Containerisation, Logistics Management and Foreign Trade : Indian Perspective

Contents: Preface. 1. Introduction. 2. Pattern of India\'s foreign trade. 3. Multimodal transportation and foreign trade. 4. Logistics management and foreign trade. 5. Containerisation in retrospect. 6. Container operations: some aspects. 7. Sea ports and foreign trade. 8. Air ports in Indian context. 9. Dry ports with major thrust on Indian experiences. 10. Impact of containerisation on India\'s foreign trade. 11. Conclusions and recommendations. Appendices. Bibliography.

"Containerisation has marked a revolutionary change in the history of shipping technology during the last two and a half decades. The container traffic has been recording impressive growth particularly since 1992-93, with fast increasing use of containers for all types of cargo in international trade. The induction of container technology and introduction of multimodalism have made the development of a network ICDs and CFSs at important hinterland centres inevitable for providing various services and facilities to the exporters and importers.

This book is an outcome of the realisation of the great significance of containerisation in India\'s foreign trade. It contains an analysis of:

Origin and growth of containerisation.

Multimodel transportation and logistics management in foreign trade.

Locational aspect and management of dry ports (ICDs/CFSs).

Performance of ICDs/CFSs and future strategy for its expansion.

Adequacy of infrastructure for improvement in operational efficiency of sea ports.

Connectivity of ICDs/CFSs with sea ports.

Future scope for containerisation of cargo in foreign trade.

This book will be useful to exporters and importers, shipping companies, Indian port trusts, ministries of railways and commerce, World Bank, WTO, entrepreneurs, policy makers and academicians/researchers, besides the students of M.B.A. (International Business)." (jacket)