services that can move their raw material and finished products on precise schedules to ensure uninterrupted production processes. For years several of these manufacturers based in and around Gurugram, northern part of India, have been dependent on staggered and unscheduled rail movement for their cargo going in and out of the country. Delayed imports hamper production schedules while delayed exports pile up inventories for the manufacturers. In response to the needs of the automotive sector, Maersk India has launched the first ‘Automotive Express’ whose first run was virtually flagged off on 18th April 2021 by Denmark’s Ambassador to India, His Excellency Freddy Svane. “Manufacturing is an extremely important building block of our country’s economy. As a service provider to this critical segment, our goal is to streamline their supply chains and offer highest levels of reliability” commented Vikash Agarwal, Managing Director, Maersk South Asia. He added, “With the ‘Automotive Express’, we are not only simplifying our automotive customers’ supply chains by offering integrated logistics solution that bundles ocean and landside transportation, but are also driving cost and time efficiencies through precisely scheduled movement of their cargo.” “GatewayRail is excited to jointly launch the new ‘Automotive Express’ with Maersk that connects customers to their global import and export destinations through the MECL and FI3 services at APM Terminals Pipavav Port. GatewayRail has been a pioneer in innovative intermodal services such as the ‘Ship to Rail Service’ and now the ‘Automotive Express’ and is proud to be the intermodal operator of choice for Maersk India” said Sachin Bhanushali, Director & CEO, Gateway Rail Freight. This new rail service runs from the Garhi Harsaru Inland Container Depot (ICD) in Gurugram to APM Terminals Pipavav Port for exports and return with import cargo. It will have the capacity to move 180 TEUs (Twenty Feet Equivalent Containers) each way and will support more than 25 customers from one of the most important automotive manufacturing belts of India. The customers booking their cargo on ‘Automotive Express’ will also have priority discharge from the port for higher reliability and to keep their supply chains on schedule. The ‘Automotive Express’ will connect the cargo to Maersk’s ocean transportation services from APM Terminals Pipavav to North American as well as Far East and South East Asian markets on the MECL service for exports and FI3 and MECL services for imports. With this new service, Maersk is taking a step forward towards strengthening its landside transportation offering in the country. By connecting key manufacturing hubs and ports through a solid network of trucking, rail and depots, Maersk is bringing a reliable and tailored solution to its customers. Maersk also runs other dedicated rail services for its customers that offer the movement of agricultural produce, retail, apparel, furniture and stones from several states across North India for export and import. Maersk runs two dedicated rail services for exports and four dedicated rail services for imports in collaboration with GatewayRail and has completed around 200 dedicated trips in past two years.
The CMA CGM Group and The Thar Dry Port (A unit of Hasti Petro Chemical & Shipping) jointly received their first-ever block train. This new service is the first block train by a shipping line between Mundra and Thar Dry Port (ICD) at Sanand, Gujarat. The fully loaded 90-TEU train was flagged off from Mundra port on April 02 and was received at ICD Sanand on April 03 in the presence of representatives from The Thar Dry Port and CMA CGM India. Fixed window and dedicated train service for Sanand for import shipments The new weekly block train service is the first and only block train service by any shipping line, for Ahmedabad, Ex- Mundra. The train provides fixed window and dedicated service for customer import shipments ensuring a reliable departure schedule. The schedule departure of train from Mundra Port will be on every Saturday/Sunday. This new service from Mundra to Sanand offers customers effective cargo handling and provides priority loading for urgent import shipments with no additional cost. Another key feature of the service is to have no partial loading from Mundra, as all the containers will arrive together as per bill of lading (BL). Going forward, the CMA CGM Group is planning on streamlining the service even more to have a priority connection with the Group’s Indamex and EPIC services, two major services of CMA CGM India, calling the Gujarat region. CMA CGM, an expert in intermodal solutions committed to meeting its customers’ needs The CMA CGM Group is an industry pioneer offering customised, innovative and customer centric intermodal solutions for seamless continental connections. This new block train service is another example of the Group’s commitment to offering its Indian customers the best service, wherever they are located in the country. CMA CGM is developing sustainable door-to-door solutions to allow its customers to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of their transported goods. Compared to cargo movement via truck, the block train option reduces CO2 emissions by up to 67%. Present in India for more than 30 years, the CMA CGM Group employs 4,700 staff members in India. It connects the country to the rest of the world with 12 services making 12 calls weekly. On the launch of this block train service, Atit Mahajan, Managing Director, CMA CGM India said, “CMA CGM is the pioneer in providing a seamless and connected intermodal network in India, and we are pleased to team up with Hasti Petro Chemical & Shipping Ltd to serve India’s hinterland and meet our customers’ needs across the country.” Hasti Petro Chemical & Shipping Limited (HPCSL), a leading logistics supply chain player Incorporated in 1991, Hasti Petro Chemical & Shipping Limited (HPCSL) is a pioneer and market leader in providing tailor-made intermodal logistics solution for containerised movement of export and import/coastal and domestic cargo by rail and road through ICD’s at Sanand – Gujarat and Jodhpur – Rajasthan under the brand