‘We are committed to building on Sarjak Container Lines’ success’
In his over two decades with Saksham Group/Sarjak Container Lines, Mr Supal Shah has handled a number of key responsibilities. He has now been given the important additional responsibility of CEO, Sarjak Container Lines. In this exclusive interaction with Exim India, he elaborates on his plans to further accelerate the growth of the company and group going ahead.
* Congratulations on your appointment as the new CEO of Sarjak Container Lines. How do you view this key additional responsibility?
Thank you for your well wishes. I am honoured to be appointed as the new CEO of Sarjak Container Lines. Let me take this opportunity to also convey my gratitude to Saksham Group Chairman, Mr Ashish Sheth and other Board of Directors who have shown their faith in my leadership. This is a key additional responsibility, and I am confident of leading the company into its next phase of growth.
I have been with Sarjak Container Lines for over 17 years and Saksham Group since last 21 years. I have held various positions over this time, including Group CFO, Group HR Head, Group Strategy Head, CEO for Sharp I Tech, and in my current role I continue as CEO for ARCON, which is our container trading and leasing company.
I have a deep understanding of the company's business, its customers and culture. I am also familiar with the shipping industry and the challenges and opportunities it faces.
I am excited to start this new chapter in my career and to lead Sarjak Container Lines into the future. I am confident that, together, we achieve more!
* What would be your priorities and strategy for the company in this new role?
We are committed to building on Sarjak Container Lines’ success and making it a leader in the global OOG/ODC shipping market.
Here are some specific goals that I have for the company as CEO:
Expanding Sarjak Container Lines’ global reach: Expand our service offerings to include more ports and destinations, providing logistics solutions beyond ODC and adding first mile and last mile. We are also open to the inorganic route of expansion, on backward and forward integration.
Developing new innovative solutions for our customers: The shipping industry is constantly changing, and I believe that Sarjak needs to be at the forefront of innovation. I plan to invest in Research and Development and in new technologies so that we can continue to provide our customers with the best possible solutions.
Strengthen our relationships - with customers, our agents and vendor partners.
Creating a culture of excellence: Developing a robust leadership team and creating a workplace where employees are valued, appreciated and empowered to do their best work.
Improving our ESG Score: We are working on a plan to remain environmentally and socially responsible. We also promise the highest standards of Corporate Governance for all our stakeholders.
I believe that these goals are achievable, and I am committed to working hard to make them a reality. I am confident that, together, we can make Sarjak Container Lines a leader in the global OOG/ODC shipping market.
* How will it complement your existing roles as CEO, ARCON and President, Group Finance, HR & Strategy?
As mentioned earlier, I have been with the Saksham Group in different roles since the last 21 years. From back office to the front office, from bottom to the top, it has been a long journey full of learning comprising every aspect of shipping and project logistics.
My experience as a CFO will help to manage all business risk and financial health prudently.
Shipping is a people’s business. My understanding as a Group HR head will help me to unite and build a strong leadership team which can work towards the common vision of the company.
My experience as a strategy head will help me to remain focused on priority strategic areas that will lead future growth for Sarjak Container Lines.
My role as CEO of ARCON will complement both my businesses - ARCON and Sarjak Container Lines.
At the same time, we have initiated the process to build a 2nd line of management so that I can be relived from many of my existing roles. This will also allow our existing senior employees to take more responsibilities and thus will lead to motivate each of them to be a part of growth and expand their career.
* How has Sarjak Container Lines performed over the last few years?
Sarjak Container Lines was established in 2003 in Mumbai, India, and is today a global brand offering niche and unique project logistics solutions on its own fleet of Special Equipments.
We have our own offices in India (our headquarters), China, Singapore, Germany and the US. We cover 84+ countries and 276+ port cities of the world.
Over the years we have built a strong network of agent partners to continue to give best-in-class solutions and services to our customers.
We continue to invest in upgrading our container fleet. We operate a Special Equipment fleet of 12,500 TEUs. We just kick-started a pilot project to make our containers smart, which will give our customers end-to-end tracking of their valuable cargo.
We are a culturally diverse organisation. More than 20+ nationals work with us in more than 18+ countries. They are our flag bearers to help our customers, agents and vendor partners to promise best-in-class services.
