<img src="https://prod-cogoport.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/cbf421861ddbe56377f7cb18906b80e2/mauro-licul-388509-unsplash-turned.jpg" alt="mauro-licul-388509-unsplash-turned.jpg" class="center" width=""> Sometimes you can’t tell one week from the other. That can be because your calendar is filled to the brim, but it can also be that the news you read feels like more of the same. As I’m experiencing both, let’s go straight to this week’s news highlight’s: Portside EfficiencyAt Cogoport we make booking a container more efficient. Moving containers around the port and on and off ships needs to be more efficient as well. As the rise in competition between carriers is driving down the revenue per container, these carriers are pressuring ports to improve efficiency in terminal operations. Automation seems to be the key.“Some terminals are handling more volume, but in some markets the revenue per TEU is decreasing – or certainly not increasing the way it used to – so they’re having to manage their business in a different way. “That efficiency drive has two parts: one is to be the better service provider [than regional port competitors]; but also to reduce your costs, which therefore either gives you more flexibility on the commercial side, or it means you’re a more profitable business,”→Ports need to think outside the box to make their terminals more cost-effective Digitization and AutomationAn interesting study came out done by PwC: “The Era of Digitized Trucking: Charting Your Transformation to a New Business Model.” It made me think of digitizing shipping and how that changes business models as well. More on that in a future post.“A consistently digitized supply chain saves administrative overheads, replaces time-consuming inventory, and reduces insurance costs by cutting error rates. In total, savings of up to 41% are possible by 2030 compared to today's supply chains.”→<a href="https://www.supplychain247.com/article/digitization_and_autonomous_driving_to_halve_logistics_costs_by_2030">Digitization and Autonomous Driving to Halve Logistics Costs by 2030, finds PwC Study</a>Also in that category a study by Deloitte:“Continue to monitor advancements in autonomous robots for applicability to the supply chain. Autonomous robotics have the potential to improve operations, and they offer new opportunities to increase productivity, reduce risk, decrease cost, and improve data collection, particularly as customer expectations and volumes of packages, shipments, and orders reach unsustainable levels for traditional approaches.”→<a href="https://www.supplychain247.com/paper/using_autonomous_robots_to_drive_supply_chain_innovation">Using Autonomous Robots to Drive Supply Chain Innovation</a>And autonomous shipping news from the UK:“The U.K.'s Maritime &amp; Coastguard Agency (MCA) and Department for Transport will study new ways of regulating the autonomous and smart shipping industries to help them deliver new technologies to the traditional maritime sector.The £1 million (US $1.3 million) grant will underwrite a new Maritime Autonomy Regulation Lab, where regulators, academics and industry representatives will investigate the best methods for regulating vessels operated remotely and autonomously.The global autonomous shipping industry is predicted to grow into a $136 billion behemoth by 2030, according to U.K. maritime regulators."→<a href="https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/uk-grant-autonomous-shipping-regulations/539180/">UK grant will study autonomous shipping regulations</a> More Surcharges and Carrier RatesMore on surcharges and carrier rates in addition to the items mentioned&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cogoport.com/en-IN/blogs/this-week-in-ocean-freight-181005">last week</a>.“Anecdotal reports from The Loadstar’s sources refer to a “sharp dip” in load factors on the route in the two weeks leading up the national factory shutdown, from a peak season high of over 95% to below 90%. The demand slowdown reinforces the strategy of carriers to axe more than 200,000 teu of headhaul capacity this month, including the 2M’s AE2/Swan loop.”“Meanwhile, on the transpacific tradelane, the jury is still out on the impact on forward bookings of US retailers stocking up in advance of Trump trade tariff hikes on a vast range of consumer imports.”→Box carriers sail towards a tipping point of ocean freight rates and fuel“The IMO’s 0.5% sulphur fuel cap will cause an “existential crisis” for container carriers, unless they can pass on the added bunker costs to shippers.”“However, speculation is mounting as to whether carriers will be able to successfully pass on all the extra cost, having failed to do this during the first half of 2018 when their earnings were hit by a steady rise in bunker prices.”→2020 sulphur fuel cap may spark a crisis for carriers that can't recover the cost More on the US-China Trade War“Despite tariffs on billions of dollars worth of imports coming in from China, imports at U.S. container ports are expected to stay at "near record levels," the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Hackett Associates said.Retailers "are not able to quickly or easily change their sourcing," Jonathan Gold, NRF vice president for supply chain and customs policy, said in a statement. As a result, many businesses will continue to import products from production facilities in China.”→<a href="https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/tariffs-retail-imports-record-levels-NRF-hackett/539339/">Tariffs are not slowing down retail imports</a>“The US-China trade war has seemed “positive” for transpacific shipping lines, so far, with importers rushing to beat tariff deadlines. But there is growing concern that a prolonged dispute would leave shippers with question marks on whether to reorganise their supply chains.”→China-US trade war brings box carriers a bonus – but 2019 looks less promising SustainabilityAnd there was the climate change report that the IPCC published. You can read a nice recap in the last article of this week:“It’s clear that the benefits to the world of mitigating climate change are greater than the costs of mitigating climate change”→<a href="https://qz.com/1416250/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-new-1-5c-climate-change-report">Everything you need to know about the new 1.5°C climate-change report</a>Photo by&nbsp;Mauro Licul on&nbsp;Unsplash

