Top 5 freight forwarders in Thailand
Thailand had benefited immensely from international economic policies that have liberalized the market for comparative economic advantage. Strategic location, hospitable climate, closeness to vast Asian market and cheap labor are some of the factors that have turned Thailand into global manufacturing destination. From garments, to electronics goods of market leading brands are now manufactured in Thailand. Almost all the leading brands now have a manufacturing unit in the country. Thailand today enjoys a major share in global trade and one of the major trade forms of the nation is export-import. No doubt that freight forwarding has emerged as a growing industry in the nation. Below we have compiled a list of top five freight forwarders in the country.
- World Mega Logistics Co. Ltd.: They are an international freight carrier involved in sea and air transferring from Thailand to several international destinations, namely China, West coast of America, East coast of America, Europe, Mediterranean, Japan, Korea, Middle East, Southeast and South Asia, and Australia. Their service range also encompasses inland transportation, ISO Tank Container operation, custom brokerage etc. They have over 30 years of experience in cargo handling. World Mega Logistics locally is a part of popular Siam Sept Group, which since 1977 is involved in transporting goods at different international locations. The carrier has obtained Gold Class License from the Thailand Custom department.
- Alliance Shipping Services Company Ltd.: Another renowned freight forwarder is Alliance Shipping Services Co. Ltd. They have specialized in offering shipping solutions to countries like China, West coast of America and Southeast Asia. Their services are offered 24*7 by a team of experienced cargo handlers. They offer services including cargo handling and transportation, custom clearance etc.
- GGS Lines: Another freight forwarder of repute in GGS Lines. They offer their services to countries like China, Japan, Korea, Europe and South and Southeast Asia. They are a part of GGS Lines Group of Companies that was established in 2002 by a team of professional custom brokers. They have specialized in offering services on international cargo transfer, customs brokerage and inland transportation. They offer both sea and airfreight transfers as well as door-to-door delivery services.
- KPS International Transport Company Ltd.: This is a recognized market leader in offering complete freight forwarding solutions to clients. Their diverse range of service incorporates warehousing, freight forwarding, distribution, supply chain consultation service etc. They have earned reputation of being trusted logistic partner with their international standard logistic solutions. KPS International mainly focuses on Southeast Asian market to offer their freight forwarding services.
- Good Deal Port Co. Ltd.: The market for international freight carrier in Thailand is a growing one and as a result, many new carrier lines have come up in the recent time. One such name is Good Deal Port Company Ltd. It was established in 2011 by a team of industry professionals who together have over nine years of experience at various aspects of freight forwarding. The carrier offers both international and inland cargo transport solutions.
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Plan to showcase investments at export fair, county leaders urged …
By PONCIANO ODONGO ponwciano@yahoo.co.uk
Posted Saturday, April 27 2013 at 18:03
Kenya will host the sixth African International Export and Import fair in August.
The event organiser has urged county leaders to take advantage of the fair to showcase their investment opportunities.
The managing director of Exhibitions and Events Organisers, Mr Solomon Kinyanjui, said the four-day exhibition will held at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre in Nairobi.
The forum is meant to create an opportunity to establish business relationships with international consumers and offer participants an opportunity to explore joint ventures, exporting, licensing, counter trade, said Mr Kinyanjui.
He said the fair continues to positively contribute to the upgrading and development of export and import trade in Africa through opening channels of interaction and communication between relevant authorities, investors and stakeholders with interest in investing in Africa.
This is an opportunity to actively promote businesses and stimulate global business exchanges, said Mr Kinyanjui.
Some of the products expected to be exhibited are heavy construction equipment, trade finance products, agricultural technology, cargo logistics, medical equipment and pharmaceutical products.
The event will also promote investment opportunities in various counties.
Last year s event attracted three big investors to Kenya who are already warming up to settle, said Mr Kinyanjui.
The fair attracted 400 exhibitors from 100 countries and more than 10,000 visitors from 32 countries.
Among the countries that have shown interest in this year s event are China, United Arab Emirates, Pakistan and Iran.
The annual event has been supported by the government of Kenya through the ministry of Trade and Export Promotion Council for the last six years.
The import and export promotion in Kenya is in line with Vision 2030 whose agenda is to improve infrastructure, ICT and agricultural activities in the arid and semi-arid areas.
Local investors will learn more about export and import financing, cargo handling, international trade documentation, freight services, insurance services on cargo and finance.
Maine's ports increase business, and biofuel companies gear up for …
Searsport: Windmill parts are unloaded because of state and federal funds that improved the port s infrastructure. Courtesy photo
According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau s Foreign Trade Division, from 2000 through November 2010 Maine exports grew 56 percent. With the arrival of a new cargo shipping business to Portland, exports and imports are expected to increase.
