The way to economy’s heart is through the stomachs of consumers. Opportunities in agricultural trade exist for both the EU and India.Clove, cinnamon, and pepper once propelled global trade. These were as valuable as gold, so trade in spices was brisk, and it had great cultural and economic significance. New maritime trade routes and partnerships were forged and regional eating habits evolved. European demand was the animating force for commodities trading, and, as the world’s second-largest economy, the European Union (EU) still is.<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>India’s role has been historically important. It was the largest producer of spices, and the trade routes that emerged from the 14th to 17th centuries still exist. It is still a developing economy, but one of the world’s fastest-growing and as it searches for international trade partnerships to sustain its rapid GDP growth, it sees agriproducts as a way to achieve its ambitions.Modern day India-EU food trade presents a huge opportunity for both parties, albeit that the EU market is fiercely competitive and highly regulated – particularly on food products – and India’s is complicated and less rule-bound.<h3>All Eyes on Asia</h3>Globalisation has brought the world closer, and even our palates have benefitted. Foods that were once treasured in a specific region are now being shared with the world. Avocados, Himalayan pink salt, quinoa, cashews and kale are current examples. A wave of Instagram food enthusiasts has given the taste for new foods and added stimulus as their influence spreads across continents.<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>When it comes to exotic foods demand, Asia is a huge potential market. It is home to more than half the world’s population. Rising disposable incomes and growing food demand have made it a lucrative market for the EU’s food producers. India is at the forefront.The question then is to find the right opportunities.India is still largely an agricultural country. Almost half of its labour force is involved in farming, while the corresponding number in the EU is relatively tiny. The amount of arable land in Europe is declining. This will inflate its demand for food imports – an excellent opportunity for Indian exports, which include rice, jute, lentils, onions, and potatoes. Meanwhile, the EU produces an abundance of wine, barley, grapes and olive oil. Globally, demand for olive oil, a European staple, is set to increase, as awareness of its health benefits grows. While both the production and consumption of wine are expected to stabilise within the EU, appetite for it in developing countries, including India, continues to rise.Other factors contribute. Thanks to the organic food movement, India predicts growing global demand for its spices and lentils. Environmental consciousness will raise awareness of jute as an alternative fabric. The crown jewel of Indian food grains - basmati rice will be sought after as more people switch to gluten-free diets.Trade-in agriproducts between India and the EU are like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle - ready to take shape.<h3>Regional Trade Set to Boom</h3>Exporters from India who have traditionally looked at western markets realise export business opportunities with their regional counterparts. Given the proximity and blooming economies, the countries within South Asia could be trading among themselves at three times the current levels according to a recent report by the World Bank. It seems the EU is by no means the only game in town.<img src="https://cdn.cogoport.io/cms-prod/cogo_public/vault/original/Blog-Banner-Portal-1.png" alt="" width="300px">India is already taking advantage of specific export opportunities in five markets which include – rice to Egypt, onions to Dubai, lily bulbs to Taiwan, sesame to Turkey, and turmeric to Japan. It is also assessing regional markets for organic products such as grapes, mangoes, pineapple, litchi, ginger, and okra. The country seeks to liberalise trade in farm products and amplify international commerce.India’s export volumes will grow even if regional focus may shift. It’s also clear that there will be a definite increase in demand for imported European goods. Indian consumers will have agriproducts such as fine wine, olive oil, and other native European produce on their shopping lists. These commodities, once considered luxuries for most Indians, are becoming more prevalent.Opportunities exist for both the EU, the largest trade bloc in the world, and India, the nation that is set to be the most populous by 2024.Spice traders were paid handsomely in past centuries. Tastes may have changed the items in the shopping baskets of consumers, but for importers and exporters of food products, there is still a thriving business to be done.&nbsp;