Ports: Digitization and Sustainability

The movement of goods by the freight forwarding industry - taking the right product to the right place - has been in sync over time. Every experienced stakeholder has carved out a strategic niche (read, a profitability formula) to survive in the industry. With a cut and paste process in place, those shy of transparency and seamlessness in the system have fared even better. The mantra being&nbsp;–&nbsp;the more ‘broken’&nbsp;the process, the better they fare. In a nutshell, the number of service providers mediating the `inefficiencies’&nbsp;have kept growing. There is evidence that too many opportunists among them have led to the glaring inadequacies in the value chain. And so, when the world is actually shrinking to bring a customer and a supplier closer, this value chain keeps expanding. There is no mention of removing the&nbsp;“inefficiencies”&nbsp;at all.This dichotomy points to an emerging storyline that seems inevitable&nbsp;–&nbsp;a new alignment of freight centres may soon alter the geopolitics of the entire game. Suddenly, there appears room for newer players in an industry that has never seen any kind of paradigm shift anywhere – whether in India or anywhere else in the world. Have a longer association with this industry, and you can perceive a potential change in the behavioural pattern of users. A very very human touch industry seems right on the anvil of change. Watch this space for more…. Next: ‘User Behaviour. Change, will you?”

Disruption in B2B – Still a fait accompli?

The success of your sales efforts, go-to-market strategies, and new product launches is, to a large extent, dependent on how well you&rsquo;ve linked the different touch points of your supply chain &ndash; starting from procuring raw material to delivering the finished product to the right market at the right time.
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Logistics is the backbone of business; local or global. No business can succeed without effective and efficient logistics partners. How you select and manage your logistics service providers will impact the outcome of your carefully crafted business strategies.
More often than not, most companies identify and select logistics partners based on the cost of service projected by the potential service providers. A select few give importance to efficiency and base their vendor selection on this parameter alone.
While both cost and efficiency are important attributes of a logistics partner, neither can be looked at in isolation nor is it enough to base your vendor selection on only these two attributes.
What should one look for in a logistics partner? 
An ideal logistics partner is one who is invested in your organization&rsquo;s success as much as you are. The right partner should, along with optimal pricing and efficient service, also possess the following attributes:
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1. Technology:&nbsp;Supply chain is evolving. It is becoming digital, functionally inter-dependent, and highly complicated. One can no longer expect operational efficiencies by following age-old manual methods or by working in silos. Thus, when choosing a partner to lead your logistics function, it is imperative to bring on board a company that understands the importance of integrating different touch points in the supply chain and functions in a digital environment.
E.g. If you&rsquo;re looking for a transport provider, then check whether they offer multi-modal transport solutions? How do they take bookings? Do they offer a digital platform to book cargo loads? In case of road transport, ask if their carriers are equipped with GPS? For all modes of transport, find out if the company provides real-time cargo tracking?
Similarly, if you&rsquo;re looking for a warehouse partner, check if they have the latest equipment to handle inventory. Find out how they keep stock records. Ask if their system can be integrated with yours?
Another point that you must ascertain is the tech savviness of the team. Specially the team-on-the-ground. Is their team trained to work in a digital environment? Can they adapt to new systems and processes with ease?
If it is an end-to-end logistics management company that you want to partner with, then along with all the above aspects, you also need to understand how they integrate the various logistical functions within their organization and how their technology can be synchronised with your organization&rsquo;s processes and systems.
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2. Market Acumen:&nbsp;Right from the top management to the team that will handle the day-to-day activities for your organisation, should have an understanding of the industry and the market that you operate in. These insights will help them serve you better, which in turn will benefit your end customers.
3. Business Reach and Scale:&nbsp;Global is the new local. A logistics partner is a key contributor in ensuring that your products reach customers around the globe with minimum effort, on-time and in good (saleable) condition.
Scale of operations is another crucial aspect that you need to consider when partnering with a logistics service provider. Understand their business development plan. Will they be able to service your business growth? Can they manage sudden market-driven demand? If in the event they themselves do not possess the ability to cater to unplanned trade, do they have a network of trusted business partners who can provide the required support?
4. Business Ethics:&nbsp;Assume&nbsp;technology, systems, and processes are in place. The pricing is competitive and the team is stellar. Is this enough to appoint this organization as your business partner?
No. Given the important role that logistics plays in making your business successful, along with the operational efficiencies, you must also conduct due diligence on their work ethics and business practices. This goes beyond the regular credit and KYC checks.
Before signing on the dotted line, seek out the responses to the following questions - are their transactions and dealings transparent? Are they reliable? What is their reputation in the market? How do they treat their resources and manage their team? How do they manage their finances? Do they follow industry best practices? And, in case of transport providers &ndash; are they following the rules laid down for carriers and drivers?
It is necessary to carry out a hygiene check for business partners, because in the long run their reputation and standing in the market will affect yours too.
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5. Responsiveness to Business Needs:&nbsp;Customer service is another key factor that needs to be assessed before partnering with a logistics service provider.
Before you finalise on a vendor, find out if their customer service team is willing&nbsp;to go the extra mile to find the most optimum solutions for your business? Is the team proactive? Can they take ownership of the business process outsourced to them? Can they foresee problems and work on finding the most optimum solutions for your business?
A dedicated customer service team is necessary for ensuring successful management and execution of logistics plans.
Keep these key attributes in mind when you are looking to appoint a logistics partner. It will help you weed out partners that may not be in a position to offer you the logistical support you need to grow your business.
Reliability, transparency, and a dedicated customer success team is the hallmark of Cogoport!&nbsp;<a href="https://cogoport.com/signup">Register Now</a>&nbsp;to know more about how we can help you optimise your import and export logistics.

