GatewayRail, India’s leading intermodal logistics service provider and rail-linked Inland Container Depots (ICD) operator, has become the first rail operator in India to join TradeLens, a Blockchain underpinned digital logistics platform, jointly developed by AP Moller – Maersk and IBM.
The association between GatewayRail and TradeLens is a major milestone in digitising India’s vast inland container logistics ecosystem with a significant impact on efficiency gained by exporters and importers.
“At GatewayRail, we have a commitment towards ease of doing business through digitisation of logistics. Joining the TradeLens
platform allows us to lead the change in Indian intermodal logistics ecosystem. It is the right time to change over from the manual, paperbased documentation and move towards a digital solution that drives value for all the stakeholders in the journey of import and export cargo”, said Sachin Bhanushali, CEO and Director Gateway Rail Freight Ltd.
GatewayRail currently operates a fleet of 31 rakes connecting western Gateway ports such as Nhava Sheva, Pipavav and Mundra to its ICDs at Garhi Harsaru in Gurugram, Piyala in Faridabad, Sahnewal in Ludhiana and at Viramgam in Ahmedabad region, where the TradeLens solutions will be deployed in the first phase.
Customers moving import and export containers on these services will be able to make full use of the solutions provided on the TradeLens platform such as the TradeLens eBL, an electronic Bill of Lading using blockchain technology and integrated with trade finance companies and the Core product that offers true end-to-end visibility in addition to digital documentation.
TradeLens is a neutral platform which utilises data from shippers and cargo owners, 3PLs and freight forwarders, intermodal operators, customs and government authorities, ports and terminals, and several ocean carriers. This data along with digital documentation will help GatewayRail’s customers to improve their operational efficiency and create value through the blockchain platform.
It brings together data from the entire global supply chain ecosystem. This data allows TradeLens and its network partners to modernise manual and paper-based documents by replacing them with Blockchain-enabled digital solutions. It also allows the network partners to provide their customers with deeper visibility into the entire journey for their cargo from origin to destination.
