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Infrastructure:
Bharatmala is one of the biggest highway construction projects in India in history.It is the second largest highways construction project in the country since NHDP, under which almost 50,000 km or highway roads were targeted across the country. Bharatmala will look to improve connectivity particularly on economic corridors, border areas and far flung areas with an aim of quicker movement of cargo and boosting exports.

It includes economic corridors of around 9,000 km, inter-corridor and feeder routes of around 6,000 km, 5,000 km roads under the National Corridors Efficiency Program, border and international connectivity roads of around 2,000 km, coastal and port connectivity roads of around 2,000 km, expressways of around 800 km and 10,000 km of NHDP roads. The total length in phase 1 comes to around 34,800 km.

Bharatmala project has started in Gujarat and Rajasthan, followed by Punjab and subsequently traversing the Himalayan belt through Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, parts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur (next to the Indo-Burmese border) and then to Mizoram. Northeastern states have been given special focus in the project and international trade is a key aspect as well

The Sagarmala project a critical government initiative focusses on modernising existing ports, and will develop new ones at Paradip Outer Harbor (Odhisha state), Cuddalore/Sirkazhi (Tamil Nadu state), Belikeri (Karnataka state), Enayam (Tamil Nadu state), and Vizhinjam (Kerala state). Cumulatively, these ports will manage almost 100 percent more trade volume by 2025.

DP World (Dubai) signed onto a US$3 billion (Rs 195 billion) joint investment platform with India’s ‘National Investment and Infrastructure Fund’ to construct several sea as well as river ports, among other logistics projects.

The Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor and Development Corporation (DMICDC) has awarded companies over US$2.3 billion (Rs 150 billion) in contracts for the development of multimodal logistics hubs or parks in Maharashtra, Gujarat, and the National Capital Region (NCR). Further they are in the process of granting another US$1.5 billion (Rs 102 billion) in contract packages for construction of the same in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

The proposed hubs in Maharashtra, Gujarat, and the NCR will provide end-to-end supply chain services, such as small processing facilities (grading and packaging) and final delivery and transport services.

Plans to improve regional connectivity through road, rail, and inland waterways are already ongoing. India’s 2018 budget saw the highest fiscal allocation for infrastructure spend, at about US$95 billion (Rs 6 trillion).

The National Highway Authority of India has a bidding process underway for companies to invest in highways across India. Dubai based investment firms have already bid close to US$9 billion (Rs 585 billion) for nine highways. This also drives in increase in accountability for the upkeep of these roads and will reduce road travel times.

Freight corridors: The country’s freight corridors, covering 15 states all over India, are set to be complete by December 2019. Currently, a train carrying cargo travels at the rate of 25 kmph; on these railway lines, trains will be able to reach speeds between 70 and 100 kmph, and will carry double the quantity of cargo. The Nhava Sheva – Indore Private Railway corridor is one such project which will reduce the time and bring huge reduction in Logistics cost.

Warehousing and Storage:
India allowed 100 percent FDI in the development and maintenance of warehousing and storage facilities. Under the Free Trade Warehousing Zone (FTWZ) Scheme, there are several designated zones in India reserved for warehouse development. Panvel near Mumbai, Khurja near New Delhi, and Sri City in Chennai, are some of the designated FTWZs. The connectivity of these zones with major railways, roads, airways, and ports is well established. Incentives such as duty free import of building materials and equipment for these zones are attracting investments to this sector.

Technology:
As in every sector Technology is making a paradigm shift and causing disruption within the Supply Chain and Logistics sector in India as well. Large Logistics players in India who have been acquainted and using Order Management systems, SAP, ERP or Transportation Management Systems (TMS), Warehouse Management systems (WMS) are now experiencing newer technology frontiers like IOT (internet of things), Cloud computing, Big Data and Data Analytics, Blockchain, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence.

These technologies are being unleashed and juxtaposed within Logistics framework deriving much needed transparency, tracking, efficiency, speed in deliveries and cost economics.

Technologies like machine learning and artificial intelligence applied to data analytics can deliver dynamic routing, optimization and other efficiencies. Through these technologies, companies can get real-time data and ensure optimal first mile, middlemile and last mile connectivity.

Automation is helping in reshaping the workforce. Some of the logistics companies are labour intensive but they are becoming partially automated, removing obstacles in documentation, loading, unloading and adjusting routes.

IoT is improving supply chain transparency, safety and efficiency. Adoption of Big data analytics, will improve customer experience and operational efficiency. The companies will be able to have better control on inventory and improve predictive analytics. These tools identifies variations, patterns, correlate to offer actionable insights

Data analytics in Transportation is being used to enhance reliability, route optimisation, last mile delivery optimisation, optimal vehicle utilisation and saving on fuel costs.

Data Analytics in Warehousing is being tested with a combination of IOT practises to harness in operational efficiencies, productivity, inventory optimisation, demand planning and scheduling helping firms to get significant benefits.

Some companies are also adopting blockchain technologies for contracting, to enhance supply chain security etc. Also some e-commerce companies have ventured into adopting robotics in their warehousing and also experimenting with drones.

ValueShipr has been connecting Transporters with Cargo-owners on its multimodal Logistics Technology platform with a combination of technologies like Cloud, IOT, ML and Automation delivering value to stakeholders.