5 Key Factors for Choosing a Logistics Partner

It’s been an eventful week for me. In a literal sense actually. I’m speaking at several events in 2 weeks time and I’m visiting the Smart Mobility Conference in Tel Aviv at the end of this month. Let me know if you are going to any of these and I’d be happy to meet up and have a coffee.Registration for the Tel Aviv event is already closed, but there are still tickets available for the other events:On November 6 I will be speaking at the Intermodal Europe event in Rotterdam. At 16h10 I will talk about the critical role of container optimization in the era of digital freight. I will focus on the importance of managing empties and how visibility, transparency, and analytics can improve the flow of goods through any supply chain. Register for the event for free <a href="https://visitcloud.com/" target="_blank">here</a>.On November 7 and 8 I will be speaking at the ICT and Logistics (ICT en Logistiek) event in Utrecht. At 14h45, both days, I will talk about why booking a container should be as easy as booking a hotel, and I will show everybody how this can be done as well. Register for the event for free here.Be sure to also register for one of my speaking sessions, as the number of seats is limited.And now quickly on to my highlights of this week’s freight and tech news.IMO“Amendments to Marpol Annex VI were approved in April, during the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 72), and would prohibit the carriage of&nbsp;fuels that don’t comply with the IMO’s 2020 low-sulphur regulations.The amendments are expected to be formally implemented at this week’s MEPC 73.In effect, this means any vessel carrying high-sulphur fuel oil (HSFO), such as the heavy fuel oil (HFO) containerships commonly burn, in special environmental zones would be considered to have breached the 2020 regulations.”→ IMO looks set to introduce ban on ships carrying high-sulphur fuel“Meanwhile, a Norwegian energy consulting firm, DNV GL, recently held a webinar to discuss IMO2020 and the scrubber option, where a ship adds scrubbers to remove sulfur from its exhaust, allowing the continued use of higher sulfur fuel, which is significantly cheaper than ULSD.One fact in the webinar was sobering: DNV said earlier predictions by the International Maritime Organization, the international organization that is implementing IMO2020, called for 4,000 scrubbers to be installed by 2020.”→ <a href="https://www.freightwaves.com/news/maritime/imo2020-merrill-lynch-report-refineries" target="_blank">IMO2020 watch: looking to refineries and shipowners to respond to economic incentives</a>“The Trump administration wants pollution limits on ship fuels that a United Nations maritime agency will implement in 2020 to be phased in to protect consumers from any price spikes in heating and trucking fuels, a White House spokesman said on Friday”.→ <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-diesel-trump/trump-administration-wants-phase-in-of-u-n-rules-on-maritime-fuel-idUSKCN1MT2ZP" target="_blank">Trump administration wants phase-in of U.N. rules on maritime fuel</a>Global Trade and the Ocean Freight Market“This year, President Donald Trump broke with thirty years of unquestioned orthodoxy on trade policy, attacking trading partners and allies, calling them to account, and erecting new barriers to cheap imports flooding American marketplaces. If Trump broke Washington’s conventional wisdom on international trade, his administration’s actions also broke long-standing trade flow patterns that shippers, carriers, and intermediaries have used to model supply and demand for years.”→ <a href="https://www.freightwaves.com/news/maritime/freight-forwarders-tariffs-broke-peak-season-in-two" target="_blank">Freight forwarders: tariffs broke peak season in two</a>“DP World has reported a 2.6% increase in container volumes for the nine months to September”“Such is the size of its Dubai operations, that plummeting UAE volumes impacted three-month numbers for the wide Europe, Middle East and Africa region, which were down 4.4% to 7.3m teu for the third quarter.However, overall volumes for the first nine months for Europe, Middle East and Africa were up 1.7% to 22m teu”→ Market uncertainty impacts DP World volumes, but 'we stay on track'"We’re pro-actively taking action," Todd Bluedorn, CEO of Lennox International. "I’m not sure the Chinese tariffs are going to be short term. And so we’re taking action to sort of avoid the tariffs by moving to southeast Asia and other low-cost countries that can meet our requirements."→ Companies Say They're Ready to Move Supply Chains From ChinaFreight TechThe Port of Rotterdam is one of the most innovative in the world. A perfect match with Cogoport. One of the reasons our European Headquarters is located in Rotterdam.“In a partnership with Samsung DSD and Dutch bank ABM AMRO, the Port of Rotterdam will test a blockchain system for linking container logistics and payments beginning in January, according to a press release from the port.The goal of the pilot will be to integrate "physical, administrative and financial streams within international distribution chains," digitally.The pilot will track a container through multiple freight modes from Asia to the Netherlands, and results will be announced in February.”→ <a href="https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/Rotterdam-blockchain-test-digital-booking/540342/" target="_blank">Port of Rotterdam tests blockchain to link container logistics and payments</a>A nice infographic from the nice people of FreightWaves on Freight Tech. Good to see that more money is being invested in innovation in the freight industry. Click the link to see it→ <a href="https://www.freightwaves.com/news/infographics/transport-tech-rising-venture-capital-trends-part-1" target="_blank">Transport Tech Rising: Venture Capital Trends (Part 1)</a>If visibility is your key objective as well, then be sure to register on Cogoport.com. We will give you full visibility of all your shipments.“In its second annual 2018 State of Supply Chain Innovation Survey, Kenco looked at the state of supply chain technology innovation and found that innovation is happening, but that it is iterative rather than explosive. Change is related to the increasing realization that when technology improves processes, it also boosts profits. Visibility is a key objective for most organizations when embracing new technologies.”→ <a href="https://epsnews.com/ebn-online/" target="_blank">Supply Chain Innovation Continues, But Slowly</a>Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/hjEesK4KSDs?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText" target="_blank">Axel Ahoi</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/s/photos/freighter" target="_blank">Unsplash</a>