India-EU Food Trade: A Massive Opportunity

India-EU Food Trade: Opportunities, Regulations & Market Access

Another busy week in Rotterdam. Looking at my full schedule I was thinking about how digitalising my life has helped me save so much time. I order my groceries online and they get delivered right to my kitchen, which saves a hours a week. Same goes for getting somebody a present (not for Christmas yet). My favorite e-tailer has an app for that. A few clicks and everything is arranged. And at work I’m trying to do the same for importers and exporters all over Europe. Letting them book container shipments with just a few clicks.
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Talking about saving time: let’s go straight to the logistics news highlights for this week
<h3>Sustainability</h3>
The attention for sustainability issues is still on the rise, which is a good thing. We only have one planet, so we should use it wisely. Both ports and shipping companies have their eye on the green ball, but not all measures taken are favorable for shippers. I do however fully agree with the first concrete action of the World Ports Climate Action Program mentioned in the first article below. Increasing the efficiency of using digital tools is just what we are doing here at Cogoport.
“It is important to note that Los Angeles/Long Beach joined six other international ocean cargo gateways in the initiative called the World Ports Climate Action Program. This represents the creation of In their release today, the seven ports have agreed to focus on five concrete actions: 1. Increase efficiency of supply chains using digital tools. 2. …”
→<a href="https://www.supplychain247.com/article/international_ports_inspiring_deeper_commitment_in_support_of_the_paris_agr">International ports inspiring deeper commitment in support of the Paris Agreement</a>
“The International Maritime Organization, the United Nations agency that regulates global shipping, will require that ships in international waters emit no more than 0.5% sulfur by 2020.
The mandate is poised to disrupt the maritime industry, which has long relied on cheap high-sulfur bunker fuel with sulfur content around 3.5%. The major lines are now facing hard decisions on how to meet the mandate.”
→<a href="https://www.freightwaves.com/news/k-line-msc-2020">Major shipping companies outline plans for meeting the IMO's 2020 low-sulfur mandate</a>
This does have an effect on shippers, as carriers are adjusting fuel surcharge, for example
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<h3>Carrier Rates and Surcharges</h3>
“Carriers impose [fuel surcharges] unilaterally without any negotiation with shippers and ignore a market approach to the global problem.
The future of higher-cost low-sulphur is a multi-billion, complex issue in international maritime transport and it can only be addressed and understood by shippers if carriers provide cost transparency on their fuel spend and the cost impact of the new IMO low-sulphur regulation”
→<a href="https://www.supplychain247.com/article/new_ocean_cargo_carrier_surcharges_in_january_have_supply_chain_managers_co">New ocean cargo carrier surcharges in January have supply chain managers concerned</a>
“The containership industry may finally end a lost decade of investment returns as demand accelerates and ocean carriers keep a lid on supply, according to one market expert.&nbsp;
With the exception of 2010, operating profit margins have averaged between 3% and 4% over that period. But the benchmark is an operating margin of 10%, which is closer to the industry’s capital cost... The spread between what liner operators earned and what it cost them to deploy ships accrued to the customers who received a service at a rate below what it cost to provide..."Christmas is Coming
Preparations for Christmas are in full swing though for a lot of people working in logistics. One of the two articles I read about the upcoming holiday period talks about how major logistics providers have started hiring additional staff already. It also gives tips on how companies can prepare their supply chains for the holiday season. Most of these can be solved right on the Cogoport platform: “Give customers visibility to their orders” and “Prepare to use the spot market to make up for excess demand not covered by carriers” and “Get more rates by connecting with more carriers”. Just saying… ;-)
“The time for holiday hiring has arrived, with three of the biggest households in the freight transportation and logistics sectors-UPS, FedEx, and XPO Logistics, each making announcements to that effect over the last few days.”
→<a href="https://www.supplychain247.com/article/its_almost_october_and_holiday_hiring_has_arrived">It’s Almost October and the Holiday Hiring Has Arrived for the Transportation &amp; Logistics Sector</a>
“A container supply chain would commonly require around a week for a box to be moved from arrival port to an inland distribution centre where it is unstuffed and the goods forwarded. Given the four-to-five week sailing time from Asia to North Europe, the last boat from China is effectively the end of October.”
→When should importers start shopping for Christmas shopping?
<h3>Seagulls</h3>
Last week I wrote about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cogoport.com/blogs/ocean-freight-roundup">autonomous container ships</a>, and the article below made me think of that immediately. I’m guessing there is a good chance autonomous ships are designed with seagulls in mind…
“Birds, too, can confound computers. In Boston, NuTonomy had to reprogram its cars to disperse stubborn seagulls. ”For the local breed of unflappable seagulls—which can stop autonomous cars by simply standing on the street, unbothered by NuTonomy’s quiet electric cars—engineers programmed the machines to creep forward slightly to startle the birds,” reports Bloomberg.”
→<a href="https://qz.com/1397504/all-the-things-that-still-baffle-self-driving-cars-starting-with-seagulls">All the things that still baffle self-driving cars, starting with seagul</a>l
&nbsp;