This can be quite a daunting and overwhelming task in itself. Selecting superior Logistics Finance solutions, however, can relieve the stress of the financial demands, which allows businesses to focus on business. However it is common knowledge that Business Leaders or entrepreneurs do not have the wherewithal to understand the best finance options with the most innovative solutions.

From small to medium to large enterprises the requirements could vary and therefore palpable that most times expert help is drawn to execute the requirements. In India one would turn to Banks, NBFCs, Financial Institutions, High net worth Individuals HNIs, Private Equity, Venture Capital Funds, Global Financial Institutions, Start-up funds etc.

In the current markets, banks can provide relatively low-cost capital to help finance a company’s growth. These options include operating leases, capital leases, and term loan purchase financing. Banks that operate equipment finance and commercial vehicle finance divisions can provide a full array of financing options, revolving credit facilities to fit the client’s needs.

(The attempt here is to put out a primer for awareness as to what options could the enterprise seek out for raising capital for their business growth)

Some of the Financial Products that could be leveraged by Logistics stakeholders are :

Hire Purchase Loans:- Spread the cost over time
Hire Purchase enables you to acquire an asset while paying for it in installments over an agreed timescale – the term. At the end of the term, you have the option to purchase the asset outright.
Far more flexible than a conventional loan, Hire Purchase lets you spread the cost of your investment over the life of the asset, making it easier to budget. Hire Purchase is particularly suitable for acquiring vehicles.

Refinancing:- When you need a cash injection
Refinancing is a quick way to access the value of assets on your existing balance sheet and redeploy that value elsewhere within your business – for example, to fund a deposit on new equipment or unlock some working capital to ease cash flow

Invoice Discounting:
Invoice Discounting is an alternate finance solution for businesses to unleash the power of Invoices.
In essence, it means you can sell your invoice at a discount and use that money for the smooth functioning of your business operations.

Invoice discounting can help fund the Logistics & Transportation industry by freeing up cash sitting in unpaid invoices. The dependency on unpredictable and fluctuating factors makes it all the more necessary for organizations to have a strong cash flow system. Factors like increased competition, tighter margins, longer & delayed payment cycle, payment defaults only add on to the many challenges that one could face.

Working Capital Loans:

Overdraft Facility and Credit Line- Here the borrower only pays for the interest applicable to the amount that has been overdrawn. The rates are typically set between 1 and 2 percent above the prime rate of the bank.

Short term Loans- A short term loan comes with a fixed interest rate and payment period. The loan repayment period is typically 12 months. Among all types of working capital loans, this particular credit facility is usually secured.

Account Receivable Loans- Another way to secure working capital is by applying for loans that take into consideration the accounts receivable, or confirmed sales order value of your company. This type of debt is ideal if your company lacks funds to fulfill a sales contract or order

Trade Creditor- A loan that is provided by a present or potential supplier is called a trade creditor working capital loan.

Factoring- Cash advances are made basis the sale of future logistics company revenue (at a discount to the factoring company) in return for immediate financing.

Buyer’s credit (BC)
Buyer’s credit is a loan facility extended to an importer by a bank or financial institution to finance the purchase of capital goods or services and other big-ticket items. Buyer’s credit is a very useful mode of financing in international trade, since foreign buyers seldom pay cash for large purchases, while few exporters have the capacity to extend substantial amounts of long-term credit to their buyers

Letter of Credit (LC)
A letter of credit is a letter from a bank guaranteeing that a buyer’s payment to a seller will be received on time and for the correct amount. In the event that the buyer is unable to make payment on the purchase, the bank will be required to cover the full or remaining amount of the purchase.

Bank Guarantee (BG)
A bank guarantee is a guarantee from a lending institution ensuring the liabilities of a debtor will be met. In other words, if the debtor fails to settle a debt, the bank covers it. A bank guarantee enables the customer, or debtor, to acquire goods, buy equipment or draw down loans, and thereby expand business activity

Packing Credit:
Packing credit is basically a loan provided to exporters or sellers to finance the goods’ procurement before shipment. The bank will make the funds available to a letter of credit issued favoring the seller and a confirmed order for selling the goods or services.

Warehouse Finance
Warehouse financing allows companies to borrow money using inventory as collateral, and often on better, more flexible terms than other forms of short-term financing. In many cases, borrowers can keep the collateral inventory in their existing warehouses, and the lenders often require them to separate the collateral inventory from the rest of the inventory with a fence and signage

Warehouse receipt Finance:
It is sometimes called “inventory credit”. It allows clients, such as farmers, traders, processors and others, to deposit commodities in a secure warehouse against a receipt certifying the deposit of goods of a particular quantity, quality and grade

The above listed loans may not be an exhaustive list and will have many variants and customised options available. The Rate of Interest ROI will vary depending on the Interest rate regime, clients credit risk and repayment ability and also the institution that is lending. Credit ratings from bureau are also referred to whilst sanctioning loans.

Feel free to write to us or call us for more details.

There is a big debate on how to prepare it & who is responsible for generating it.
The below article will help all logistics personnel & logistics companies generate e-way bills with minimum effort

Currently, The Government has given permission only to consignor, consignee & transporter to log into the e-way bill portal & generate the e-way bill. The consignor , consignee & transporter needs to have a GSTIN / URP to register on the portal.

