Davies Turner has appointed Cargoplan International as its partner for ocean freight services between the UK and India.
Cargoplan International is a subsidiary of Freight Links International, with whom Davies Turner has worked for many years in providing freight forwarding services between the UK and Sri Lanka.
Colombo-based Freight Links International set up Cargoplan International in May 2005, and the company has achieved rapid growth with offices in all major cities and ports, including its regional HQ in Chennai, plus Kolkata, Delhi and Mumbai.
Freight Links has currently invested around US$1 million in its Indian operation, starting with technology and infrastructure. Cargoplan International already provides a wide range of freight forwarding and logistics services, along with trucking, warehousing and distribution.
Davies Turner already operates weekly container groupage services from the UK to Mumbai, Nhava Sheva, Kolkata, Bangalore, Chennai, Tuticorin, Cochin and Delhi, with collection available via the company’s network of depots around the UK and Ireland. Import services operate weekly ex-Mumbai.
Full load container services are available to and from all parts of India. The Indian railway system is extending its container network and routes are being upgraded to take longer and heavier trains, often in conjunction with the shipping lines.
In 2005, Davies Turner reconfigured its oceanfreight services, consolidating its operations nationwide and appointing route development managers for four major trade lanes, including India and South Asia.
Joint managing director Philip Stephenson pointed out that while China may have captured most of the headlines as far as manufacturing is concerned, many MNCs are setting up major operations in India, with Indian investors returning the compliment in the UK.
He also pointed out that India’s leading role in software development and membership of the WTO has opened up new markets in Europe, while India itself imports a wide range of goods from the UK.
“While India’s ports have lacked investment in the past, average vessel size has been increasing and sailing frequencies are on a par with the rest of Asia,” said Stephenson. “Most of the world’s major shipping lines operate between Europe and India.”
For airfreight shipments between the UK and India, Davies Turner Air Cargo’s existing agency agreement with AFL remains unchanged.
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