IMO, Global Trade, Ocean Freight, & Freight Tech

After rolling out GST last year, Government of India introduced the&nbsp;e-way bill system&nbsp;in February 2018. While the initial endeavour to roll out the new tax collection method was not successful, it fared much better in the second attempt made in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cogoport.com/blogs/eway-bill-amendment">April 2018</a>. By end of May 2018, the GST e-way bill system had been successfully implemented for inter-state movement of goods in 21 states and six Union Territories. After effective execution of the new process in interstate goods movement, starting June 2018, GST e-way bill rule has been implemented for intra-state movement of goods throughout the country. Why is the GST e-way bill so important? The e-way bill system is a part of the GST regime. This system has been created with the aim to systematize logistical movement of goods in the country, improve and increase tax collection, and in turn control tax evasion.<a href="https://api.whatsapp.com/message/N4CI7UNDFE2ZM1?autoload=1&amp;app_absent=0&amp;utm_source=web&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=general" target="_blank"><img src="https://cdn.cogoport.io/cms-prod/cogo_public/vault/original/Blog Banner WA 2.png" width="auto" style="width: auto; height: auto;"></a>What is an e-way bill? The GST e-way bill is an electronic document that is required to be carried by the transporter when transporting goods worth more than INR 50,000 via a single bill/delivery challan/invoice. What are the other benefits of the e-way bill system?Apart from making the country’s tax structure efficient, it is also believed that GST e-way bill system will provide the following benefits to the trade:<ul><li>GST e-way bill generation system is digitized and easy-to-use. This means that traders (taxpayers)/transporters will no longer need to go to check posts to generate an e-way bill.</li><li>Waiting time at check posts is expected to reduce with the introduction of e-way bill. This will help reduce not only transit time but also better manage road congestion and improve turn-time of vehicles. Reduced transit time will also positively impact transportation costs.</li><li>GST e-way bill system has simplified documentation pertaining to movement of goods. Unlike earlier, where each state had different documentation demands, now the documentation required for movement of goods has been made uniform. </li><li>Along with digitization of e-way bill generation, even the transport vehicles have been equipped with RFID devices to facilitate easy check of e-way bills. This has reduced the burden on the transporter to carry the physical copies of the e-way bills. </li><li>GST e-way bill system has made it easy to verify and check transactions for tax purposes for both the taxpayers and the tax administration. </li></ul>When should an e-way bill be generated or issued? An e-way bill is required to be generated or issued when a consignment worth INR 50,000 is going to be transported via a single delivery challan/invoice/bill. This value can be the total of all goods transported in the vehicle or of the invoice of each shipment being transported in a vehicle.&nbsp;Such movement of goods can be due to reasons of supply of goods, return of goods, or purchase (inward supply) of goods.A GST e-way bill also needs to be compulsorily generated in the following scenarios:<ul><li>Movement of goods, even if the goods being transported are less than INR 50,000, for inter-state transfer by the Principal to a job-worker or registered job worker. </li><li>Inter-State transport of handicraft material by a trader who is exempted from GST registration. </li></ul>Are any goods exempt under the e-way bill generation rule?The movement of the following goods does not require an e-way bill:<ul><li>Perishable goods – fruits, vegetables, meat, milk and milk products </li><li>Silver and gold jewellery </li><li>Raw silk </li><li>Handlooms </li><li>Wool </li><li>Cooking gas cylinders </li></ul>Who is required to generate an e-way bill?A registered person (trader, seller, buyer, consignor, consignee, transporter) is required to generate an e-way bill. An unregistered person also has to register on the e-way bill generation portal. However, an unregistered user is exempt from generating an e-way bill only if he is supplying goods to a registered person. In such a scenario, the registered person will be responsible for generating an e-way bill.<a href="https://cogoport.com/signup/en-IN/?utm_source=web&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=general" target="_blank"><img src="https://cdn.cogoport.io/cms-prod/cogo_public/vault/original/Blog-Banner-Portal-3.png" width="auto" style="width: auto; height: auto;"></a>Is an e-way bill required in all movement of goods?No, there are some exceptions where an e-way bill is not required. For example, an e-way bill is not required for:<ul><li>Movement of goods under customs seal or direction </li><li>When movement of goods is via a non-motor vehicle form of transport </li><li>Transportation of goods under customs bond from ICD to port or one custom check point to another </li><li>Transit cargo from Nepal or Bhutan to India </li><li>Empty containers used for transporting cargo </li><li>Shipments/goods transported