Issue link: https://jocdigital.uberflip.com/i/802605
www.joc.com THE JOURNAL OF COMMERCE 17 in interstate border clearances in the absence of a well-defi ned, national regula- tory policy for the project logistics sector. Movement of over-dimensional loads on national highways is controlled by India's Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, but state authorities control movements over state highways, major district roads, and interior roads, which raises costs for shippers, Anand said. The lifting of cabotage restrictions to allow foreign-fl ag roll-on, roll-off opera- tors to transport cargo between Indian points could allow some of these heavy loads to move by sea instead over over- land. The government is encouraging development of coastal shipping while considering standardization of the move- ment of long-haul trucks with oversize loads on national highways. "Needless to mention that water trans- port is the cheapest mode of transport," Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari said. Under the National Waterways Bill 2015 seeking to promote inland waterways for freight transportation, three new multi- modal terminals have been planned at Varanasi, Sahebganj, and Haldia. Logistics costs as a percentage of GDP are about 18 percent, compared with 10 to 12 percent in Europe, and about 10 percent in the US. "Our focus is on bringing down the logistics costs from 18 percent to PERSONALIZED CUSTOMER SERVICE customer service experience. ESTABLISHED AND REPUTABLE DELIVERING TAILOR MADE SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR BREAK BULK, CONTAINER, & PROJECT CARGOES CARGO SAFELY ON TIME AND ON BUDGET Inducement and spot cargo services SCM LINES USA LLC, AS AGENTS t f e miami@scmlines.com SCM LINES USA LLC, AS AGENTS 1776 112 t f e houston@scmlines.com W W W .S C M L IN E S .C O M Direct all water service from Houston, TX and Port Everglades, FL to Guanta and Palua, Venezuala "OUR FOCUS IS ON BRINGING DOWN THE LOGISTIC COSTS FROM 18 PERCENT TO 12 PERCENT BY DEVELOPING COASTAL SHIPPING AND INLAND WATERWAYS."