To have a major business come to the city and to all of a sudden open up markets to businesses throughout the region, in ways that we haven t in the past, is what we worked for and hoped for, said Portland Mayor Michael Brennan.
Officials drive pillions for the port of Portland s infrastructure improvements in 09 federal grants and state bonds helped the project. Courtesy photo
Eimskip operates a fleet of 17 cargo ships in the North Atlantic and has begun to make port at the Portland International Marine Terminal every two weeks. Many small businesses can t afford to fly their goods overseas, and some have been forced to ship out of Boston. Now they can ship right here to markets in eastern Canada and Europe. Eimskip s import/export shipping service will open up markets to Maine businesses of all kinds.
The real opportunity I see here is for Maine businesses, said John Henshaw, executive director of the Maine Port Authority. It will make shipping cost-effective and open up entirely new markets. There s great opportunity for our seafood processors and agriculture sectors stemming from Eimskip s leadership in refrigerated container logistics.
If a small business only needs to ship a few pallets of goods or a lot of pallets, with Eimskip either are possible. The new availability of shipping a crate or two will encourage small business trade.
Mack Point, in Searsport Maine. The deepwater port s facilities have been enhanced with state, local and federal funds for bulk containers, storage, and to accommodate large ships. Courtesy photo
No other steamship line is servicing the area and hasn t for decades. While Eimskip, an Icelandic company, considered other ports in New England, it ultimately decided to move its North American operations from Norfolk, Virginia to Portland, Maine because of recent waterfront infrastructure improvements, the city s strong seafood and natural resource markets, and Portland s proximity to European ports.
We would have never come if it wasn t for this terminal, said Larus Isfeld, spokesman for Eimskip. His company expects to hire employees to support its Portland operations, and the new service may also create related jobs in trucking, railroads, and warehousing.
The announcement came after years of work by city officials, the Maine Port Authority, private companies, and state government. Former Governor John Baldacci s three-port transportation strategy enhanced the capabilities of Maine s three deepwater ports: Portland, Eastport, and Searsport. With voter-approved bond issues, these ports began capacity and infrastructure improvements; the Recovery Act then provided $14 million in additional funds. The funding also helped improve access to the pier and also improved cargo-handling capabilities.
Now companies like Eimskip can choose Maine over any other deepwater port to move goods and services.
We initiated a three-port strategy based upon these veins of economic development and traffic. We used the three major natural transportation routes that run through our 17 million acres of forestlands for our three-port strategy. The first in Northern Maine is serviced by Eastport. The second is the Millinocket Katahdin region serviced by Searsport, and the third is Portland, said Governor John Baldacci. We re perfectly situated for import and export opportunities. Maine is the portal to North America. In order to ship goods to North America from Europe, Maine is the most convenient entryway. Our ports are busy but not as congested as those in states to our south, and our workers are second to none. Now with the infrastructure improvements we have made, it s heartening to see that we are attracting international business.
Searsport has recently undergone a major reconstruction effort. The port received $7 million from the Recovery Act along with bond funding from the state for investments in a heavy-lift mobile harbor crane and cargo-handling equipment, which has increased import and export activities.
Maine Port Authority s willingness to support infrastructure improvements in our deepwater ports has allowed us to diversify into new product lines, including wind and biofuels, said Jim Therriault, vice president of marketing and materials handling for Sprague Energy.
Eastport, Maine, is looking forward to more companies using the port that has been enhanced with infrastructure improvements. In 2014 wood pellets will be added to their long list of exports being shipped.
Searsport principally imports liquid fuel and energy components. Ships laden with millions of barrels of petroleum and liquid bulk goods, road salt, gypsum rock, windmill components, and petroleum coke docked in Searsport s last year.
You can bring containers into Searsport where the Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway meets and double-stack the containers, one on top of the other, and ship them all the way to Montreal. Containers could be shipped directly to Chicago and then on to the West Coast, said David Cole, former Maine Department of Transportation commissioner, in a previous Maine Insight s article. Cole helped integrate the changes to Maine s ports as part of the three-port strategy.
In addition, the Baldacci administration worked with train companies to extend rail services, hoping to move more goods shipped by rail and take more trucks off the roads, as the return for companies that ship by rail is greater than those that have to rely on trucks. One ton of goods can be shipped 500 miles on a gallon of diesel; by truck, it would take 83 gallons of diesel.
train on its way to tWaterville s intermodel facility has been enhanced. Photo by Ramona du Houx
Pan Am Railways is one such company that worked in partnership with the state. They helped bring the Amtrak Downeaster to Brunswick, as the company owns the tracks the train uses. In addition, improvements to Waterville s intermodal transportation facility were made, in part, with the partnership of Pan Am Railways.
Eimskip will partner with Pan Am Railways to offer cost-competitive access to North American markets.