from customs port, air cargo station/complex, airport, customs check post to ICD or CFS for customs clearance process </li><li>Rail transportation of goods by State Government, Central Government, or any local authorities </li><li>Goods exempt under the GST e-way bill rule by the respective State/Union Territory </li><li>Movement of goods for/due to defence requirements with Ministry of Defence&nbsp;listed either as a receiver or a sender </li><li>Seller, sender, consignor of goods transporting goods to or from his place of business to weighbridge for the purpose of weighing the cargo within a distance of 20kms. A delivery challan should be sent along with this kind of cargo movement. </li><li>Movement of goods listed under annexure to rule 138(14), goods considered as “no supply” according to Schedule III, and specified Schedules of the Central Tax Rate notifications. </li></ul>From where and how to generate an e-way bill?It’s simple! To generate an e-way bill all you need to do is register on the e-Way Bill System&nbsp;portal. Does an e-way bill have a validity period? What is the validity period?Yes, e-way bills have a validity period. It is based on the distance that the goods are transported. The validity period starts from the date and time of generation of an e-way bill.<img src="https://prod-cogoport.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/db01c10668c07284b931d80701357e66/eway%20bill%20new%20slide.jpg" alt="e-way bill" class="center" width=""> <img>What are the documents required for generating an e-way bill?The following documents are required for generating an e-way bill:<ul><li>For transportation by road the transporter ID or vehicle number is required </li><li>For transportation by rail, air, or sea, the transporter ID, transport document number, and the date of the document is required </li><li>Bill of Supply, challan, or invoice pertaining to the goods being transported </li></ul>For more information on the GST E-way Bill system, processes, and how to generate an E-way Bill visit&nbsp;Goods and Services Tax e-Way Bill System&nbsp;Portal.&nbsp;

E-Way Bill Update: All About GST System

With the increasing population, food production demand also increases. Agricultural packaging helps farmers and the exporters to deliver food in the handiest approach without any loss.


Packaging prevents unnecessary waste post-harvest and during the processes of production, storage and transportation. It ensures short and long-term stability between the farmers and consumers.
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Packaging for agricultural export business:
The packaging is rising an essential element for your export operation, impacting the safety, cost, communication and even marketing of your agricultural products. Agricultural packaging has gained immense popularity across the world. According to Statista, the global agricultural packaging market is expected to reach [$5.02 billion by the end of 2023](https://www.statista.com/statistics/916723/global-agricultural-packaging-market/). If you want your agricultural products to reach different horizons across the world, you should consider the features, importance and benefits of packaging.

- Safety of agricultural products
 
- Accurate handling instructions 
</li><li>
Importance of packaging in the export business:&nbsp;From the contractual point of view, you are responsible for the packaging of agricultural products such that it withstands the transportation process. If the packaging is damaged in the port of destination, then the handling of the cargo is not considered responsible.

Responsibility of seller: According to the new edition of [Incoterms 2010](https://iccwbo.org/resources-for-business/incoterms-rules/incoterms-rules-2010/), the seller will be responsible for any damage happened to the products during the journey. 
</li><li>
Security of goods: 
The primary purpose of the agricultural packaging is not limited to protecting the cargo during the international logistic process. The packaging is also an essential element of the product’s marketing, as it conveys a strong image of the company in front of the consumers. 
</li><li>
Cost saving:
Packing affects the cost of your products. The packaging must adapt to the cargo units deployed to optimize the use of trucks, containers and the other form of transportation. 
</li><li>
Storage and organization: 
Packages end up taking more space when not compatible with pallets and thus, waste up to 20% of the container’s space, adding 40% extra cost to in the price of your product.</li></ul><a href="https://cogoport.com/signup/en-IN/?utm_source=web&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=general" target="_blank"><img src="https://cdn.cogoport.io/cms-prod/cogo_public/vault/original/Blog-Banner-Portal-3.png" width="auto" style="width: auto; height: auto;"></a><ul><li> 
Handling information: 
The packaging is also essential in terms of the instructions and other handling information. How the carrier, individual and the cargo handle the products will rely on the knowledge of the packaging. The information on the boxes, help the transporters to stack the boxes. The boxes could be stacked upside down, damaging the products when there is no instruction on the packaging. 
</li><li>
Packaging and labelling functions:

In accord with the importance of packaging, the packaging must have these functions to facilitate the transportation process without any hindrance:

- Protect your cargo during international logistics
 
- Communicate your brand with the consumers
 
- Your essential constitutional element of marketing
 
- Reflects your customer’s cultural value
 
- Instruct carriers how the package should be stacked or handled</li></ul>How does packaging boost your agricultural exports?

You should consider the below fundamentals to boost up their exports across the world.
1. Protection of goods:
For agricultural goods, protection of products is necessary, and as the exporter, you have to select the right packaging material to prevent damage. You can request samples to test the packing materials and packaging. The packaging should withstand the transportation process.

The means of transportation also plays a vital part in packaging as you have to select the material based on the transport used and the distance covered by the transportation company. It is necessary to use different kinds of material to target different markets.

2. Business communication:&nbsp;The packaging is something that communicates the product’s features to its buyers, making it the essential marketing tool for exporters. For agricultural products, you can instruct the consumers about the ingredient or can even warn them about the allergies.

Before initiating the export operation, preferences of the consumers in the target market should be assessed to ensure that the package meets the consumer’s expectations.

 3. Indicating the size of the package:&nbsp;The agricultural packaging and its material must be optimized to maximize the use of cargo units. The packaging should be designed in a way that a maximum number of packages fit in each box. The size of the boxes should be considered for pallet use.

EUR-Pallet is the most commonly used pallet across the world, which measures 1,200mm X 800mm X 144mm, which is approximate to 47.2inches X 31.5 inches X 5.7 inches. With these dimensions, the exporters can ensure maximum utilization of the space. It would help if you considered these calculations before packing your agricultural products.<a href="https://api.whatsapp.com/message/N4CI7UNDFE2ZM1?autoload=1&amp;app_absent=0&amp;utm_source=web&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=general" target="_blank"><img src="https://cdn.cogoport.io/cms-prod/cogo_public/vault/original/Blog Banner WA 1.png" width="auto" style="width: auto; height: auto;"></a>
4. Information for handling:&nbsp;The package must indicate how it is handled. The agricultural exporter must mention how the product should be processed on the boxes. They can print indications along with the symbol like “this side up,” maximum stacking height,” handle with care” and many others.

All these indications should be listed outside the packages so that the carrier can transport them without damaging the products. Besides, it would help if you also considered other indications which are mandatory in your company’s product include precautions regarding the exposure to sunlight, damp and extreme temperatures.

5. Reflects your customer’s cultural values:
The information on the packaging should reflect your customer’s cultural values. No matter where does your customer resides, you should consider the local language and other aspects of the information.

In Turkey and Austria, green is well-accepted colour, while in China, red and yellow is accepted because of the royalty in its culture. You should conduct proper cultural analysis before designing your package to ensure and enhance the cultural values of your potential customers.

## What does this ultimately mean?

A right package can not only protect your shipments but also foster sales and increase the perception of value among your customers. Thus, packaging an important aspect which cannot be ignored to boost up the agricultural export across the world.

How Packaging Can Boost Agricultural Exports

The B2B marketplace is perceived&nbsp;tech-&nbsp;phobic&nbsp;which means&nbsp;anything&nbsp;that&nbsp;smells&nbsp;automated to&nbsp;the user&nbsp;cannot be&nbsp;simple.&nbsp;The&nbsp;fight is on, to&nbsp;prove&nbsp;that it is&nbsp;but&nbsp;very&nbsp;simple. It&nbsp;just needs&nbsp;to be&nbsp;addressed, that’s&nbsp;all. Technology need&nbsp;not be feared, it does add only value.&nbsp;The buyer will save time and money and&nbsp;the seller will save on customer acquisition cost, where if a shipper wants rates and clearance, technology will give it all - value, in every service that is provided.&nbsp;How this new striker with a tech-enabled model can herald a movement is to make a statement and deliver a complete package in terms of the price discovery that can assure clarity, compliance to rules, speed, transparency, profitability and instantaneousness.&nbsp;A lot could be replaced by adding value through technology.Tech can be predictive, Tech can analyse.&nbsp;Said and done, pure tech play cannot change human nature. Herein lies the trick.&nbsp;Technology will need Humans.Solution: the tech driven model brings in the now-needed human touch.&nbsp;A hybrid platform which is not merely a portal, which can be an assisted process to transact the deal.&nbsp;Why hybrid?&nbsp;Because a full-fledged technologically sound platform may not quite be what the buyer may want to adopt immediately. Show the buyer a face, a voice that is capable of being the guide and give some comfort with the initial handholding- that is what technology will do...take it whole lot further.The idea is brilliant, so why wait till the concept gets tested?<a href="https://api.whatsapp.com/message/N4CI7UNDFE2ZM1?autoload=1&amp;app_absent=0&amp;utm_source=web&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=general" target="_blank"><img src="https://cdn.cogoport.io/cms-prod/cogo_public/vault/original/Blog Banner WA 2.png" width="auto" style="width: auto; height: auto;"></a>Watch this space for more…. Next: “The Limit(lessness) of Technology”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Technology - The need for a human face to it