name– The Thar Dry Port. HPCSL has established itself as a trusted tested reliable logistics supply chain partner with dedicated team of professionals in ICD terminal services, 3PL warehousing/transportation distribution, special handling of auto rakes with robust infrastructure at both locations with additional ICDs coming up at Jaipur & Baroda. With an infrastructure consisting of 8 railway rakes, 418 trailers, container handling equipment’s, 100-acre land, 3 lakh sq ft of bonded and non-bonded warehousing, HPCSL handles through put of 1.5 lakh TEUs per annum, currently. HPCSL is a diversified– flagship of different verticals, i.e. petrol pumps, gas agencies, hotels, IMFL blending & bottling plants, and real-estate – and possessing unique management expertise to meet the needs of a wide range of customers. Under the unwavering commitment of Ruchir Parekh, Managing Director and CEO of the Group, the business has grown to unprecedented height with a vision to become one of the largest players in private sector with state of art Inland Container Depots/Container Freight Stations in India.
According to the reports, several companies including Konkan Railway Corporation, Sonu Cargo Movers, Om Logistics, Inland World Logistics (IWL), SSK Devcon, Pal Enterprises have recently participated in the pre-bid meeting to run Roll On-Roll Off (RORO) trains on the dedicated rail freight corridor. RORO trains will enable movement of loaded or unloaded trucks between two points. The pre-bid meeting was said to be held by Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Ltd (DFCCIL), which had invited bids to run Roll On Roll Off on a 636 km track between New Rewari and New Palanpur, and back. Konkan Railway has experience in running RORO trains in the Western region. This section is targeted to be operational in March 2021, and DFCCIL expects to attract many new traffic to the western freight corridor. At present, approximately 2,500-3,000 trucks ply daily between Rewari – Palanpur, according to official sources. All these trucks –with or without load – can simply drive on to a train and that train can move the truck fast between two points. On the freight corridor, traffic will move at 75 km per hour, providing assured transit and delivery time of about 10 hours against 24-36 hours by road. The solution is expected to be attractive in the backdrop of higher diesel prices plaguing transporters on road more than the railways.
For the first time post the COVID-19 pandemic, the cumulative freight revenue of Indian Railways has surged past last year's levels to Rs 98,068.45 crore, as compared to Rs 97,342.14 crore recorded in the corresponding period of the previous year. The Railway Ministry said that on a month-on-month basis as well, the Railways has overtaken last year's freight revenue figures in the first 12 days of February by 5 per cent. The ministry said that on a monthly basis, the freight revenue has surged Rs 206 crore in February 2021 compared to the corresponding period of February last year. It said that as per the estimates, Railways' freight revenue stood at Rs 4,571 crore for the first 12 days of February as compared to Rs 4,365 crore for the same period in the last financial year. It said that incidentally loading is also ahead by almost 8 per cent as compared to the corresponding period of last year. "Railways has achieved this turnaround due to an extraordinary set of new initiatives being taken in improving business development, incentives, speed and customisation," the Railways said. It also said that freight loading has been showing higher figures since August 21 last year as compared to the corresponding period of the previous financial year. "This is for the first time post-COVID lockdown that freight revenue for the month is showing higher estimates as compared to the same period last year," it said. The Railways added that higher freight revenue for the month is a great signal of an all round economic recovery that is sweeping the country and speaks volumes about the new management initiatives being taken in Railways to boost business and further improve freight operations.
Flexibility and reliability in supply chains have become an important aspect for importers and exporters, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic hit global trade last year. Indian exporters have been exploring possibilities of scaling up production and shipping it out of India to global markets. The underlying challenges in the post-COVID ecosystem, however, have limited the opportunities from time to time for such exporters - one of the biggest challenges being that of space availability from certain pockets within the country. One of the largest exporters of iron pipes from the Eastern part of India was facing a similar issue with lack of adequate availability and connectivity of vessels. Maersk, with its commitment towards building integrated container logistics solutions for its customers stepped in to resolve the problem. Building a truly end-to-end solution for the customer, Maersk offered to move the Doha-destined cargo on a dedicated train from Kolkata to Nhava Sheva port - this was the first time that such a movement took place from the East Coast of India to the West Coast - and then connecting the cargo to the required vessel. Not only was the landside transportation taken care of, Maersk also executed export customs clearance of the cargo before loading it on to the vessel. The cargo is expected to reach its destination in Doha over the coming days. Commenting on the historic move in landside logistics in India, Steve Felder, Managing Director, Maersk South Asia said, “At Maersk, we believe in enabling trade by designing solutions that connect and simplify our customers’ supply chains. We have recognised the challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic has triggered in the ecosystem and are innovating solutions that didn’t exist in the past.” He added, “By providing landside movement on rail, customs clearance and ocean shipping out of India, we have offered the customer a truly end to end solution. With the first successful run, we are now looking forward to scaling it up in the coming weeks.”