We are very excited to be working so closely with Pan Am Railwaysthrough Portland, Maine, said Eimskip CEO Gylfi Sigf sson. Pan Am has been very helpful working with us to make this possible, and we believe that our work together is critical for success moving forward.
The potential of exporting wood biofuel energy products
In 2007 the Baldacci Administration began to encourage and highlight the potential of wood pellets as a homegrown sustainable energy source, so residents and businesses would diminish their use of oil, save funds, and help Maine s economy at home and with exporting the commodity.
Maine s natural resources have always been the bedrock of our economic growth. New innovative processes are helping to transition traditional industries for a new era, adding value to our sustainable resources, which is key for our economic development. We once fueled our mills with energy from hydropower; now some mills are creating biofuels that are bringing energy costs down and growing good jobs in our rural communities, said former Governor Baldacci.
Pan Am Railroad s CEO Peter Finch, and state officials with Governor John Baldcci in the center, cut the ribbon for rail improvements in Lewiston, which were partially funded by bonds. Photo by Ramona du Houx
All of Maine s deepwater ports have been gearing up for the burgeoning market in exporting pellets.
For the last several years, there s been a good deal of interest in the potential for exporting wood pellets, said Henshaw.
Eastport installed a conveyor system capable of handling wood pellets and other bulk commodities. The port of Eastport is the deepest natural seaport in the continental U.S. As the easternmost port in the United States, Eastport is the closest deepwater port to European markets.
That proximity gives all of Maine s ports a competitive advantage over southern deepwater ports. With less ocean to cross, the fuel costs diminish. Freight costs from the Northeast of America to Europe are favorable over the Southeast by $4 per ton, increasing to $7 per ton from the Gulf Coast.
Eastport s cargo operations include shipments of wood pulp to destinations as far away as China and shipments of dairy cows and beef cattle to Turkey and Russia.
In February, Thermogen Industries, a subsidiary of Cate Street Capital, announced that they will build a torrefied wood pellet biofuel manufacturing facility in Eastport.
Our clean fuel product, torrefied wood pellets, will be shipped overseas as an alternative fuel for coal-fired power plants that need to reduce harmful emissions, said Cate Street Capital President/CEO John Hall . Locating next to the port of Eastport would greatly reduce our shipping costs while providing new incremental business for the port.
Woodpellets manufacturing has increased in Maine dramatically since 2007. photo by Ramona du Houx
Thermogen uses biomass material that s left behind from wood harvesting operations. Its torrefaction process involves changing the properties of wood using microwave technology, not heat, which creates a black pellet that burns with similar BTU heat output and handling characteristics as coal, but much cleaner. Coal-fired power plants could burn the torrefied wood in lieu of coal to lower emissions and meet increasingly stringent environmental regulation.
Depending on the size of Thermogen s facility, it could create approximately 75 new jobs in Eastport and over 300 woods-based jobs.
Cate Street Capital, an investment group that specializes in renewable energy and green technology projects, bought the Millinocket paper mill after they consulted a study which the Maine Technology Institute (MTI) funded several years ago during the Baldacci administration, which recommended that Maine consider producing thermal, or torrefied, wood. The product has the potential to replace the use of coal. That report, with its recommendations, was key in helping the mill transition, putting workers back on the job.
The future is bright, said Cate Street Capital s Scott Tranchemontagne. We have done our due diligence and are moving forward with torrefied wood.
Congresswoman Chellie Pingree speaks at the celebration of the DownEaster coming to Brunswick. Public and private sectors worked together to make it happen.Photo by Ramona du Houx
By the end of this year, the Millinocket site is expected to start producing torrefied wood products, reaching commercial operations in early 2014. Railroad lines that were used by the former mill owners could be utilized once again.
The Eastport Port Authority asked the state to fund a rail infrastructure upgrade in 2009. But the Republican-controlled legislature and the governor didn t, although the investment would have helped ship bulk commodities like wood pellets.
Searsport is where George Soffron, CEO of Maine-based Corinth Wood Pellets LLC, the first wood pellet manufacturer in Maine, has plans to export pellets in 2014.
F.E. Wood & Sons, with their new 312,000-metric-ton wood pellet plant in Baldwin, intends to export white pellets from Portland to European markets.
They will likely be coal-fired power plants, which are using pellets to displace carbon emissions, said Tony Wood, vice president of F.E. Wood & Sons.
F.E. Wood & Sons are in the process of transforming their 130-year-old business into manufacturing pellets.
Maine has great potential for pellet export, said Wood. European markets are certainly a very exciting place to be working right now!
The mill would have capacity to make 300,000 tons a year and employ 30 workers, with more jobs in the forest and transportation chain. Part of Wood s plan is to use the Mountain Division rail link to Portland for transportation, and initial discussions to move forward with renovating the line started under the Baldacci administration.