Shippers like SMEs, Manufacturers, Engineering companies, FMCGs, traders have been using the ValueShipr portal to generate their E-Way bills effortlessly.

How it Works:

How to Create an E- Way Bill through ValueShipr :

Click to Login & Generate your E-way bill today!!

Under the new GST regime, the new frontier for Transportation and Logistics “E-way bill” is set out to be rolled out effective 1st February 2018. The e-way bill is a key element of GST, aimed at creating a common market and consolidating an array of state taxation. One e-way bill is valid for end to end movement nationally, thereby doing away with multiple state permits /e-way bill that existed earlier.

An e-way bill is required for movement of goods worth more than Rs.50,000/- invoice value. This is compulsory effective 1st February 2018 for all inter-state truck movements. For intra state goods movement, it is required for transport beyond 10 km. Fifteen states have agreed to implement it for intra state goods (sales) movement as well. Nonetheless , intra state e-way bill will be compulsory from June 1st, 2018

With multiple stakeholders involved in the movement of goods – Consignor, Consignee, and Transporter who should be generating the E-way bill?

The E-way bill ‘Form EWB-01’ contains two parts. Part-A contains the details of the consignment and Part-B contains the vehicle number in which the goods are transported.

Who should furnish the details in Part-A and Part-B of Form EWB-01?

The responsibility to generate the E-way bill differs according to business scenarios. For eg, you may transport the goods on your own vehicle or you may hand over the goods to the transporter and so on. Please find below; the responsibility to generate E-way bill under different business scenarios:

The e-way bill mechanism has been introduced in the GST regime to plug tax evasion loopholes. To ensure ease of doing, GSTN has linked e-way bill with filing.

Industry concerns:

• Glitches in the portal
• Delay due to vehicle breakdown or stoppage by state officials.

The GSTN department has clarified that consignor or transporter will be able to report delays of more than 30 minutes in an online form and file the same by reference to the invoice number.

Additionally Companies / consignors have been given the option of uploading their invoices when they get their e-way bills, which would directly be filed with GSTR1.

Since the advent of testing of the e-way bill from 16th January 18, ValueShipr (www.valueshipr.com) has been generating e-way bills and is ready for the change.

You can call 8655012255 for your transportation needs with support on e-way bill.

‘Container’ is a word synonyms with Logistics and Shipping. There are various shipping container sizes and purposes, it is important that one needs to know the key differences. Therefore selecting the optimal container type is important for safe transportation of the cargo and will also yield cost effective options.

Ocean Shipping Containers:
Containers are typically made of steel, with corrugated sides. Container bottoms usually consist of plywood or treated wood planks. When shipping goods that are concentrated or heavier than normal, it is important to confirm that the bottom of the container can support the weight without breaking.

Sizes of containers are listed in feet. A container’s internal and door dimensions are generally standard, but at times vary by carrier. Depending on the carrier, maximum payloads or weight per container can vary. Before shipping, confirmation of the weight of the containers needs to be ascertained from the legality perspective for ground and rail transportation.

Below are descriptions of various types of ocean shipping containers:

Standard Container:
These units are completely enclosed with rigid walls, roof and floor. At least one end wall has a door for access. As the most popular shipping container option, standard containers are used for dry cargo packaged in boxes, bags, bales, pallets etc. and are available in the following sizes (length x width x height):
20’ x 8’ x 8’6”
40’ x 8’ x 8’6”
40’ x 8’ x 9’6” (high cube)
45’ x 8’ x 8’6”

Reefer Container:
Also known as a “refrigerated container,” these containers are thermal, insulated units with compressors to heat or cool the cargo. Some reefer containers even have adjustable ventilation, allowing for internal airflow.

Designed to transport temperature-sensitive cargo and perishable goods, like produce, reefer containers are the best option when transporting items that need to be transported at a constant temperature that’s above, or below, freezing. Available sizes (length x width x height):
20’ x 8’ x 8’6”
40’ x 8’ x 8’6”
40’ x 8’ x 9’6” (high cube)

Flat Rack Container:
Flat racks are made with a steel frame, a wood floor, fixed or collapsible end walls and no sidewalls. Some flat racks also have end walls that fold flush with the base. Having strong floors, flat racks are generally used to transport heavy, oversized or bulky cargo. Available sizes (length x width x height):
20’ x 8’ x 8’6”
40’ x 8’ x 8’6”
40’ x 8’ x 9’6” (high cube)

Platform Container:
This container is exactly how it sounds: floor structure without any end or side walls. Made with a steel frame and a wooden floor, platform containers are built to carry extremely heavy and oversized loads. Available sizes (length x width x height):
20’ x 8’ x 8’6”
40’ x 8’ x 8’6”

Open Container:
Essentially these are standard containers, without the rigid roof. Instead, they contain a flexible tarpaulin roof, which can be removed entirely. Open containers have doors on end walls that swing out. These containers work best for transporting cargo that is over height, as the tarpaulin can be moved for crane access. These containers are available in the following sizes (length x width x height):
20’ x 8’ x 8’6”
40’ x 8’ x 8’6”
40’ x 8’ x 9’6” (high cube)

The efficiency of any storage and handling system depends on how best the load has been unitized on pallets or in containers. Pallets and containers are designed keeping in mind the specific requirements of each product / industry.