Sustainability, Carrier Rates, and Seagulls

This Week in Ocean Freight (28/09/18): Sustainability, Carrier Rates & Industry Trends

Lars Jensen, CEO at SeaIntelligence Consulting and Cogoport's Liam FitzPatrick discuss the hottest topics, from technology to Brexit, in the shipping Industry. <iframe class="ql-video" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/P5HSeHJF6to?showinfo=0"></iframe>

Expert Connect Podcast with Lars Jensen - Ep. 1

As one of the fastest growing startups in digital freight, we are always looking for bright people. One of our recent hires is Saurabh, who joined the Cogoport team to help out the business development team. He wrote a blog post about working at Cogoport.<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>And now over to Saurabh:Life at CogoportI have been a Cogoport intern for the past couple of weeks now, and so far, it is unlike any of my other internships or professional experiences. The learning curve is huge, but the opportunities for learning and growth are endless. I remember applying for internships and Cogoport stood out to me because it was a startup that had come up with its own unique idea and was trying to break the status quo in the enormous logistics industry. Also, I have always dreamed of having my own business and could not think of a better place to learn from. At Cogoport I am a business development intern and am tasked with bringing in new clients as my primary responsibility. My development and progress are overseen by Varun Mahendru, the Regional Business Head at Cogoport.All Together NowCogoport has a defined hierarchy, yet it does not show. The heads of various departments, employees, and interns all sit together in the office. If a stranger was to walk in then they may not be able to tell us apart. It helps promote the culture of learning and taking on responsibility. The heads lead by example, and everyone in the office has always taken initiative and followed suit.<img src="https://cdn.cogoport.io/cms-prod/cogo_public/vault/original/Blog-Banner-Portal-3.png" alt="" width="300px">New Skills for New BusinessI had always heard that start-ups are a lot more hands-on, and I’m excited to be able to experience it first-hand now. This really came to light when in my second week as an intern Drupad Goswami, who is Head of Sales at Cogoport, called in the evening informing me that we would be going to Morbi (an industrial town) to conduct a drive that would get more clients on board.Diving in at the Deep EndSo far, I had spent one day calling clients, and one day meeting them. Now, I was being thrown into the deep end and had to attract clients who could bring a lot of business to Cogoport. As I said, the opportunities to learn and grow were immense.With coaching from Drupad and Varun I had my pitch locked down after the first couple of meetings in Morbi. After conducting over 40 meetings over the course of two days, I’d managed to get 12 new clients on board. My numbers were pale in comparison to the more experienced members of the Cogoport team in Morbi, but for someone who had been a part of the company AND industry for slightly more than a week… I was proud of the result.We Have Lift-off!After returning to Ahmedabad I was feeling much more confident when reaching out to potential new clients. There was no more nervousness. I was sure in my knowledge of the platform and industry.Cogoport was able to help me in accomplishing all this in a matter of two weeks. I’m eagerly waiting to see what I can learn and (hopefully) accomplish over the next two and a half months!

Cogoport Intern: Day in the Life!

