With 16,000 employees and operations in 73 nations, this Norwegian maritime giant hopes to promote its Factory-to-Dealer concept and short sea shipping for EXIM cargo. Founded in the 1861, Wilh. Wilhelmsen Holding ASA (WWH) offers standardized sea transportation and integrated logistics solutions for its global car and ro-ro customers. Their focus is to maintain their position as the world’s leading operator in this niche. Here is an exclusive interview with Mr. Gurprasad Kohli, MD – Wilhelmsen India.
Q: The upcoming event ‘9th Southern Asia Ports, Logistics and Shipping 2014’ boasts of great business opportunities among many other possible tie-ups and synergies. What does your company hope to get out of it? How exactly will it help your business development?
A: We have two purposes in attending this seminar. To make known our views on short sea shipping that connects Indian ports and sea ports for both coastal and export/import cargo. We believe in a Factory-to-Dealer concept, that encompasses giving our customers a complete solution that includes ocean, land transportation and terminal services. For several reasons, there are cost, customs and import duty regulations that restrict this trade and we hope to build consensus around our view that a voyage between SAARC and India should be considered a coastal voyage and tariffs imposed should be reduced. We want to promote our company as a leading provider of Factory-to-Dealer logistics solutions.
Q: Wilhelmsen is already a giant in maritime services, shipping and logistics. What more do you want to achieve?
A: We do not have an Ocean or a Terminal service out of India. Our ambition is to build such services out of East and West coast over next 5 years on the back of manufacturing growth in India.
Q: Could you describe a few challenges that you face in the Indian context? And, are you looking to resolving them in this event?
A: Our challenge on the ocean side has been to get consistent cargo levels for export. This event will help us to promote our product which should allow us to build volumes in the future.