Singapore Changi Airport experienced a significant boost in air cargo volumes for the second quarter of 2024, handling 485,000 tonnes of airfreight from April to June. This represents a 16% increase compared to the same period last year. The growth is attributed to robust shipment flows between Singapore and major markets including the US and China. Changi Airport Group highlighted that the increase was seen across all cargo categories—exports, imports, and transhipments. The airport’s top five air cargo markets for the period were Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, and the United States. In the year-to-date, Changi Airport has processed a total of 960,000 tonnes of airfreight. The first quarter of 2024 also saw strong performance, with 475,000 tonnes handled, driven by high transhipment activity, particularly with China. Key sectors contributing to the cargo throughput include pharmaceuticals, perishables, e-commerce, and advanced materials like semiconductors. Notable airlines operating cargo flights at Changi include Spice Express, Tasman Cargo Airlines, Atlas Air, DHL Express, and Singapore Airlines, which collaborate on cargo operations. As of July 1, Changi Airport boasts 94 airlines operating over 6,900 weekly scheduled flights, linking Singapore to 158 cities across 50 countries and territories globally. This extensive network supports Changi’s role as a major international cargo hub. The airport’s continued growth in air cargo volumes underscores its importance as a critical logistics and transportation hub in the global supply chain.
AP Moller – Maersk is strengthening its operations in Bangladesh, where it has been serving the country and its exporters connect to the global market for almost three decades. Bangladesh has been one of the most important sourcing markets for the garments and apparel industry worldwide. The garment manufacturers exporting to global markets have significantly contributed towards building the country’s economy. Despite the impressive growth of garments exports from Bangladesh, the number of warehouses in Chattogram have not increased since 2012, with the sole exception of ISATL that became operational in 2018. Optimising utilisation of available capacity assisted to an extent, however it did not scale enough to meet the trade’s requirements. The logistics ecosystem and the Chittagong Port get stretched, particularly during the peak seasons. In 2021, a fallout of this structural challenge was felt by all the stakeholders involved in EXIM trade when the Container Freight Stations (CFSs) got clogged with cargo resulting in delayed clearance, stuffing and consequently dispatch of containers to the port. Delay in offloading cargo also led to longer truck waiting time, and delay in dispatch of containers to the port, consequently resulting in lack of overall productivity. These challenges have serious consequences on the overall economy of the country given the fact that the Chittagong Port handles in excess of 90 per cent of the total containerised trade to and from Bangladesh. Recognising these challenges, Maersk Bangladesh has partnered with Ispahani Summit Alliance Terminal Limited (ISATL) to build a 200,000 sq ft custom bonded warehouse. ISATL are pioneers in constructing and operating warehouses and CFS and operate four CFS within Chattogram and the River Terminal at Dhaka. Under the scope of this partnership, ISATL will construct a brand new custom bonded warehouse within the existing premises of the facility located at Pathortoli in Chattogram. The new warehouse will double the existing capacity at ISATL and add around 8 per cent additional space to the existing ecosystem at Chattogram. The construction of the new CFS has already commenced and is expected to be completed in a phased manner by the end of 2022. Bangladesh’s exporters and their overseas buyers will be able to start using the facility from July 2022, once the first phase of construction is completed. “Maersk’s commitment to connect and simplify our customers’ supply chains means that we look at long term solutions for problems such as the longstanding congestion within the ecosystem. We tackled the situation in 2021 by deploying an additional vessel for evacuating export loaded containers,” said Angshuman Mustafi, Managing Director, Maersk Bangladesh. “The solutions provided immediate relief to the ecosystem, but there was a need for a comprehensive solution to optimise ocean shipping, port handling and inland logistics that would benefit trade in the long term. By partnering with ISALT, we are establishing a facility that has the potential to partially decongest the system from the landside and streamline the flow of cargo in and out of Bangladesh.” Apart from adding capacity, the facility will offer several other benefits to Bangladesh’s exports. Amongst others, the new facility is being built by benchmarking international best practices when it comes to safety and other compliance guidelines. It will be modern multi-storeyed facility in Chattogram which will have storage at G+2 levels, thus making optimal use of available space to maximise the capacity. There will be an option to offer pallets for all operations, thereby improving the overall operational efficiency. Maersk will also offer customers Garment on Hanger facility, sorting, product audit, labelling, bar code and RFID scanning amongst others. “We are proud to partner with Maersk on this exciting long term project where ISATL’s extensive local experience combined with Maersk’s international best practices will allow us to create a truly world-class facility that will help raise the standards for the entire industry,” said Yasser Rizvi, Managing Director, ISATL.