We have done a great deal of work to activate the Mountain Division rail link, and there is a fair amount of support through the community and state legislature to see it returned to commercial activity. There are several challenges, but I believe once our facility is operating we will be able to renew our efforts to reactivate the line to our site, said Wood.
In the meantime, it is very exciting to see Portland and Pan Am making investments and improvements to service in the Portland area this has potential to improve throughput and service for our project, as well as helping to open a freight bottleneck for industries in Maine trying to reach East Coast ports and other points in the U.S.
Transportation hub improvements often lead to others. Recently, the Maine Port Authority received a $150,000 federal grant to develop a new type of ship that could help restore cargo shipping between the Portland terminal and East Coast ports.
At the same time, LePage refuses to release a voter-approved bond for more port infrastructure improvements. Eastport and Searsport could see $1.5 million and $17 million respectively from a 2012 bond package.
Shipping freight company to operate out of Portland International …
Company chose Maine because of port improvements made by the state and federal grants
Eimskip, and Icelandic company, operates a fleet of 16 cargo ships in the North Atlantic and will make port at the Portland International Marine Terminal every 14 days. The service will give Maine businesses direct import and export access to markets in eastern Canada and Europe. Eimskip expects to hire employees to support its Portland operations, and the new service may also create related jobs in trucking, railroads and warehousing.
The new shipping service opens up markets to Maine businesses of all kinds. Many small businesses can t afford to fly their goods overseas and some have been shipping out of Boston.
The real opportunity that I see here is for Maine businesses, said John Henshaw, executive director of the Maine Port Authority. It will make shipping cost-effective and open up entirely new markets. There s great opportunity for our seafood processors and agriculture sectors stemming from Eimskip s leadership in refrigerated container logistics.
Small businesses that only want to ship a few pallets of goods with Eimskip will be able to use the container service as well as bigger orders. The availability of shipping a crate or two will be encouraging for small business trade.
While Eimskip considered other ports in New England, it ultimately decided to move its North American operations to Portland because of recent waterfront infrastructure improvements, the city s strong seafood and natural resource markets, and Portland s proxilmty to European ports.
We would have never come if it wasn t for this terminal, said Isfeld, spokesman for Eimskip.
The announcement comes after years of work by city officials, private companies and state government. Governor John Baldacci s Three port transportation strategy enhanced the capabilities of Maine s three deep water ports: Portland, Eastport and Searsport. With voter approved bond issues these ports began infrastructure improvements then the Recovery Act provided $14 million in additional funds. Now companies like Eimskip can choose Maine over Boston to move goods and services.1
We initiated a three-port strategy 2based upon these veins of economic development and traffic. We used the three major natural transportation routes that run through our 17 million acres of forest lands for our three-port strategy. The first in Northern Maine is serviced by Eastport. The second is the Millinocket Katahdin region starts in Searsport, and the third is Portland, said Governor John Bladacci. We re perfectly situated for import and export opportunities. Maine is the portal to North America. In order to ship goods to North America from Europe Maine is the most convenient entry way. Our ports are busy but not as congested as those in states to our south and our workers are second to none. Now with the infrastututre imporvements we have made its heartneing to see that we are attracting international business.
In addition the Baldacci administration worked with train freight companies to extend rail service hoping to move more goods shipped via rail and take more trucks off the roads, as the return for companies that ship by rail is greater than those that have to rely on trucks. Pan Am is one such company.
Eimskip will partner with Pan Am Railways to offer cost-competitive access to North American markets.
We are very excited to be working so closely with Pan Am Railroad through Portland, Maine, said Eimskip CEO, Gylfi Sigfusson. Pan Am has been very helpful working with us to make this possible, and we believe that our work together is critical for success moving forward.
Two months ago the Maine Port Authority received a $150,000 federal grant to develop a new type of ship that could restore cargo shipping between the terminal and East Coast ports. In 2009, the port authority took over operations of the city-owned terminal on West Commercial Street near the Casco Bay Bridge.
The Recovery Act Funds in 2010 were allocated as follows:
$5 million to the International Marine Terminal in Portland for capacity and infrastructure improvements. The funding will help improve access to the pier and also improve cargo-handling capability.
$7 million to Searsport for investments in innovative new equipment, including a heavy-lift mobile harbor crane and cargo-handling equipment.
$2 million will go to Eastport for a warehouse, conveyer equipment and storage pad.
Eimskip, established in 1915, has 49 offices in 17 countries, and operates 17 vessels. It has been sailing to the United States since 1917.
References
- ^ Three port transportation strategy (maineinsights.com)
- ^ three-port strategy (maineinsights.com)
Trans Net LLC – Dubai freight forwarders
Trans Net LLC is your Single Source Logistics Provider in the Middle East with the headquarters based in Dubai, the UAE.
