NICDC Logistics Data Services-NLDS (formerly DMICDC Logistics Data Services, DLDS) expanded its services to Nepal and Bangladesh for the installation of RFID readers at Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) in the India–Nepal and India–Bangladesh border, with the consent of the Land Port Authority of India (LPAI).
This expansion will enable exporters and importers from Nepal and Bangladesh to track the movement of their containers through Logistics Databank Portal www.ldb.co.in and a mobile application named “NICDC-LDB“.
Following ICPs will come under the ambit of the expansion:
- Agartala-India-Bangladesh Border
- Petrapole-India–Bangladesh border
- Jogbani-India–Nepal border
- Raxaul-India-Nepal Border
ICPs located at Agartala, Jogbani and Raxaul will aid in the road movement container tracking and Petrapole ICP will help in rail movement container tracking.
The expansion of its network to Nepal and Bangladesh region pens a successful growth story for NLDS and comes as its first step towards imbibing NLDS services for improving global logistics.
Speaking on the development, Mr. K. Sanjay Murthy, IAS, CEO & MD, NICDC (National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation) and Chairman, NLDS said, “The new extension of services reiterates our vision and commitment of streamlining logistics across the country and the brand’s ambition to improve the EXIM trade, reduce the logistics cost and pave the way for India to become a logistics hub.”
“Since its inception in Dec 2015, NLDS has played a vital role in enhancing the operations of Ports and Maritime Industry in India. While aiming at 100% container volume tracking in India, this expansion will certainly mark a great milestone in bringing efficiency in Logistics and Supply Chain Industry.”
~Ichiro Oshima, CEO, NLDS
Before NLDS came into existence, operators handled logistics independently through autonomous systems, which led to delays and inefficient tracking.
Mr Surajit Sarkar, Chief Operating Officer, NLDS talks about the many benefits of logistics data services.
“Through logistics data bank, we provide information on container movements. And this system is also integrated with the terminal operating systems and also with the FOIS system of the Railways (Freight Operations Information system). Speaking about operations in Calcutta, which is different from that of other ports, we put the RFID tags when the container is offloaded from the vessels.”
“Exporters and importers will get valuable information on the first leg, be it information regarding when the container is offloaded from the vessel, at what time and from which vessel it has been unloaded and for how long it stays inside the terminal. We have our readers installed across the toll plazas etc so when it the container passes through, they will get the required information”.
~Surajit Sarkar, COO, NLDS
While talking about development with respect to the neighbouring countries, Mr Sarkar said, “We have installed readers in four ICPs(international Checkposts) and that will also provide visibility to the container moving by roads for these countries when the container is cleared from those ICPs. We have already installed in Raxaul, Jogbani, Agartala and Petrapole.
For Petrapole, we have already started train service for exports from India. Containers to Benapole will know when the containers are cleared from Petrapole.”
He also adds, “We also publish monthly analytics and it will give insights for the neighbouring countries as well, be it performance improvement of trade. These are available in the website and can see what is happening in the supply chain.”
While talking about Bangladesh and Nepal, Mr Sarkar says, “We are also ready for any kind of inputs and reports from Bangladesh and Nepal, with respect to containers which are moving into from the ICPs to the respective countries. So if I have to install readers in any of their industrial locations where they feel maximum containers are getting consumed, we can also provide that visibility and are ready for that”.
“We are already in touch with the customs association of Bangladesh and Nepal, how to enhance our reach and give data connectivity to our freight”, he sums up.
Through its flagship product, LDB (Logistics Data Bank), NLDS streamlined container movement and today serves 25 port terminals while handling 96% of the country’s total container volume.
“NLDS expansion at Nepal and Bangladesh region will help importers and exporters of Nepal, Bangladesh and India to have better visibility of their container movement and further plan and reduce their logistics cost.”
~Abhishek Chaudhary, VP-Corp. Affairs-NICDC and Director NLDS
NLDS container tracking solution and its analytics report has significantly benefited various stakeholders in the supply chain operations, by considerably reducing the port dwell time and overall transportation time for export and import of shipments.
NICDC Logistics Data Services (NLDS) is a joint venture between the Government of India represented by the National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust (NICDIT) and Japanese IT major NEC Corporation, with 50:50 equity participation.
It was set up to effectively leveraging ICT across the Indian Logistics Sector, inculcate best practices across the various processes, and work towards bringing efficiency in the supply chain.
The company aims at bringing visibility and transparency in Logistics environment, streamline the operations across the supply chain and help in the Government’s plan of improving the ‘Ease of Doing Business’ in India. The objective is to provide the Export-Import Container visibility service across PAN India along with comparative performance metrics for all Logistics Container Operators to enable the users in making informed decisions.