A Day in the Life of a Cogoport Intern: Experience & Learning

Online market has made our lives easier than ever before. Online platforms offer everything from electronics, apparel, food to services such as healthcare, beauty, domestic needs etc., at the ease of your doorstep. It has become common for people of all age groups and backgrounds to use mobile applications and websites to satisfy their daily needs and cravings.
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However, there is a sector which still remains unorganized and to a great extent, offline. The freight industry is huge and in most of the countries, the potential of this industry is still untapped. Making it an online marketplace could make the lives of vehicle owners and transporters easier by providing them a platform to connect with their potential customers and businesses directly to avail their services.
A slower rate of digital adoption by the Logistics industry brings in enormous risk even for the bigger players in the business. Over the next few years, the essential concern will be the race to build a dominant global platform that would determine the winners and losers in the truly digital freight industry.&nbsp;It would also mean letting smaller companies to have a global reach and to compete with the industry&rsquo;s established giants.
The following are the benefits that digital transformation of Logistics industry would bring about to the business as well as social and environmental aspects.
<ul>
<li>Digitally enabled information services puts data at the heart of the Logistics business with the help of initiatives like analytics and logistics control towers that helps in reducing the operating costs and in improving the efficiency of operations.</li>
<li>Digital adoption of freight industry will help in trade growth by creating digitally enhanced cross-border platforms. As a result, logistics companies can satisfy the growing need of customers for same day deliveries, and promotes the concept of city logistics which will give them an entry to mega-cities.</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li>Technologies such as 3D printing and Crowdsourcing offer ways to create and practice newer means to process logistics. By harnessing concepts like autonomous trucks and drones, the delivery capabilities will increase and shipments will be efficiently processed and delivered.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
<li>Regenerative systems will foster more sustainable product life cycle, whereby reducing the environmental footprint by this industry, as the carbon dioxide emissions and air pollution will be under control.</li>
<li>If the enterprises take the initiative to analyze big data streams, they can derive new insights that can improve the operational efficiency and enables the launch of services like &lsquo;last-mile delivery&rsquo;. This requires companies to collect data along their value chain.</li>
<li>Digital transformation brings about shared capabilities such as shared warehouses, shared transport capabilities that will increase the asset utilization and saves a lot of time and energy.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Retailers get better insights about their customers through digital touch points. It also enhances the visibility of shipments that are both internally and externally sourced.</li>
</ul>
Industry stakeholders should take notice of the benefits and come together to prioritize digital transformation initiatives, given the potential for significantly higher value to be created for society and for the freight industry.

Freight Industry is Still Offline

Why the Freight Industry Is Still Offline: Challenges & Digital Solutions

<h2>Our Focus</h2>Cogoport accelerates the creation of value in global supply chains, fundamentally transforming how users engage, leveraging transparency and efficiency, as witnessed by a rapidly growing number of platform users.<h2>Customer First, Always</h2>Our technology team continues to build a world-class customer experience, and in this post, I would like to introduce our latest team addition, Flemming Frost, a business veteran whose experience will support and complement our tech-savvy product- and operations teams.With more than 35 years of business experience from the transport and logistics industry, earned in senior positions during three decades at Maersk / Damco (Copenhagen, Shanghai and The Hague), and more recently at Tesla (Silicon Valley), Flemming is well positioned to make Cogoport more customer centric, listening to feedback, not only through customers’ behaviour on the platform, but also engaging face-to-face. This is critical to our continued innovation and ambition to be inclusive.Flemming highlights: “I am excited to join Cogoport and see great opportunities to further the mission in areas like:·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Creating a global community bringing the best opportunities to all Cogoport users·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Achieving sustainable efficiencies through deep integration·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Unlocking value by innovating and automating end-to-end processes·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Enabling data-driven market- and performance transparency.”<img src="https://prod-cogoport.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/8d51b2f9bb66b7c864b359771232abf6/download%20%282%29.jpeg" alt="download%20%282%29.jpeg"><h2>The Only Way is Up</h2>Cogoport is accelerating the global growth, and Flemming’s experience in managing, developing, and improving complex logistics operations and turning suppliers into partners will make a difference to all Cogoport users. As Flemming sums it up:“For all users, Cogoport a single, independent platform across transport providers, a one-stop shop where shippers have full visibility of available options and all their shipments, a platform on which they efficiently and quickly can book containers”, adding: “Carriers get real-time visibility of demand, a very low acquisition cost, especially for small and medium-sized customers, as well as a lower cost to operate such business. Combined, this enables carriers to optimize their positioning in each trade.”Reflecting back on his years in the industry, Flemming adds:“I wish I had this platform at my disposal for the past 35 years!”.Naturally, we won’t argue with him.<h2>Welcome on Board</h2>In short, I’m happy to announce that Flemming Frost is our new President of Supplier Relations &amp; International Growth. He will work to further develop our partnerships with carriers and other suppliers, and to further our mission to simplify freight.Go team!

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India-EU Food Trade: A Massive Opportunity

Sustainability, Carrier Rates, and Seagulls

Expert Connect Podcast with Lars Jensen - Ep. 1

Cogoport Intern: Day in the Life!

Freight Industry is Still Offline

Cogoport Welcomes Another Passionate Team Member!

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