The various types of containers and pallets generally in use in the industry are Plastic containers, Crates & Bins and drums.

Flat Pallets – Wooden, Steel & Plastic, Detachable Frame pallets. Collapsible Containers, Rolling boxes, Foldable boxes and Nestable Pallets.

1. SILK ROAD // SILK ROUTE – THE MOST FAMOUS TRADE ROUTE IN THE WORLD
   The Silk Road is the most famous ancient trade route, linking the major ancient civilizations of China and the Roman Empire. The Silk Route or Silk Road, a term coined by German geologist Baron Ferdinand von Richthofen as recently as the late 19th century, refers to a network of ancient trade routes connecting Asia, Europe and Africa. Even the French had a romantic version of this route name La route de la soie. There are other routes that meet the Silk route along the way and towards the end there are diversions that carry the precious cargo across the Mediterranean to Granada, Spain via Alexandria, Egypt or through Instanbul to Venice or Rome. Two stops are vital along the route Samarkhand and Bhukara. At Bhukara, the route divides and goes circular, either south towards Isfayan and Aleppo or North via the Caspian sea and Russia to Kiev. Stretching across 6,500km, and used to transport Chinese silk and other precious merchandise to Europe through Central Asia from 2nd century BC. Silk was traded from China to the Roman empire, in exchange for wool, silver, and gold coming from Europe. Alongside spreading trade, the Silk Road also became a vital route for the spread of knowledge, technology, religion, and the arts, with many trading centers along the route—such as Samarkand in modern-day Uzbekistan—also becoming important centers of intellectual exchange.

   The Silk Road originated in Xi’an in China and travelled alongside the Great Wall of China before crossing the Pamir Mountains into Afghanistan and on to the Levant, where goods were loaded on to ships destined for Mediterranean ports. It was rare for traders to travel the full 4000 miles, and so most plied their trade on only sections of the route. As the Roman Empire crumbled in the fourth century CE, the Silk Road became unsafe and fell out of use until the 13th century, when it was revived under the Mongols. Italian explorer Marco Polo followed the Silk Road during the 13th century, becoming one of the first Europeans to visit China. But the famous route may have spread more than trade and cross-cultural links—some scientists think it was merchants traveling along the route who spread the plague bacteria which caused the Black Death.
   India also has a strong connection with the Silk Route and is popularly termed as the South West Silk Route, this is one of the most ancient parts of the route which connected the Yunan Province of China to Tibet and finally to India and as far as Afghanistan. A section of the South West Silk Route crossed Lhasa and entered India through Nathu La from China whereas another section of the route crossed Burma (present Myanmar) and entered India through Assam (Kamrup) further to the sea ports of Bengal and present Bangladesh.

2. SPICE ROUTE // BRINGING FLAVOR FROM EAST TO WEST
   Unlike most of the other trade routes in this list, the Spice Routes were maritime routes linking the East to the West. Pepper, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg were all hugely sought-after commodities in Europe, but before the 15th century access to trade with the East was controlled by North African and Arab middlemen, making such spices extremely costly and rare. With the dawning of the Age of Exploration (15th to 17th centuries), as new navigation technology made sailing long distances possible, Europeans took to the seas to forge direct trading relationships with Indonesia, China, and Japan. Some have argued that it was the spice trade that fueled the development of faster boats, encouraged the discovery of new lands, and fostered new diplomatic relationships between East and West (it was partly with spices in mind that Christopher Columbus set out in 1492 and ended up finding America).

   The Dutch and English especially profited from the control of the spice trade in the East Indies—modern-day Indonesia, especially the area known as the Moluccas, or Spice Islands, which were the only source of nutmeg and cloves at that time. Wars were fought, lands colonized, and fortunes made on the back of the spice trade, making this trade route one of the most significant in terms of globalization.

3. INCENSE ROUTE // STARRING THE DOMESTICATED CAMEL
   The Incense Route developed to transport frankincense and myrrh, which are only found in the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula (modern Yemen and Oman). Frankincense and myrrh are both derived from tree sap that is dried in the sun; these nuggets of sap can then be burned as incense or used as perfume, and were also popular in burial rituals to aid embalming. The camel was domesticated around 1000 BCE and this development allowed the Arabians to begin to transport their valuable incense to the Mediterranean, an important trade hub. Frankincense and myrrh became a significant commodity for the Romans, Greeks, and Egyptians—indeed it was said that the Roman emperor Nero had a whole year’s harvest of frankincense burned at the funeral of his beloved mistress.
   The trade flourished, and the overland route was, at its height, said to have seen 3000 tons of incense traded along its length every year. Roman historian Pliny the Elder wrote that it took 62 days to complete the route, although it is clear that at times the exact route shifted when greedy settlements pushed their luck and demanded taxes that were too high from the caravans coming through. By the first century CE, this ancient overland route was largely redundant, as improved boat design made sea routes more attractive.
4. AMBER ROAD // TRADING BEADS
   Amber has been traded since c.3000 BCE, with archaeological evidence revealing amber beads from the Baltic having reached as far as Egypt. An Amber Road linking the Baltic with the rest of Europe was developed by the Romans, who valued the stone as both a decorative item and for medicinal purposes.

