From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Mar 12: Cargo operations at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru operated by Bengaluru International Airport Ltd (BIAL) are set to get bigger and better with the operationalisation of the country’s first dedicated Express Cargo Terminal.
India’s first dedicated Express Cargo Terminal, exclusively for export and import of international couriers, was inaugurated by M Srinivas (IRS), chief commissioner of customs, Bengaluru Zone in Bengaluru on Friday.
Ashok (IRS), principal commissioner of customs, Airport & Air Cargo Complex, Shiv Kumar Mohanka, deputy inspector general/CASO, CISF ASG KIAB and Vijay Kumar, CEO, Express Industry Council of India (EICI) were present at the function.
The event was also attended virtually by R S Subramanian, SVP & managing director, DHL Express India, Manish Patel, VP operations, DHL Express India and Mohamad Sayegh, vice-president operations - India, FedEx Express.
Developed by Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), the 200,000 sq ft of the built-to-suit facility will house leading global express courier organisations such as DHL Express and FedEx Express.
Express Industry Council of India (EICI) will operate the Common-User Express Terminal for other courier companies. The Common-User Terminal will add impetus to Bengaluru’s already strong e-commerce base.
The Terminal will have a dedicated space for customs offices and direct access to both landside and airside.
“At South India’s busiest cargo airport, this exclusive Terminal for express couriers at BIAL will significantly boost the trade and economy of the region. The new Terminal will enable ease of doing business and reduce transaction time and cost for the shipper by providing a dedicated facility for express courier shipments,” said M Srinivas (IRS), chief commissioner of customs, Bengaluru Zone.
“BIAL is well on track towards becoming a cargo hub, offering world-class infrastructure, powered by leading global logistics providers. With express courier gaining greater significance following the exponential growth of e-commerce, the Express Cargo Terminal at BLR Airport is a significant step towards supporting and driving this growth. In addition, it will facilitate trade and faster movement of goods across the world,” said Hari Marar, MD & CEO, BIAL (TBC).
“The Industry – led by EICI – created the Common-User Express Terminal at BIAL in 2008. EICI facilitated this terminal since there was a need for such a terminal to support the growth of the industry. BIAL is strategically located and is a major gateway for cross-border international trade in South India. With BIAL creating India’s first dedicated Express Cargo Terminal, the express industry has now got a major boost to continue growing the express business and achieve greater heights,” said Vijay Kumar, CEO, EICI.
The new facility will enable BIAL to process 150,000 metric tonnes (MT) annually taking the airport’s overall annual cargo capacity to 720,000 MT from the existing 570,000 MT.
This is a first-of-its-kind warehousing facility at an Indian airport, which has been designed and built-to-suit. This will offer operators with streamlined operational workflows the provision for future expansion.
Mechanised truck docks will enable quicker acceptance and delivery of freight. The Terminal, with dedicated space for each operator, is expected to improve throughput and cater to the needs of the burgeoning industry.
The express cargo market for business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) sectors has tremendous potential to grow over the next decade, thanks to the larger playing field with multiple service providers, improved transit time and value-added services.
BIAL is the preferred cargo airport for shippers across South India. The key factors that led to the transformation of this Airport include operational efficiency, connectivity to key markets and geographic locations with easier access to manufacturing hubs across South India. The introduction of the Express Cargo Terminal will strengthen the express cargo market in South India.