Sarjak Container Lines handles more than 60,000+ TEUs and 400,000 MT of project cargo annually. With the infra boom in India, the Middle East and a few other emerging economies, we expect consistent growth of 12% to 15% in the years to come.
We recently invested in a multipurpose vessel, SCL Mercury, to offer project logistics solutions to our customers beyond ODC. It has a gross tonnage of 7,252 MT and two cranes of 200 MT which can lift heavy lift cargo up to 400 MT. Now we can offer complete project logistics solutions for ODC, Break Bulk and Heavy Lift cargo to our customers.
We will continue to invest strategically to grow our business across all the verticals.
* How do you see it evolving given the current shipping and logistics scenario and the focus on digitalisation and technology?
These would be some of the key factors.
Increased use of automation: We are seeing growing use of automation in shipping and logistics, from self-driving trucks to automated warehouses. This is being driven by the need to improve efficiency and reduce costs.
Growth of e-commerce: E-commerce is growing rapidly, and this is having a major impact on the shipping and logistics industry. E-commerce retailers need to find ways to deliver goods quickly and efficiently to their customers.
Increased focus on sustainability: There is a growing focus on sustainability in the shipping and logistics industry. Companies are looking for ways to reduce their environmental impact, such as using more fuel-efficient ships and trucks.
Increased use of data and analytics: Data and analytics are becoming increasingly important in shipping and logistics. Companies are using data to track shipments, optimise routes and predict demand.
Growth of cloud computing: Cloud computing is becoming increasingly popular in shipping and logistics. Cloud-based solutions can help companies to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and access the latest technologies.
These are just some of the key trends that I see in the shipping and logistics industry. As the industry continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more innovation and change in the years to come.
As CEO of Sarjak Container Lines, I am committed to leading the company through this period of change. I believe that by investing in new technologies and developing our workforce, we can position Sarjak as a leader in the niche field of Project Logistics in the future.
* Has ARCON found its niche in the trade?
ARCON, a brand under Sarjak Container Lines active in the business of Container Trading and Leasing, is developing an e-commerce platform wherein customers can buy and sell, book their containers on lease, both short term and long term, through a digital platform.
ARCON was started in 2021 and since inception has seen exponential growth in all its business verticals.
At present our customers can book One Way Lease Containers from China, India, Russia, Far East and South-East Asia, and Europe on the click of a button.
Recently, ARCON has also started offering Special Equipments, both Open Tops and Flat Racks on One Way. We are confident that this will be a very unique proposition for our global customers who are looking to book SOC (Shipper’s Own Containers) shipments for their project cargo.
India as a country will require approx. 5,00,000 TEUs of containers in the next 5 years and ARCON is confident of playing a vital role in this growth journey.
* How has Saksham Group of companies progressed over the years?
Under the able leadership of Saksham Group Chairman, Mr Ashish Sheth, our group has progressed over the years by expanding vertically and geographically to provide more services to our global customers.
Sarjak Container Lines is now one of the most respected names in the carriage of OOG/ODC.
Bulk Oil and Liquid Transport (BOLT) is one of the fastest growing NVOCCs, operating a fleet of more than 2,500 ISO tanks.
ARCON, the group's container trading and leasing company, is working on a technology platform to expand its services digitally.
Sharp Logistics, the group's freight forwarding and local logistics company in India, is expanding its global footprint and will soon start operations in China and the United States.
SCL Mercury, where the group owns and operates vessels, is looking to offer break bulk and heavy lift solutions to its global customers.
SUNEV Shipping, which is our liner agency vertical, is expanding its footprint in India to offer group companies and external principals robust liner agency services.
The Saksham Group of Companies is well-positioned to capitalise on future opportunities in Shipping and Logistics, thanks to its global footprint.
* What is your message to your customers?
I am writing to you today as the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer of Sarjak Container Lines. I am honoured to be leading this company, which has a long and distinguished history of providing excellent project logistics solutions and customer service.
I want to assure you that my top priority is to continue to provide you with the highest level of service. We will always be committed to meeting your needs and exceeding your expectations.
I know that the shipping and logistics industry is constantly evolving, but I am confident that we are well-positioned to meet the challenges of the future. We have a strong team of experienced professionals and world class processes to provide you with the best possible service.
Thank you for your continued business. I look forward to working with you in the years to come.