   Large deposits of amber are found under the Baltic Sea, formed millions of years ago when forests covered the area. The amber washes ashore after storms, and can be harvested from the beaches across the Baltic, which is how many local amber traders built their business. However, during the crusades in the 12th and 13th centuries, the Baltic became an important source of income for the Teutonic Knights, who were granted control of the amber-producing region. The Knights persecuted the local Prussians brutally, and anyone attempting to harvest or sell amber was put to death. Today traces of the old Amber Road can be found in Poland, where one of the major routes is known as the “Amber Highway.”

5. TEA ROUTE // THE PRECIPITOUS TEA-HORSE ROAD
   This ancient route winds precipitously for over 6000 miles, through the Hengduan Mountains—a major tea-producing area of China—through Tibet and on to India. The road also crosses numerous rivers, making it one of the most dangerous of the ancient trade routes. The main goods traveling the route were Chinese tea and Tibetan warhorses, with direct trades of tea-for-horses and vice versa being the main goal of merchants plying the route. Parts of the route were used starting c.1600 BCE, but the entire route began to be used for trade from about the seventh century CE, and large-scale trade was taking place starting in the Song dynasty (960–1279).

   At least one piece of research suggests that in the period 960–1127 some 20,000 Tibetan warhorses were traded along the route every year in exchange for an eye-watering 8000 tons of tea. As sea routes became more popular, the significance of the road lessened, but during World War II it once again grew in importance as the Japanese blocked many seaports, and the Tea-Horse Road became an important route for supplies traveling between inland China and India.

6. SALT ROUTE // VIA SALARIA
   Salt has long been a precious commodity—it’s been used to flavor and preserve food, and as an antiseptic, for example. But easily harvested salt was a scarce mineral in antiquity, and so areas rich in salt became important trading centers. Routes connecting these centers to other settlements also became commonplace. Of the many such routes that sprang up, one of the most famous was the Roman Via Salaria (Salt Route), which ran from Ostia, near Rome, across Italy to the Adriatic coast. So precious was salt that it made up a portion of a Roman soldier’s pay, and it is from this that we get the word salary (from the Latin for salt, sal) and the phrase “Not worth his salt”—the latter because a soldier’s salt pay would be docked if he did not work hard.

   Another important salt route across Europe was the Old Salt Road, which ran 62 miles from Lüneburg in northern Germany, which was one of the most plentiful salt sources in northern Europe, to Lübeck on the north German coast. During the Middle Ages this route became vital for providing salt for the fishing fleets that left Germany for Scandinavia, as the salt was used to preserve the precious herring catch. It would take a cart delivering salt some 20 days to traverse the Old Salt Road, and many towns along the way grew wealthy by levying taxes and duties on wagons as they passed through.

7. TRANS-SAHARAN TRADE ROUTE // TRADING ACROSS THE DESERT
   The Trans-Saharan Trade Route from North Africa to West Africa was actually made up of a number of routes, providing a criss-cross of trading links across the vast expanse of desert. These trade routes first emerged in the fourth century CE, and by the 11th century caravans made up of over a thousand camels would carry goods across the Sahara. Gold, slaves, salt, and cloth were the most important commodities on this route, but many other objects also found their way into the caravans, from ostrich feathers to European goods such as guns.

   The trade route was instrumental in the spread of Islam from the Berbers in North Africa into West Africa, and with Islam came Arabic knowledge, education, and language. The Trans-Saharan trade route also encouraged the development of monetary systems and state-building, as local rulers saw the strategic value in bringing large swathes of land, and thus their commodities, under their control. By the 16th century, as Europeans began to see the value in African goods, the Trans-Saharan trade routes became overshadowed by the European-controlled trans-Atlantic trade, and the wealth moved from inland to coastal areas, making the perilous desert route less attractive.

8. TIN ROUTE // BRONZE AGE BUSINESS
   The Tin Route was a major Bronze Age to Iron Age trade route that provided early settlements with access to a vital ingredient for metal-making—tin. Copper must be alloyed with tin to make bronze, an advance that occurred in the Near East around 2800 BCE and created a stronger, better metal than the type used previously. This new technology put tin much in demand, and as it is not found in many places, it became an important item for trade.

   One such tin route flourished in the first millennium BCE from the tin mines in Cornwall in the far southwest of Britain, over the sea to France, and then down to Greece and beyond. Evidence for this route is provided by the many hillforts that sprung up along the way as trading posts. Historians believe that trade passed both ways up and down this route, as the hillforts provide evidence of exotic artifacts, including coral and gold. No written accounts survive from this period, but the archaeological record shows that technology and art traveled the route between northern Europe and the Mediterranean alongside tin—thus providing a vital link across Europe.

Needless to say, it’s a wish-list of those encountering this activity to have a good and reliable mover and packer. It is extremely crucial that the right choice of relocation experts or movers and packers are selected for shifting the goods which may be of personal nature, emotional or sensitive to the concerned person. The shifting could be within the city or even across towns. Typically these companies are specialists or even a cargo and goods transportation company who have undertaken these activities offering their services to the discerning consumer.

However, it is important that the person shifting goods needs to follow a standard set of due diligence before giving the mandate or the order to the Cargo carrier. Listed below are some tips one could follow to have a seamlessness experience in this activity.

