Competitive rates out of India

Despite a drop in volumes due to the global economic recession, the Indian market remains a busy focus for cargo consolidators, International Liner Agencies (ILA), according to sales director, Raymond Cutts. “We are a big player for cargoes out of India,” he said, “with regular services from the subcontinent.” This, he added, is enhanced in a partnership with International Liner Ships Agency (ILSA) – a major Indian business, with offices in Delhi and Mumbai, which offer a comprehensive cover for the marketplace. ILSA also has the added benefit of sailing cargoes directly into SA, without the more usual routing via the container hub port of Singapore – and this, said Cutts, means that ILA doesn’t suffer from the congestion at this port. “We are running weekly sailings on the trade,” he added, “which are very competitive from a price point of view.” These are mostly consolidations, with a whole range of product types in the mix. “It’s about 99% imports to SA,” Cutts told FTW, “with only a minimal amount of traffic on the outbound leg. “We are also relatively limited in our choice of carriers, because we try to employ the most direct sailings possible – looking to offer a value-added service to our forwarding customers.” ILA, he added, is now extremely experienced in this highly individual marketplace. “We know the complex culture of doing business on the sub-continent is all important to achieve the best deal possible for SA forwarders,” Cutts said, “and consequently their clients, the importers.”