Indian
taxation system is undergoing a reform phase. With GST the government aims to
bring the country under a single tax system, simplify the rules for
implementation, payment and collection of tax, curb tax evasion, and streamline movement of goods within the country. The e-way
bill is an effort to monitor and smoothen movement of goods under the GST regime.
It is an electronic way bill required for transportation of goods worth
more than INR 50,000 (single invoice, bill, delivery challan) in the same transport
vehicle by a registered trader or transporter. The e-way bill can be generated
via the e-Way Bill Portal. Once an e-way
bill is generated, a unique e-way bill number (EBN) is created for the invoice.
The EBN is available to the seller, the buyer, and the transporter assigned to
transport the consignment.<img src="https://cdn.cogoport.io/cms-prod/cogo_public/vault/original/Blog Banner WA 1.png" alt="" width="300px">Initially
planned to be rolled out in February’18, the e-way bill had to be put on hold
due to technical glitches in the system. The rules laid down for the e-way bill
had also raised some concerns in the industry and logistics sector. To address
the concerns of the trade and road transporters the Central
Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) released amendments to the draft policy on 7th
March 2018. Some of the changes in the rules in the e-way bill notification
released on 7th March 2018 are: 1. 
An e-way bill will not be required for
transport of a consignment interstate if the value of the consignment is less
than INR 50,000.2. 
For intra-state, a transporter is not
required to generate an e-way bill if the value of an individual consignment is
less than INR 50,000 even if the overall value of all the consignments in the vehicle
is more than INR 50,000.3. 
An e-way bill will not be required for
transport of goods up to a distance of 50 Km.4. 
Validity period of the e-way bill
is set to 72 hours from generation or till goods delivered.5. 
For generation of e-way bill, only the
value of taxable goods will be taken into account.6. 
An e-way bill will not be required for transit
goods from or to Nepal and Bhutan.7. 
An e-way bill is made mandatory for the
inter-state movement of goods between job worker and principal even if the
value of goods transported is less than INR 5o,000. An e-way bill can be
generated by either party.8. 
An e-way bill is also made mandatory
for inter-state transport of handicraft goods by a trader who is exempted from
registering for GST.9. 
Transporters will require permission from
the supplier to generate Part-A of the e-way bill.

Read the
complete CBEC notification released on 7th March, 2018, <a href="https://www.cogoport.com/en-IN/blogs/amendments-to-eway-bill">here</a>.Revised dates for roll out of the e-way bill were announced in the 26th GST
Council Meet on 10th March 18. The Council has proposed rollout of
inter-state e-way bill from 1st April 2018, and 15th
April for the rollout of the intra-state e-way bill. The intra-state e-way bill
will be rolled out in phases, list of states and the e-way bill applicable
dates will be announced by the CBEC.

