The challenges for India Post
James Thornton
World Mail Review May 2007
Tag: Asia
Japan Post looks to an exciting future after the privatisation
World Mail Review was extremely fortunate to be able to pose a series of questions to Yoshiaki Honpo, Senior Managing Executive Officer of Japan Post, in early 2007.
Read MoreIndia Post Annual Report 2006
India Post Annual Report 2006
Read MoreAdditional USD 40 million investment enhances DHL’s footprint in China
DHL announced a new dedicated flight connecting Qingdao and Hangzhou with DHL’s Central Asia Hub in Hong Kong. The move will increase the economic connectivity of the three cities and accelerate the inbound and outbound express business in Zhejiang and Shandong provinces. DHL has already started gateway operations at the Hangzhou International Airport. These latest investments by DHL totaled about USD 40 million, and are part of the planned USD110 million investment in its China business in the next few years, which DHL announced in February this year.
The new ten-time weekly flight allows DHL to better meet the increasing demand for international express and logistics services and capabilities due to the rapid economic development in these regions. The new flight, operated by a Yangtze River Express Airlines 737-300 freighter aircraft with a payload capacity of 13 tons, marks Hangzhou Airport’s first international air express cargo connection. The flight, together with DHL’s new 2,000 sqm Hangzhou Gateway, will boost the economic development in booming cities like Hangzhou, Ningbo and Qingdao, and further strengthen DHL’s market leadership in China.
Currently, DHL-Sinotrans has developed the largest air express services network in China with four international gateways – Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Shenzhen – as well as eight additional direct flight gateways: Qingdao, Dalian, Chengdu, Wuhan, Xiamen, Fuzhou, Xi’an (outbound only) and Hangzhou.
Read MoreSri Lankan Postal Department desperate for structural reforms
The Postal Department faces an urgent need for structural reforms if it is to be commercially viable and improve the services it provides through a countrywide network of 4,000 post offices.“Public and private sector partnerships to improve postal services have been stalled due to union and political pressure but some improvements can be done even within a departmental framework,” Post Master General, K .A. Sherwin Senadeera told The Sunday Times FT. He said there was one post office for every 14 km and every 4,100 persons. The department has the highest distribution force in the country.
Most of the businesses send their local mail through the Postal Department and use courier services to send their foreign mail.
The Post Master General said that around 7,500 postmen are engaged in the delivery of mail throughout the country and their mode of transport is still the bicycle because most of them have to cover remote rural areas with poor road conditions. He noted that it was feasible to use bicycles even in some urban areas as they had to deliver mail to households situated in narrow by lanes where the road conditions were also poor in many parts of the country.
Asked about providing motorcycles to postmen serving in urban areas, he said this is not a viable option as the Postal Department is not in a position to bear the costs. The Department spends Rs.12 to Rs.13 to deliver a letter within the country but they charge only Rs.5. Postal charges need to be increased to cover these expenses, he said. “The Department charges Rs.5 for sending normal mail. Sri Lanka Post is operating as a non profit making institution like any other government department as its services are under priced,” he said. Senadeera said that the quality of postal services could be enhanced if charges are also adjusted.
Read MorePost & Parcel Magazine
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