You have a vast experience and at Seahorse Shipping, you have been heading many of these verticals. What are the current operations at Seahorse group and what kind of services the company is providing, both in national and international market?
Seahorse Ship Agencies, part of the Seahorse Group of Companies, we are the leading ship agency house in India with PAN India network of offices, of course with head office right here in Mumbai. We are into the whole gamut of shipping and forwarding logistics including containerized liner shipping, Tramp and vessel agency, empty container depot operation, freight forwarding, warehousing, 3PL logistics, container leasing, international ports presentation, etc. In fact, Seahorse has been on the forefront of the liner operations right here in India.
The ship agency is our core competency and we have been associated with and catering to shipping and logistics leads of Indian as well as global exim and trading majors for over four decades now in India and we assure principles of our best service. With reference to liner trade, we presently represent leading shipping lines including China United Lines, KMTC in East Coast of India, Ceylon Shipping Corporation, MTT- a leading Malaysian container line. We are also the agents for VIMC, which is the Vietnamese National Lines. We also represent MSS (Maldives Shipping Lines), etc., and of course and a host of leading NVOs. Within the group, we also are associated with YML; we have a joint venture called YMI, so these are the ones whom we represent presently in liner trade. With reference to tramp vessels we are the general agents in India for BHP, Sanco Lines and we regularly cater to global commodity majors including BHP, Anglo American, Trafigura etc. and most of the operating majors. As agents, we handle the full spectrum of commodities, containerized, tramp, bulk, break bulk, tankers, special projects including IMO Class I and Odyssey.
Last two years, the whole world has seen the impact of corona virus pandemic. At Seahorse, how has been the journey during these tough times and what are you looking forward to in the coming one year?
Shipping has been tumultuous over the last couple of years and Seahorse is no exception. Fortunes and operations of our agency house as well as, I am sure for most of the agency houses continue to be challenging and more so, in the last couple of years, with this Covid scenario, but let me assure you there is never a dull moment and there are plenty of challenges around whether be it ports or performance. Shipping business itself has changed over the years, but the core operations and importance of shipping agency did not really change. You appreciate that as an agency house, one needs to coordinate with vessels, owners, operators, ports, terminals, customs, various authorities and ensure that the vessel arrives to the port timely, berths on schedule and undergoes safe cargo operations, especially during this time when time costs money, everyone is looking at the agents to deliver the best.
As a representative of HAROPA PORTS, what are your efforts in improving the trade between Indian ports and HAROPA?
We have been representing HAROPA PORTS (Havre, Rouen and Paris) for over a decade now and you know that every year we conduct road shows, B2B meetings with the various clients, associations and customers. But for over the last two years, this could not happen due to the pandemic. We are sincerely hoping to organize such events in the near future. Nevertheless, we have been able to participate in various webinars actively, hybrid events in India.
Keeping those business promotions or meetings getting disrupted aside, how has been the trade growing among these ports, Indian ports and HAROPA, have you seen considerable increase or interest in using HAROPA PORTS?
HAROPA PORTS has just released the latest press release and we are pleased to share that HAROPA PORTS has breached the 3 million teu mark for the first time ever. We are not talking about pre-pandemic or post-pandemic period. For the first time ever in the history of HAROPA PORTS, we crossed the 3 million teus and this is significant. Now coming to Indo-Europe or India HAROPA PORTS volumes, you would see a consistent growth has been achieved over the last few years. Of course 2020 was a difficult year for everyone but we are pleased to share that there has been an average growth of close to 7% – 11% on a year-on-year. Now, when you are talking about ports the first things on our port promotion page is that various ports in HAROPA’s neighborhood are reeling under congestion, but HAROPA PORTS with its ample capacity is able to cater to all things and there has been nil congestion till date and it has been open for business right throughout the entire period, even during Covid.
Let us keep business aside. You are leading MANSA as President. So, what are your plans as President for the association?
I look forward to working together with all the ship agents, improving on our capabilities to safeguard primarily our fraternity as ship agents. Of course, top of the agenda will always be ease of doing business for us as agents and of course for the entire shipping and logistics framework. The agenda includes endeavors on enhanced membership, working closely with Customs, every other stakeholder in logistics and exim supply chain. The role of agents has really not been recognized and acknowledged. It is also on my agenda to ensure continued respect and recognition of agent’s role. MANSA is totally committed to green initiatives all round in shipping and ports. This Association is a key cog in the entire India’s exim industry, as an agent, as a frontline worker.
You are very vocal when it comes to flagging a lot of industry issues. So, if you have to put the key policy changes that you are looking from government, maybe if you can name two or three, what do you want to see Government of India or Ministry of Ports and Shipping would like to bring in the change in the industry?
Personally, top on the agenda would be to support green shipping. Even in today’s budget, a lot has been done for logistics. You would note that, as far as I am concerned, as far as MANSA is concerned, I think a bit more emphasis on the green initiatives, ensuring clean motorways, ensuring better scenario over the next few years. The Indian Government has committed itself to the COP 21, you have the Paris Accord and now you have the Glasgow Accord. There has been climate change issue and India is committed to green shipping but at the end of the day it has to be translated right here in practice all across Indian ports, waterways. Number 2, we need to ensure more digitalization, not just on paper, but actually practical and effective. We have the Port Community System, now the board of our Finance Minister just talked about in the budget a couple of days ago. He talked about a national logistics platform or the unified platform, it is a wonderful stuff. This initiative has been on the map for more than about a couple of years now and I was part of that brainstorming sessions with various other people of the industry but we need to see that being effective and practical and being really used, this will ensure paperless, digital, ease of doing business. I would applaud Indian Customs or especially JNPT Customs for the initiatives they have taken in ensuring ease of doing business, but there are still miles to go like ensuring faceless customs; yes, faceless customs is there but faceless customs in a practical way, not just on paper. In today’s scenario, let me talk about what do we agents face? Say today, we have a ship coming in with people of different nationalities. Everyone is scared, you want that social distancing. How you as an agent are going to safeguard me and ensure that nobody comes close to us? Of course there is DGS regulation and all sorts of SOPs. Now, we need to ensure paperless, faceless operations all across.