e-Way Bill Update: CBEC Amends e-Way Bill Rules

Finagle’s Law,
a popular version of Murphy’s Law, which says that “Anything that can go
wrong, will”, is probably the best way to explain the importance and
necessity of freight and cargo insurance. A few recent examples
of accidents or incidents which resulted in huge cargo or marine claims are:<ul><li>The&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_Tianjin_explosions" style="letter-spacing: -0.02em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Tanjin Port explosion</a>&nbsp;(2015) caused due to hazardous cargo could result in a loss of USD 6
billion. </li><li><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/sep/02/hanjin-shipping-bankruptcy-causes-turmoil-in-global-sea-freight" style="letter-spacing: -0.02em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Bankruptcy declaration of Hanjin Shipping</a> in September 2016 resulted in
huge cargo claims. </li></ul>Natural
calamities like earthquakes, floods, and hurricanes also form a major
part of marine claims.While all
transportation and allied service providers aim to provide safe transport of
goods from one place to another, the possibility of damage, loss, or delay
still remains. Damage or loss to cargo can be either due to natural causes or due to
breakdown of or accidents on the transportation vehicle (train, truck,
airplane, ship).A good cargo
insurance, to an extent, helps protect the shipper against all the things that
can possibly go wrong during transportation. It helps minimise risks and losses due to accidents, natural calamities, and damages during transportation.
It works as a shipper's lifeline till the goods reach the designated destination
and are handed over to the specified recipient as per the Bill of Lading.<a href="https://api.whatsapp.com/message/N4CI7UNDFE2ZM1?autoload=1&amp;app_absent=0&amp;utm_source=web&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=general" target="_blank"><img src="https://cdn.cogoport.io/cms-prod/cogo_public/vault/original/Blog Banner WA 3.png" width="auto" style="width: auto; height: auto;"></a>Of course, this
protection comes at a cost and only if the shippers have acted in good faith and
have been prudent!However,
choosing a marine insurance cover is easier said than done. There are quite a
few combinations to choose from and too much fine print to read and understand. But, if a shipper keeps the following points in mind, then it becomes slightly
easier to choose a good cargo insurance policy.Sale
Agreement:&nbsp;The sale agreement plays a major part in deciding which party to the
sale is in charge of getting the cargo insured. In sale agreements where the
seller is responsible only for paying for the cost and freight (C&amp;F) or if he is responsible only for transporting the
cargo till the port of loading (FOB), then the onus of getting the cargo insured lies
with the importer/buyer. In cases where the sale agreement is cost, insurance,
and freight (CIF), then the responsibility of getting the marine
insurance cover rests with the exporter/seller.This point is
important as it determines which party to the transaction will be responsible for
arranging the insurance cover and how the claim process will be handled in case
of any damage or loss. Risks
Covered:&nbsp;The kind of risks and the extent of coverage is the one of the most
important points to consider when selecting a cargo insurance policy. The shipper should gauge the kind of risks that he may have to deal with and then
accordingly purchase an insurance policy that will help cover those risks. Frequency of
Trade:&nbsp;This is another aspect that can influence the choice of marine insurance
cover selected. If it is a one-time consignment, then the shipper can consider a
policy for that specific shipment only. If he has regular shipments, then he
can go for an open policy or an open cover.Arrangement
with Freight Forwarder:&nbsp;Though shippers are always advised to take
a policy for their own shipments, they can also check with their freight forwarder
for insurance cover options. Here, the coverage might be lower than what they would get if they bought their own cargo insurance policy, and
hence may not be sufficient to cover the losses in case a claim arises.Multi-modal
Transportation and Storage:&nbsp;If the transit requires multi-modal transportation,
then while choosing a cargo insurance policy, the shipper must also confirm and
check that the goods will be covered in all modes of transportation – rail, road,
air, and sea and while in storage during the transit time period.Assess Add-ons
Required:&nbsp;There are certain risks that may not form a part of the insurance policy
and may need to be covered separately. The party in charge of arranging for the
insurance cover must assess all the possible risks involved during transit and
the time in between with respect to location, transhipments, storage, and
political conditions of the countries involved in the trade. For example, if
one of the countries involved in the trade is going through riots or strikes
and the region falls on the route of the transportation – then it would be
prudent to get a cover against this specific problem. It may increase the
premium payable, but it will ensure that if the cargo suffers any damage due to
an unstable environment, the losses will be covered.<img src="https://cdn.cogoport.io/cms-prod/cogo_public/vault/original/Blog-Banner-Portal-2.png" alt="" width="300px">Once there is
clarity on the above points, and the shipper has all the required information,
he can select from one of the following policies (most common types of cargo
insurance available in India) to insure his cargo. Specific Voyage
Policy: This
policy covers only one specific shipment. It is applicable only till the time
the shipment reaches the specified destination. As mentioned earlier, it is
ideal for shippers who do not export/import goods regularly.Open
Cover:&nbsp;Generally, a yearly cover is offered by the insurer to the shipper with
an understanding that the insurer will provide marine insurance (separate
policies) to both import and export shipments. Under this cover, a separate policy
for each consignment is created and a premium is collected for that specific
shipment.Open
Policy:&nbsp;This insurance policy is not applicable for international
transportation. It can only be taken by shippers who are transporting goods
within the country. It is generally an annual policy and covers movement of
cargo declared during the policy period.Annual
Policy:&nbsp;This type of policy is applicable only for goods being stored or shipped
from a specific place and where the title of goods belongs to the shipper (exporter/importer) who has taken the policy.While insurance
provides a safety net for the shipment, it comes with a set of rules that need
to be followed. If there is any instance of negligence from the insured, then
the insurance policy can be declared to be void.Shippers need to keep the following points in mind to get maximum benefit from their
insurance policies:<ul><li>Provide the correct details of the shipment with respect
to weight (net and gross), number of packages, nature (perishable, hazardous or
dangerous cargo). </li><li>Provide the correct details of the final destination and
the end recipient of the cargo. </li><li>Insure that the packaging of the cargo has been done
keeping trade guidelines and safety of the product in mind. </li><li>Insure that all the required labels and markings have
been put on the package. </li><li>Insure that all additional handling instructions have
been provided to the carrier and its agents. </li><li>Any other information that may have an effect on the
insurer’s decision to insure the cargo and give the insurer’s ability to
understand the kind of and extent of risk they are undertaking by insuring the
cargo. </li></ul>It is important to note that all
marine insurance claims are verified with the information provided at the time
of taking the cargo insurance.

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