1. Organise, Make a list & Discard:
   The first and the foremost activity should be to make a list of all items, requirements during shifting, the special actions required. Discard all junk, not essential items that has been stocked for years and really do not matter in the current or for the future. By doing this one gets to have a overall hang of the shipment or load, the specific needs and also the transit needs and also placement of the items at the new location.
2. Selection of Movers and Packers, Transporter, Relocation Expert
   The logical next step is to find the right Mover and Packer or Relocation Transport Company to facilitate the load movement. The general methodology is to reach out to contacts, friends, call up some known transporters to get the solution. Alternately people would also go online to find out who are the packers and movers available online whom they could approach for a quotation and also handle all their queries.
   Do you know all these methods are passé! Well brace yourselves; what if you get a solution on a platform that addresses all your concerns and requirements at one place, wouldn’t you be elated?
   Welcome to platform technology ecosystem that helps & you reach out to multiple verified transporters involved in moving and packing and get multiple quotations (helps you compare), gives you transparent pricing and proper invoice, shipment tracking, online payment systems, value added services like warehousing, packaging, insurance etc with a Tele relationship manager to co-ordinate, all with few clicks or swipe! Well visit www.valueshipr.com and experience shifting goods and cargo shipment like never before.
3. Marine (Transit) Insurance:
   This is a small amount, but important item and can help you avoid heartburns in case of any untoward eventuality during transit.
4. Plants, Pets, Vehicles, Heirloom:
   All these items are personal and have emotional and sentimental attachments to the owner. Prior enquiries and confirmation of the handling modality by the mover and packer is important to be checked and validated. It may be worthwhile and recommended for the shipper or owner to ensure their presence whilst these items are being handled.

Lastly it may be worthwhile for all shippers or consumers in the process of shifting to ask all possible queries and get them answered before they sign on the dotted line!

The conventional modality adopted by a shipper or cargo owners was to have few transporters empanelled with them, with vehicles or else draw these vehicles from known brokers.

However the advent of the information age and digitization has made the unthinkable possible and have re-drawn the battle-zones, diminishing constraints and boundaries like never before. The powerful combination of voice and data in tandem revolutionised the manner in which businesses were imagined and have transformed products and service deliveries across sectors.

The role of the goods transporters or companies besides offering trucks and trailers with drivers was to plan the route, manage transportation, offer the best freight and offer 3PL or 4PL services like loading, packaging, warehousing besides managing the documentation. Due to the un-organised nature of the business and lack of professional management these Truck Hiring services were localized or operated across the country with their branch offices. Business distribution predominantly happened using references or with inbound leads coming into their offices directly or via brokers.

With the digital age, Transporters have found a newer medium of facilitating truck hiring online, giving them unprecedented access and reach to prospective customers or shippers. Today transporters have the ability of registering their truck hiring online services, matching loads with trucks and co-ordination for transport and documentation as a part of their service. This is further augmented with real time shipment tracking which further adds to the efficiency and transparency in transactions.

Transporters also stand to benefit with quality loads, faster payments, better asset utilization, and return trips for their trucks. By associating with an online on-demand logistics platform like VALUESHIPR, the transporter builds Trust and Transparency besides offering quality services to shippers.

Familiar with conversations like these now, bewildered look on faces of people exiting out of ATMs with currency note of 2000 only. Well these are fairly common sightings today while the establishment grapples with the mammoth task of implementing strategies to containing and satisfying the currency requirement of this country.

It has been a turbulent and a historic period with an event like this in the country. Called a barbaric move by those probably hurt financially and a bold smart game changer by the majority, which ironically is stoically bearing the brunt of the impact of having to spend quality time getting hold of small currency, to keep the daily life smooth.

Two clear school of opinion emerge, one the ever voluntary naysayers and then are some treading that path from some hearsay grapevine or unconnected bad experience. People’s voicing logical support is generally construed to be in some sort of devotion to the current rock star PM and his increasing brood of unarguably talented ministers. Increasingly content after content is being put out and the war of disagreements and opinions has now proliferated every channel of communication or interactions and more so has become the favourite pastime.

These shocks were bound to happen since the currency denomination involved comprised close to 80% of the currency notes in circulation. So much has been said and written about the derailment of the currency with removal of two key high value notes that the clear rift in the population seemed almost as stark as in comparison to other social issues except that this time happily it is revolving around those impacted and pretending to rally for poor people and the other majority which while suffering the impact is taking the pain in their stride with the hope that it may deliver them results in the war against the stigma of corruption.

You watch biased TV anchors struggling to get some bytes out of the hordes struggling for hours to get hold of change. They force feed adjectives to the uninitiated to get their TRPs in order.

“Are you sure you are not inconvenienced? “

“Do you think this could have been done better by preparing the ATM s well in advance “

“Perhaps the PM could have arranged for the marriage season to get over “

“Won’t the bigger new currency make up for the renewed collection of unaccounted money”

But the anchors and the premier English TV channels are stumped with majority of the population refusing to give into their clamour for decrying the establishment.

The Finance minister has one simple remedy to all the emotional blackmail. Please use digital and non cash forms of payment. The rural population who’s inconvenience is being drummed about as the worst hit by the opposition; surely they are the least affected as far as bigger notes are concerned, since that’s the reality at the ground level. The political parties sense that this outcry will attract some attention only in the first few days as the ATMs race to align with new dimensions and dispensations of notes. Once the masses return to their daily routine with sufficient avenues of currency, the first round will have been convincingly won and a huge nail driven into the coffin of black unaccounted money. By far this is the first time that among successive Governments, someone has tried to look beyond the safe haven country banks!