We specialize in freight forwarding services: Single Logistics Solutions in the UAE and GULF, Project Cargo Handling, Air Chartering, Freight Operations in the most challenging emerging markets (Africa, CIS countries) and Conflict Zones (Afghanistan, Iraq & others).
Trans Net is an experienced Neutral Freight Forwarder from/to/across CIS and Caspian Region for Oil and Gas, Mining, Industrial and Energy Industries.
Freight forwarding service | ecsware.org
A freight forwarding service1 can handle all the ancillary services required for international shipping as well as insurance, theft insurance, custom documentation and clearance. a few other attainable services are warehousing, risk assessment and management, international payments and non-vessel operating common carrier documentation or bills of lading additionally as indenting, container services, storage, distribution and cargo handling. the infrastructure includes knowledgeable, qualified work force at totally different levels and stages on your transport.
Intold time and potential headaches can possibly be saved for our client by a powerful freight forwarding service. they re going to give reliable transportation for import and export product at competitive rates. it ll save rather more in prices if a business uses a forwarding service than to firmly attempt there is to do the duty in-house. these would virtually want to firmly originated a separate company simply for that. when there s sensible freight forwarding service out there, there s hardly any want to firmly waste time and cash. they re going to have sensible operating relationships with many major road transport operators, airlines and major shipping lines. these have instant admittance to international coverage. a few even give packaging, letters of credit and consular documentation. in todays international economy diversity is the most characteristic. expertise is required to firmly find one of the best logistic solutions.
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References
- ^ freight forwarding service ( – .co.il)
- ^ Freight forwarding service (www.ecsware.org)
- ^ View all posts in General (www.ecsware.org)
- ^ RSS 2.0 (www.ecsware.org)
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India Experiences a Decline in its Marine Products Exports | Global …
News
21 January 2013
INDIA According to provisional figures for the half year April-September of 2012-13, there has been a decline in India s marine products export, compared to the same period in 2011-12.
Exports of marine products have registered a decline of 6.91 per cent in quantity and 16.60 per cent in US$ earnings. The industry is passing through a tough phase right now. Just a few months back, India had been celebrating the conclusion of its most successful fiscal, surpassing all previous export records and the US$ 3.5 billion mark. Though the current setback could be attributed to some unforeseen developments in the international scene, the impact has been devastating, writes the Seafood Exporters Association of India.
Some of the issues which require the immediate attention of and redressal by the concerned authorities are:
1. Increase in Reefer base rates
All the shipping lines operating from Indian coasts have unilaterally announced an increase of US$1500.00 in freezer container freight rates irrespective of the size of the container and port of destination.
All ocean freight carriers carrying goods to US ports are required to file their tariff rates with Federal Maritime Commission (FMC). However, these rates are not the actual tariff collected from the shippers. They will vary from shipper to shipper based on a special contract signed between individual shipper and the freight carrier. All other shippers will be subject to the open tariff rate filed with FMC. The tariff rates between the contracted rate and the open tariff rate for US East Coast may be as high as US$1500.00 or more. The lack of effective legislation for fixing the freight rates to specific destinations have contributed to this unhealthy practice of bargaining for the freight rates by the shippers.
Nevertheless, the freight carriers have neither discussed the increase with the shippers nor published their prior intention to increase the rates. Application of an across the board increase of US$1500.00 for all destinations and sizes of containers clearly indicates that the increase has been applied without proper methodology, justification or without supportive documentation. Apart from the FMC filed tariff, they have the option of further increasing the rates through such mechanisms as BAF (Bunker Adjustment Factor), CAF (Currency Adjustment Factor), GRI (General Rate Increase), PSS (Peak Season Surcharge) and CS (Congestion Surcharge).
It is truly amazing that this service provider (freight carriers) and their agents (Shipping Services Provider) who are operating from India with a license applied for and granted by the Government of India are allowed to be totally beyond any control measures of the Indian Government and can continue to operate with impunity and fix the scale of rates according to their whims and fancies.
Seafood shippers exporting low value seafood to destinations to East Asia and the Middle East will be put to serious problems as they will not be able to compete with their competitors who are not subject to this unilateral increase. . Many exporters have now started resorting to transhipment of through foreign ports to overcome the high freight charges they are asked to pay in Chennai, Cochin, Mumbai, etc. Even though it may take a couple of extra weeks in transit compared to direct service from Indian ports, exporters choose the indirect route as the savings on freight charges are enormous. The savings become all the more significant with increase in the size of cargo.
