India’s Exporters Face Freight Challenges

25 Sep 2024 CW Team

India’s exporters are grappling with steep freight rates, container shortages, and limited shipping space, according to foreign container shipping lines. While freight rates have eased, dropping by 30-40% for shipments from India’s east coast to Europe and the U.S., exporters continue to face hurdles. Freight rates to the U.S. are now between $4,300 and $4,500 per twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU), down from $5,500-$6,000, while rates to Europe have decreased to $3,000-$3,200 per TEU.

These reductions are partly due to the conclusion of the Christmas season cargo rush, where large volumes of goods were shipped in advance to meet Western market demands. Consequently, the cargo flow has slowed, easing space constraints on ships. However, concerns loom over a possible U.S. longshoremen strike in October, which could disrupt supply chains, creating container shortages and driving freight rates back up. Exporters are anxious about potential delays and space issues if this strike proceeds.

Shipping lines argue that while container shortages are reported, the situation is returning to normalcy, though not yet fully resolved. During the pandemic, the global supply chain was disrupted, causing a surge in demand for containers and shipping space, which drove prices higher. With the pandemic-induced boom over, rates were declining until geopolitical tensions, such as the Houthi attacks, caused shipping lines to reroute through the Cape of Good Hope, temporarily increasing freight rates.

Looking ahead, the introduction of new container ships with a cumulative capacity of 2.4 million TEUs in 2024 may add significant capacity and exert downward pressure on freight rates. However, uncertainties such as U.S. tariffs, global political tensions, and potential strikes will continue to impact global shipping and trade routes.

Infrastructure Urban

05 Nov 2025

TBO Tek Q2 Profit Climbs 12%, Revenue Surges 26% YoY

TBO Tek Limited one of the world’s largest travel distribution platforms, reported a solid performance for Q2 FY26 with a 26 per cent year-on-year increase in revenue to Rs 5.68 billion, reflecting broad-based growth and improving profitability.The company recorded a Gross Transaction Value (GTV) of Rs 8,901 crore, up 12 per cent YoY, driven by strong performance across Europe, MEA, and APAC regions. Adjusted EBITDA before acquisition-related costs stood at Rs 1.04 billion, up 16 per cent YoY, translating into an 18.32 per cent margin compared to 16.56 per cent in Q1 FY26. Profit after tax r..

Northern Graphite, Rain Carbon Secure R&D Grant for Greener Battery Materials

Northern Graphite Corporation and Rain Carbon Canada Inc, a subsidiary of Rain Carbon Inc, have jointly received up to C$860,000 (€530,000) in funding under the Canada–Germany Collaborative Industrial Research and Development Programme to develop sustainable battery anode materials.The two-year, C$2.2 million project aims to transform natural graphite processing by-products into high-performance, battery-grade anode material (BAM). Supported by the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Programme (NRC IRAP) and Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs a..

Antony Waste Q2 Revenue Jumps 16%; Subsidiary Wins Rs 3,200 Cr WtE Projects

Antony Waste Handling Cell Limited (AWHCL), a leading player in India’s municipal solid waste management sector, announced a 16 per cent year-on-year increase in total operating revenue to Rs 2.33 billion for Q2 FY26. The growth was driven by higher waste volumes, escalated contracts, and strong operational execution.EBITDA rose 18 per cent to Rs 570 million, with margins steady at 21.6 per cent, while profit after tax stood at Rs 173 million, up 13 per cent YoY. Revenue from Municipal Solid Waste Collection and Transportation (MSW C&T) reached Rs 1.605 billion, and MSW Processing re..