Indian importers and exporters are grappling with significant cargo delays at Mundra Port, the country’s leading container trade hub. Local trade sources have voiced serious concerns about the worsening congestion at Mundra’s container terminals in recent weeks. "The terminals at Mundra now seem to be hugely congested, and the pendency has increased to levels affecting the normal movement of boxes between CFSs and terminals," stated the Container Freight Station Association Mundra in a complaint. The association added, "All the efforts put in by CFSs are not witnessing any improvement, but are rather finding that the situation is deteriorating further." A recent change in the process of issuing port entry permits for freight vehicles by the port authority has been identified as a major source of frustration. According to freight station owners, truckers are experiencing longer waits to move containers due to difficulties in securing entry permits promptly. "Vehicles are stranded on the road for hours together because of this. A corrective measure needs to be discussed with our members and worked out so as to ensure that movement continues without any hassles," explained the CFS association. The congestion has also frustrated container rail operators, as ICD (inland container depot) volumes constitute a significant portion of Mundra’s trade. The Association of Container Train Operators (ACTO) noted in a trade advisory, "There has been increased congestion at Mundra Port due to delays in effectively evacuating import containers in FIFO [first-in, first-out] sequence on time, despite trains being provided for clearance by container train operators [CTOs]." ACTO indicated that Indian Railways has restricted double-stack loading to expedite train evacuation from the port, resulting in additional ground rent charges for traders. Mundra, Adani Ports’ flagship entity, managed 7.4 million TEUs in the fiscal year 2023-24, marking a 15% increase over Nhava Sheva Port. With volumes rapidly expanding, the Adani Group is considering further investment to enhance capacity. "We continue to invest heavily in the business to drive growth, particularly in the logistics segment," stated Adani in a recent announcement.
Lufthansa Cargo has recently expanded its offerings, providing customers with new belly capacities on several attractive routes. Since the start of June, passengers and cargo alike can benefit from direct connections to various destinations, enhancing global connectivity and trade opportunities. Direct flights to North America, including routes from Frankfurt to Minneapolis (MSP) and Raleigh-Durham (RDU) with Lufthansa Airlines, are now available for booking. Additionally, from the Lufthansa Cargo hub in Munich, new connections to Seattle (SEA) three times a week, and daily capacity to Toronto (YYZ) and Vancouver (YVR) are being offered. Austrian Airlines has also introduced a new route, connecting Vienna with Los Angeles (LAX). Discover Airlines has expanded its services from Frankfurt to Halifax (YHZ) and Anchorage (ANC), further widening the reach of cargo transportation. Moreover, Lufthansa Cargo has introduced freighter capacity to Dubai World Central (DWC), providing customers with additional options for handling larger cargo items or special freight. This new service complements the existing belly service from Dubai International Airport (DXB) and offers enhanced flexibility and efficiency in cargo transportation. With a commitment to enhancing global connectivity and trade facilitation, Lufthansa Cargo continues to innovate and expand its service offerings. These new routes and increased capacities underscore Lufthansa Cargo's dedication to meeting the evolving needs of its customers in a rapidly changing global market.
In a momentous event today, PM Modi inaugurated a 77-kilometer-long section of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC), marking a significant milestone in India's ambitious infrastructure development efforts. The inauguration ceremony, held in the presence of key dignitaries and government officials, showcased the country's commitment to enhancing its transportation network. The Western Dedicated Freight Corridor is a game-changing project that aims to revolutionize India's freight transportation sector. The newly inaugurated 77-kilometer section connects key industrial regions, providing a dedicated pathway for the efficient movement of goods. With this achievement, India takes a major step towards reducing logistics costs, boosting manufacturing, and improving the overall economy. PM Modi, while addressing the audience, emphasized the importance of this project in promoting economic growth, generating employment, and reducing the carbon footprint. He noted, "The Western Dedicated Freight Corridor is a testament to India's vision for a modern and efficient transportation system. It will not only enhance our connectivity but also make us a global logistics hub." The event was attended by several Union Ministers and top officials from the Ministry of Railways, underscoring the government's commitment to accelerating infrastructure development in the country.