The freight rate to UAE for a 40 reefer container (18000kgs) from Cochin is US$1700.00. An increase of US$1500.00 (88.32 per cent) will increase the price of the product by Rs.4.60/kg which is more the profit that the shipper would make on the product. To East Asia and China (24000kgs), the increase will be Rs.3.44/kg. If the product is Ribbonfish, the freight increase will simply close the market for Indian Ribbonfish. In the case of value added IQF products, the increase will be between Rs. 5.90 to Rs.6.88/kg.
As can be seen from the above scenario, the future trade of seafood will receive a serious setback, if the intended freight increase is put in to effect.
2. Terminal Handling Charges (THC)
A major hurdle faced by the seafood export industry in India is the exorbitant Terminal Handling Charges (THC) levied by Indian terminal operator. Although the scale of rates for the THC is fixed by Tariff Authority for Major Ports (TAMP), the shipping services sector pays little heed to the regulatory body knowing full well that no penal action will be taken against them. The THC in Indian ports today are very high compared to ports in the neighbouring countries including Sri Lanka and the Middle East region
According to media reports, more than half of Colombo Port s total cargo volume comes from India. Needless to say, this is due to the high charges at Indian ports. Reports further reveal that Colombo port is all set to increase its cargo handling capacity to three times the present capacity, in anticipation of a further increase in Indian cargo through it. It seems they are eyeing the possibility of Indian traders capitalising on the high economies of scale.
3. Anti-Dumping Duty
The US anti-dumping duty on frozen shrimp imports from India was imposed from August 4, 2004. The average duty imposed on Indian companies was 10.17 per cent and in the first AR this was cut to 7.22 per cent. It was further reduced to 1.69 per cent in the second AR and to 0.79 per cent in the third. In the fifth AR, this was raised to 1.69 per cent.
After the sixth Administrative Review (AR) it has been further enhanced to 2.51 per cent, from 1.69 per cent. Announcing the results of the sixth AR, the US Department of Commerce (DoC) reduced the duty for Falcon Marine Exports, the mandatory respondent for the review, to zero. The revised duty is applicable from February 2011 to January 2012. This decision of DoC will be effective from 2013, when the seventh administrative review completes.
Whereas the number of Indian companies exporting to the US in the year 2005 stood at 270, the number stands at 68, today.
4. CVD Petition Filed against Seven Countries including India
The Coalition of Gulf Shrimp Industries of the US has filed a petition before the International Trade Administration, the United States Department of Commerce (DoC) and the United States International Trade Commission (ITC), demanding the imposition of countervailing duties on certain frozen warm water shrimps from China, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Viet Nam. The petition makes several allegations regarding the countervailable subsidies provided in India with regard to the manufacture, production and export of certain frozen warm water shrimp.
The petition identifies certain subsidy programmes as countervailable to the shrimp industry in India. The petition alleges that the Government of India is aggressively promoting its shrimp industry through the provision of generous government subsidies. It calls for the initiation of an investigation into the countervailable subsidies provided to the Indian shrimp industry, and to impose duties through a countervailing duty order in an amount that would offset the benefit conferred by these subsidies. The petition also asks the US Department of Commerce to include subsidies to producers of raw shrimp in India, in its investigation.
5. Withdrawal of SHIS for Marine Industry
The Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), on 5 June 2012, published the Annual Supplement of the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP), in which the Status Holder Incentive Scheme was expanded to cover more export product groups including marine products.
However, the words Marine Products was neither mentioned in Chapter 3 of FTP, nor in the Handbook. Because of this anomaly, exporters couldn t avail of SHIS benefits.
Surprisingly, on 28 December 2012, marine products were withdrawn from the scope of SHIS.
Conclusion
The Association s efforts to tide over the present crisis require the government s support and assistance. Seafood exports have always figured on the growth sectors side of the country s economy, but periodic policy formulations haven t done enough to improve upon the growth of this industry. As exporters, we have always felt that policy changes are effected without taking into account important factors like the comparative situation in our competitors economies.
The sector is already placed at a huge disadvantage as diesel is not being considered as an input for calculations in the erstwhile DEPB scheme and also in the Drawback scheme. Regardless of the serious obstacles faced by this sector, both due to external and internal factors, the supports of DEPB of 8 per cent has been reduced to 3.5 per cent drawback, and worse still, VKGUY of 5 per cent has been reduced to 3 per cent.
With the international markets, particularly the USA and EEC, being very weak and risky due to economic crisis, the sector is greatly concerned about its immediate and future prospects, which is compounded by the massive reduction in the support package for this sector. Unless the support packages are restored, both in terms of increase in VKGUY and Drawback rates, the sector and its employment force of almost 3 million people will face severe hardships in the days to come.
TheFishSite News Desk
Top image via Shutterstock1
References
- ^ Shutterstock (redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http)
Food & Beverage News: Top News – Marine exports drop by 6.91 …
There has been a decline in India s marine products export, compared to the same period in 2011-12, according to provisional figures for the half year April-September of 2012-13.
