Gateway Distriparks Ltd, a leading logistics player, is keen to integrate its services and use the railway container service to transport refrigerated containers.
Will start with export-bound containers on the Delhi-Mumbai route
MUMBAI: Gateway Distriparks Ltd (GDL), a leading logistics player, is keen to integrate its services and use the railway container service to transport refrigerated containers.
“The company plans to shortly start moving export-bound refrigerated containers through our container rakes on the Delhi-Mumbai route and then, depending on the business, would look at building it up,” said R Kumar, deputy chief executive officer, GDL.
GDL has already done a successful trial run sometime back and is all set to start operations by the end of this financial year. The company is looking to procure the products from exporters, who want to ship from Jawaharlal Nehru Port in Mumbai, containerise them in reefer containers in its ICD in Gurgaon and transport them through its container rakes to Mumbai.
“We are keen to develop this segment as it does not require major investments and we already have a rail terminal in Garhi Harsaru near Gurgaon,” Kumar added.
GDL has rail connectivity from Gurgaon to JN Port and Mundra and Pipavav Port in Gujarat. So far, it was deploying the rakes of Container Corporation of India (CONCOR) through a joint venture, but now, it has acquired five container rakes and will get seven more in the next six months.
Currently, CONCOR and APL, the container transportation arm of Singapore-based Neptune Orient Lines offer this service.
In an attempt to expand in the cold chain space, GDL is also on the lookout for potential partners for joint ventures or contractual partnerships.
“As India is a large consumption centre, a number of foreign logistics companies want to enter the Indian market and GDL is talking to a few of them for potential associations,” Kumar said. However, it is not planning any other acquisition as of now in this segment, he added.
With food retail growing fast and giants like Reliance, Wal-Mart and Future Group making big forays, the stage for organised logistics services has already been set.
GDL, which provides storage and transportation facilities for finished products, acquired a majority stake in Snowman Frozen Foods, owned by Japan-based Mitsubishi and Nichirei Logistics last year. Snowman operates in the cold chain logistics space with a presence in 15 locations in India.
“We will fully utilise the 15 existing locations before investing more in expansion, so that we are well placed to take on the growing retail market,” said Kumar.
s_archana23@dnaindia.net
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}