The digitized banking can be addictive with its resounding convenience which the masses are yet to experience. With the language of currency reducing and cyber paths trickling with electronic cash, unethical practices are going to be all the more challenging. The naysayers who did their Houdini act for the last few decades, urgently have become conscientious keepers of the country making one worry what exactly they have got to lose!

By taking a difficult and risky stance the establishment has so far done well to weather all the criticism and risk of national peace. The bankers rose to the occasion and like soldiers on the front line they have become a symbol of an emerging new country where participation in national activities is just not restricted to standing up during the National Anthem played at cinemas, but also actually feel party to a new vibrant emerging economy and cultural identity.

Ahh yes, sitting snugly in the warm wallet of this Truck Driver from ABC Logistics & Cargo Company, I am Rs.20 and I feel privileged like never before since for the first time, after sharing my above thoughts, I have seen my owner cautiously spending, postponing un-necessary spends, holding all the loose change in his wallet with utmost care and sincerity. I believe my owner has also realized that regular daily life could be dealt with much lower cash requirements without panic. Well even if it is for few days, along with my fellow small notes like Rs.50 and Rs.100, we feel a new sense of respect gained from our fellow countrymen!

As the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime announced by the Finance Minister ready to go effective by April, 2017, enterprises are becoming apprehensive about its impact on the operations of their businesses. However many industry experts have summarized that the effects of GST’s slab-wise taxation will rather bring in new wave of opportunities for growth in terms of better quality of services at a comparatively lower cost, particularly in the logistics sector.

The current established tax structure levy varied central taxes in form of custom duty, excise duty, CST in addition to very Indian state checkpoint levying states taxes at different rates, viz. of VAT, service tax, octroi, etc, for the goods that move across their borders. Adding to the complexity, is levying of state level taxes on top of central taxes, thus multi-taxation to the consumer.

Let us look at the slab structure agreed by the GST Council, which is 0%, 5%, 12%, 18% and 28%, with lower rates for essential items and the highest for luxury and de-merits goods.

To escape the current multi-tax burden, the manufacturers and third party logistics companies generally transferred stock to warehouses set up in various states of operations, thus avoiding central taxes to an extent. The priority for Logistics Service providers today has remained on tax and administration optimization, mostly compromising on achieving higher operational efficiency through structured large warehouses planned in centralized geographic locations that gives better connectivity.

With the proposed change, FMCGs that are currently paying around 24-25% of tax, including excise duty, VAT, etc will only shell out 17-19% with GST, therefore generating lot of potential for progress and open doors for investment in the industry.

There will be subsequent rise in warehouse mergers adopting complete automation which will be cost effective to the owners. Thus, GST bill’s introduction of slab rates in taxation and one point taxation at the start of the sale will undoubtedly benefit the logistics sector, as it eliminates the practice of multiple levies as well as one rate of taxation for all goods and services.

Another biggest irritant has been the queuing time at the various checkpoints at state borders. Considering that the significant percentage of goods in India is transported by road, delay in transit time has significantly affected efficiency of operations and cost of transport. The World Bank has already indicated in its reports that the cost of logistics in India are already higher by two-three times than the global benchmarks.

But with GST in place, this scenario will hopefully change completely, as the goods will be able to move freely across states, and will undoubtedly demolish the obstacle of waiting hours, delays in its delivery, and thus the reduction in costs.

Reduced costs will have a accretive effect on the entire distribution channel, thus benefiting the end consumer with efficient cost of certain categories of products. But again with GST, while some industries will benefit as they will be paying lesser than the current tax rates payable, others such as tobacco and aerated drinks might be hit with an increase by 20% on what they are paying currently.

The other drawback has been the Technology /automation costs, which was not practical for maintaining smaller warehouses, and has resulted into labour oriented manual system which can be erroneous, slow and of poor quality. Although labour is a cheap resource in India, but with GST in implementation, new warehouse hubs will be established with an introduction of fully automated Technology, to enhance efficiency and achieve international standards.

On the other hand, GST will certainly contribute positively towards the further development of ecommerce industry, as goods and services will be logistically available to them more freely. However, a trivial effect can be felt with increased administration and documentation, but the reforms proposed will open new avenues for foreign investments, and upgrading of the entire transportation and warehousing sectors in India.

As for the 3PL, the companies will restructure their business operations based on more-in-demand locations for warehousing, without tax considerations. This will lead to better optimization of facilities, up sizing of warehouses, time efficiency and improved automated services, offering more value for the money spent to the end consumer.

The introduction of GST regime will bring in international competitiveness and discourage tax avoidance. GST will now free the decision regarding warehousing and transportation, allow free movement and supply of goods in every part of the country, therefore creating one single unified market in India, and the benefits of this scenario will be enjoyed by all stakeholders- manufacturing chain, supply chain and retail chain.

What is important to note now is the paradigm change- software isn’t eating the world, but its ability to ‘orchestrate’ people, resources, and processes, make intelligent decisions and enable a global connected workforce to create value is the real force driving disruption today. UBER & OLA orchestrates the physical movement of cars and travellers connected to cloud/internet with algorithms making intelligent decisions. Facebook intelligently identifies content that is most relevant to a particular user. Airbnb is a market-making APP that allows creation of an alternate market for accommodation. Naukri, MakemyTrip, BookMyShow, Paytm are the other stories that we are well aware of.