Exports of marine products have registered a decline of 6.91% in quantity and 16.60% in US$ earnings. The industry is passing through a tough phase right now. Just a few months back, we had been celebrating the conclusion of our most successful fiscal, surpassing all previous export records and the US$ 3.5 billion mark. Though the current setback could be attributed to some unforeseen developments in the international scene, the impact has been devastating, according to a press note issued by Seafood Exporters Association of India (SEAI).
The note added that some of the issues, which required the immediate attention of and redressal by concerned authorities include:
Increase in Reefer Base Rates
All the shipping lines operating from Indian coasts have unilaterally announced an increase of US$1,500 in freezer container freight rates irrespective of the size of the container and port of destination.
All ocean freight carriers carrying goods to US ports are required to file their tariff rates with Federal Maritime Commission (FMC). However, these rates are not the actual tariff collected from the shippers. They will vary from shipper to shipper based on a special contract signed between individual shipper and the freight carrier. All other shippers will be subject to the open tariff rate filed with FMC. The tariff rates between the contracted rate and the open tariff rate for US East Coast may be as high as US$1,500 or more. The lack of effective legislation for fixing the freight rates to specific destinations have contributed to this unhealthy practice of bargaining for the freight rates by the shippers.
Nevertheless, the freight carriers have neither discussed the increase with the shippers nor published their prior intention to increase the rates. Application of an across the board increase of US$1,500 for all destinations and sizes of containers clearly indicates that the increase has been applied without proper methodology, justification or without supportive documentation. Apart from the FMC filed tariff, they have the option of further increasing the rates through such mechanisms as BAF (Bunker Adjustment Factor), CAF (Currency Adjustment Factor), GRI (General Rate Increase), PSS (Peak Season Surcharge) and CS (Congestion Surcharge).
The note said, It is truly amazing that this service provider (freight carriers) and their agents (shipping services provider) who are operating from India with a licence applied for and granted by the Government of India are allowed to be totally beyond any control measures of the Indian government and can continue to operate with impunity and fix the scale of rates according to their whims and fancies.
It added, Seafood shippers exporting low value seafood to destinations to East Asia and the Middle-East will be put to serious problems as they will not be able to compete with their competitors who are not subject to this unilateral increase. Many exporters have now started resorting to transhipment of through foreign ports to overcome the high freight charges they are asked to pay in Chennai, Cochin, Mumbai, etc. Even though it may take a couple of extra weeks in transit compared to direct service from Indian ports, exporters choose the indirect route as the savings on freight charges are enormous. The savings become all the more significant with increase in the size of cargo.
The freight rate to UAE for a 40 reefer container (18,000 kg) from Cochin is US$1,700. An increase of US$1,500 (88.32%) will increase the price of the product by Rs 4.60/kg which is more the profit that the shipper would make on the product. To East Asia and China (24,000 kg), the increase will be Rs 3.44 / kg. If the product is Ribbonfish, the freight increase will simply close the market for Indian Ribbonfish. In the case of value- added IQF products, the increase will be between Rs 5.90 and Rs 6.88 / kg.
As can be seen from the above scenario, the future trade of seafood will receive a serious setback, if the intended freight increase is put in to effect.
Terminal Handling Charges (THC)
A major hurdle faced by the seafood export industry in India is the exorbitant Terminal Handling Charges (THC) levied by Indian terminal operator. Although the scale of rates for the THC is fixed by Tariff Authority for Major Ports (TAMP), the shipping services sector pays little heed to the regulatory body knowing full well that no penal action will be taken against them. The THC in Indian ports today are very high compared to ports in the neighbouring countries including Sri Lanka and the Middle-East region
According to media reports, more than half of Colombo port s total cargo volume comes from India. Needless to say, this is due to the high charges at Indian ports. Reports further reveal that Colombo port is all set to increase its cargo handling capacity to three times the present capacity, in anticipation of a further increase in Indian cargo through it. It seems they are eyeing the possibility of Indian traders capitalising on the high economies of scale.
Anti-Dumping Duty
The US anti-dumping duty on frozen shrimp imports from India was imposed from August 4, 2004. The average duty imposed on Indian companies was 10.17 per cent and in the first Administrative Review (AR) this was cut to 7.22 per cent. It was further reduced to 1.69 per cent in the second AR and to 0.79 per cent in the third. In the fifth AR, this was raised to 1.69 per cent.
After the sixth AR it has been further enhanced to 2.51 per cent, from 1.69 per cent. Announcing the results of the sixth AR, the US Department of Commerce (DoC) reduced the duty for Falcon Marine Exports, the mandatory respondent for the review, to zero. The revised duty is applicable from February 2011 to January 2012. This decision of DoC will be effective from 2013, when the seventh administrative review completes.
