Panaji: At the 6th Edition – CII Goa Conference on Logistics held today Industry stalwarts from Goa and across India participated to drive the three point prog on Development of Air-Cargo in the State, Making Goa a Multi-Modal Logistics Park and the Integration of Water based Blue Economy.
Addressing the CII Goa Conference on Logistics, Mr Suresh Prabhu, India’s Sherpa for G20 & G7 Summit & Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) stated that Goa being situated at the heart of the country was well poised to be one of the most unique destination for Multi-Modal Logistics Hub particularly from the perspective of the overall logistics and due to its strategic location which makes it very effective for Industrial economic activities and integration of various services, thus providing end to end solutions with all the key elements. Goa also has the advantage of all forms of transport for movement of goods and services in Goa.
Mr. Prabhu stated, the changing landscape of India in the field of logistics and with the advancement of electronic transactions taking place on a large scale across the various platforms, making e-commerce the medium to transfer goods and services physically; logistics has to be developed for the actual delivery of various goods thus making warehousing for storage a key element of the entire system that would support the overall logistics.
He stressed that In the process of developing Goa as a Hub for Multi-Modal logistics, there is a need for a well-planned approach so that it does not hamper the natural resources and Goa’s rich bio-diversity. Developing logistics would also help in creating jobs and protecting the resources of the state.
On the perspective of Imports-Exports Mr Prabhu mentioned, there is need to develop the right infrastructure which would in turn help Tourism. Development of development of logistics in the State would help the creation of a Start-Up eco-system in the state and these start-ups could work on providing solutions to the sustainable advancement of the overall logistics infrastructure that would be required. Govt. support and Funding for start-ups to grow would be the right approach. The export of agriculture produce through the Agriculture Export Policy would also promote logistics not only for the state but the entire country, creating opportunities for the local farmers across the districts and Goa could be ideal for exports of agricultural, horticulture, dairy, fish, meats and marine products etc.
Mr Prabhu stated that the Air Cargo Policy announced at the World’s Global Aviation Summit was during his tenure as the Aviation Minister. More than 87 countries attended the Summit, which was the first of its kind and supplementing the passenger traffic with air cargo which would help MOPA airport currently under construction. Goa could also link the Cargo movement through waterways to other strategic coastal ports around the country thus creating a logistics corridors for many States around the length and breadth of the country especially in Western India which was an arguably being a Multi-Modal logistics in its true sense.
Addressing participates at the CII Goa Conference on Logistics, Dr Pramod Sawant Hon’ble Chief Minister of Goa extended complete support from the Goa Government to all stakeholders and Logistics Industry in bringing about sustainable economic development through innovative projects that could help Goa in becoming a leading logistical hub of India. He stated that the CII Goa Conference on Logistics was a forum for all to discuss Multi-modal logistics and how it could truly be a game changer for the State of Goa. “It is an opportunity for us to deliberate on how the focus on Logistics optimisation can be a catalyst for the economic growth of Goa” he stated.
The National Air Cargo policy unveiled by the Ministry of Civil Aviation in 2019 aimed to make India one of the top five air freight markets by 2025. As per the policy, international cargo comprises 60 per cent of the total air cargo handled in the country, logging a growth of 15.6 per cent in the previous fiscal, while domestic cargo has grown by over 8 per cent. This reflects that roads account for over 60 per cent of cargo transportation as compared to the global average of around 30 per cent. There is a potential for the Air cargo in the State which would help our exports to a great extent, stated the CM. Dr. Sawant highlighted the significance of improvement of the rankings in the Ease of Doing Business in India besides other initiatives like ‘Make in India’, and ‘Digital India’. This coupled with suitable policy, logistics, regulatory, and skills regime would all contribute to facilitating accelerated growth in air cargo.
Hon’ble CM stated that the Greenfield Mopa International Airport, operational from 2022 is being developed in four phases, he stated. The first phase is designed to accommodate approximately 4.4 million passengers a year. The passenger handling capacity will be gradually increased to 5.8 in the second phase and then to 9.4 million in the third phase. The Mopa Airport will be the cargo hub of India as road connectivity and navigational facilities will ease the movement of cargo. Besides Pharma Cargo, perishable cargo, Ecommerce cargo and High value cargo would also be considered
Mr Anthony Gaskell, Convener, CII Goa Logistics Panel & Director, Sentrans Shipping Private Limited, Mr Shrinivas V Dempo, Past Chairman, CII WR & Chairman, Dempo Shipbuilding & Engg Pvt. Ltd. Mr. Bart de Jong, Consul General Consulate General of The Kingdom of The Netherlands in Mumbai, Mr Dilip Kumar Gupta, Managing Director & Director Projects, Sagarmala Development Company Ltd also addressed the Sessions.
The main focus areas that were discussed at the conference was as under;
Development of Air-Cargo in the State – to develop modern air cargo facilities and regular flights to the main international destinations which would lead to a permanent improvement in air cargo services worldwide. Deliberations at the session related to Pharma Cargo requirements and the potential for perishable cargo exports from Goa so as to provide valuable information to the trade, were taken up
Multi-Modal Logistics in Goa – the enhancement of the Multi-Modal Logistics Park at Balli in South Goa on Konkan Railway land operated by CONCOR from handing only domestic cargo to also handling export and import containers, and thus becoming a fully-fledged ICD or Inland Container Depot. Inland Container Depots (ICD’s), are dry ports equipped for handling and temporary storage of import and export containerized cargo as well as empty containers was discussed.
The session on Blue Economy – Integration of Water based Economy and Maritime Cluster addressed the integration of Water based Economy including River, Inland Water Body and Ocean Economy development with the principles of social inclusion, environmental sustainability and innovative, dynamic business models. The focus for this session was first of its kind on the Konkan Maritime Cluster currently being set up at Verna, Goa. The Cluster would create common facilities not only for the shipbuilders of Goa but also for the other manufacturers who may require the services of the Cluster.