You will have noticed that the nature of the software has not changed. What has changed though is the ability of the software to organize labour, resources, make intelligent decisions driven by connectivity and data giving rise to a new business model on a PLATFORM, with software mediating social and business interactions.

Business Models of the future would affect ‘Demand” and ‘Supply’ by bringing all stakeholders on a platform MARKETPLACE; plug and play business model allowing connected users to orchestrate efficient interactions allowing to scale and grow rapidly.

Marketplaces have been incessantly reinvented, but its core concepts have consistently proven to be a highly efficient and effective model for doing business.

The platform marketplaces are scalable, defensible and vastly valued with substantial benefits for both buyers and sellers.

The evolution of marketplaces is one of constant, uninterrupted progress. Even with the modernization of today’s business economy, we still see the age old marketplace’s principles and concepts being used in present-day business.

Marketplaces are unique; they don’t just serve one base of customers, but they connect buyers and sellers, service providers and consumers. As the benefits of using this model continue to prove themselves, we continue to see more and more sectors adopt and utilize the marketplace approach for their businesses.

In Logistics an example of this implementation can be seen with a pioneering effort from VALUESHIPR , who employs this model to provide an efficient platform for both SHIPPERS and TRANSPORT PARTNERS to connect with one another. This delivers incredible efficiency, value to the stakeholders like never before.

Benefits for Consumers

So what makes this model so successful for let’s say, consumers? Beyond the obvious benefits correlated with convenience and having everything in one place, there are a plethora of reasons. For one, marketplaces also permit consumers to compare quotes from various providers and enjoy both greater trust and greater transparency in the form of verification, reviews and ratings, which in turn leads to superior service and more competitive pricing from suppliers/sellers.

It gives the customer added product choices, as well as the ability to see aggregated options on a single platform. This allows them to see the most reasonably priced or highest quality products easily and in the process, feel more in control when making purchasing decisions.

Benefits for Sellers

The beauty of the marketplace is that it is extremely beneficial for all parties involved. Not only does it help consumers, but also the advantages for sellers are immense.

Building or prospecting a customer base can be a time-consuming process, but with marketplaces, there’s already an existing network of consumers ready to make a purchase. Especially for small business owners, who don’t have the resources to establish their own eCommerce business or website, a marketplace allows them to build a reputation and gain visibility without spending much cash.

Other benefits are technology, automation, fulfilment Tracking technology, Call centre, payment systems etc makes it a very powerful proposition at lower costs.

Win-Win-Win Proposition for the Cargo and Shipping sector

Getting control and navigating the unorganised world of Indian Logistics & Cargo shipping sector can often prove to be complex and sometimes frustrating. A successful marketplace model must consistently be a win-win model: transporters getting connected to loads and shippers getting a fair value and a trusted transporter are the key drivers. This is one of the pivotal reasons why many developed nation logistics have adopted the marketplace model and there are benefits to see for both the shippers as well as the freight forwarders.

The platform provides transporters with the opportunity to maximize their productivity and asset utilization, and as a result lower costs for shippers. The marketplace approach in logistics also ensures added transparency, providing buyers and sellers with peace of mind by letting them know whom they are doing business with. Fundamentally, it allows transport suppliers that are listed on the platform to obtain superior leads, reach more small businesses and manage all of their transactions in one place.

Valueshipr: Hassle free Shipping and Cargo Movement

With today’s advanced technology, VALUESHIPR‘s goal is to organize, build trust and transparency, provide efficiency and value to all stakeholders. Visit http://www.valueshipr.com/“. REGISTER

Watching the whole chaos from the third floor, where we were sitting, it was just an idea that was not even on paper – and hardly on a white board. It was back in March this year. We came close to blows discussing the knick-knacks and I am pretty sure if I had the hulk’s hand, might well have shown that. But that’s how it is and it should be; when 6 people come together in creating something that aims to change the way we carry on with our lives, we ought to be thinking about everyone involved; and fight for their point of view and dream of being a hulk that none can harm.

The trips we took sitting on the trucks to understand how does the entire industry works at the ground level and how our solution would help marginalize the challenges facing a transporter and a cargo owner are some of the best memories we’d personally cherish for a very long time. They turned out to be one of a kind of a travelogue and beyond enriching. Could never forget that annoying look on the driver’s face when he kept on getting constant calls from his supervisors asking for his location. And how they haggle at check posts and their discussions about movies & actors.

The chai at the designated, per-decided points, the dhabhas, the retro music, their loud cacophony singing, at times cooking and having hot chapattis with the onion and chillies by the roadside, the bathing session by the rivulet told us many things that we otherwise would have simply ignored. (And yes, while we have the collared jobs, we did not know the nuances right from day one. But we have learnt and boy, what a learning that has been!

Years of research, slow and pain staking progress and countless, long nights later we are at the brink of launching something that we believe will deliver value and will help lower the barrier that otherwise is rampantly high in the logistics and cargo movement business. And no, we are not here to disrupt… We are here to enhance value of all stakeholders in the cargo and shipping business, ease the barrier and grow with our users. Happy ValueShipr!
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