Whereas the number of Indian companies exporting to the US in the year 2005 stood at 270, the number stands at 68, today.
CVD Petition Filed against Seven Countries including India
The Coalition of Gulf Shrimp Industries of the US has filed a petition before the International Trade Administration, the United States Department of Commerce (DoC) and the United States International Trade Commission (ITC), demanding the imposition of countervailing duties on certain frozen warm water shrimps from China, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. The petition makes several allegations regarding the countervailable subsidies provided in India with regard to the manufacture, production and export of certain frozen warm water shrimp.
The petition identifies certain subsidy programmes as countervailable to the shrimp industry in India. The petition alleges that the Government of India is aggressively promoting its shrimp industry through the provision of generous government subsidies. It calls for the initiation of an investigation into the countervailable subsidies provided to the Indian shrimp industry, and to impose duties through a countervailing duty order in an amount that would offset the benefit conferred by these subsidies. The petition also asks the US Department of Commerce to include subsidies to producers of raw shrimp in India, in its investigation.
Withdrawal of SHIS for Marine Industry
The Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), on June 5, 2012, published the Annual Supplement of the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP), in which the Status Holder Incentive Scheme was expanded to cover more export product groups including marine products.
However, the words Marine Products was neither mentioned in Chapter 3 of FTP, nor in the Handbook. Because of this anomaly, exporters could not avail of SHIS benefits.
Surprisingly, on December 28, 2012, marine products were withdrawn from the scope of SHIS.
Conclusion
Our efforts to tide over the present crisis require the government s support and assistance. Seafood exports have always figured on the growth sector side of the country s economy, but periodic policy formulations have not done enough to improve upon the growth of this industry. As exporters, we have always felt that policy changes are effected without taking into account important factors like the comparative situation in our competitors economies.
The sector is already placed at a huge disadvantage as diesel is not being considered as an input for calculations in the erstwhile DEPB scheme and also in the Drawback scheme. Regardless of the serious obstacles faced by this sector, both due to external and internal factors, the supports of DEPB of 8% has been reduced to 3.5% drawback, and worse still, VKGUY of 5% has been reduced to 3%.
With the international markets, particularly USA and EEC, being very weak and risky due to economic crisis, the sector is greatly concerned about its immediate and future prospects, which is compounded by the massive reduction in the support package for this sector. Unless the support packages are restored, both in terms of increase in VKGUY and Drawback rates, the sector and its employment force of almost 3 million people will face severe hardships in the days to come.
Freight Container Record
Two cargo handling terminals in the Eastern Cape achieved new cargo handling records during December. They moved the highest number of freight boxes per hour at both the Ngqura and the Port Elizabeth shipping terminals. The improvement in volumes is attributed to the introduction of the best technology and systems available at any African port.
Building Relationships at Annual FFSI Meeting | International Cargo …
9-11 October 2012 saw the 12th Annual FETA Freight Systems International Global Sales and Marketing Meeting at the JW Marriott Hotel in Bangkok1. In attendance were Adam Colvin of ICE Sydney and Darren Pace of ICE Melbourne.
FETA Freight Systems International2 (FFSI) is a global network of freight forwarding companies rendering the full spectrum of transport services including multimodal, logistics and other specialised cargo handling related activities. FFSI was organised in 1982 by a group of Far East Asia-based freight forwarders with the objective of seeking reliable, aggressive and locally managed companies to form a strong strategic global network of alliances. In 1989, a core of FFSI members incorporated FETA Freight Systems International Ltd.
This annual meeting is an important opportunity for us to meet with our overseas partners from all corners of the globe to discuss business, trade and to nurture our business relationships. We work very closely with many of these agents so it s extremely beneficial to form personal relationships and to develop an understanding of their various businesses, particularly in the current economy.
We attended 36 meetings during the three day conference and attended another 10 external meetings in the subsequent three days.
While attending these meetings we are constantly putting ourselves in our customers shoes, looking at ways to improve the forwarding services we offer our customers. This may be the result of additional services (air or ocean) or providing introductions to new suppliers or consignees, through to negotiating better freight rates and learning about the specifics of certain trade routes. Adam Colvin, ICE Sydney
Adam Colvin and Darren Pace receive FFSI achievement award
A particular highlight of the conference was being presented with an achievement award for meeting our 2011 2012 Top Gun Challenge with four of our overseas partners from India, Pakistan, Mauritius and Singapore.
This opportunity to develop and nurture our business relationships with our worldwide partners provides enormous advantages to all ICE agents and, in turn, our customers.
References
- ^ JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok (www.marriott.com.au)
- ^ FETA Freight Systems International (www.ffsintl.net)
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