St. John Freight Systems has a well-diversified presence in the logistics industry. Combine this with our 30 years of experience. Add our multi-disciplined diversely-talented workforce. This is the formula for the most comprehensive logistics solutions carefully designed to efficiently manage your supply chain.
Our people are the ones who have taken us from strength to strength. The presence of 1400+ dedicated staff, spread across 4 continents, 15 countries and 50 offices in India and overseas offices places us in a unique position to effectively cater to your supply chain and logistics requirements. Our network is closely integrated with our global partners' networks and together we ensure the most optimal supply chain solutions for our customers.
Supply Chain Management / Third-party Logistics (3PL)
St.John is one of the leading providers of integrated logistics solutions. We manage and improve the orchestration of our customers' supply chains, from the time of planning and procurement through to the arrival and delivery of the products at their final destination. .
At St.John we have the skills and experience necessary to manage your supply chain throughout its entire life cycle - from initial design to daily management. And when smooth day-to-day operations are achieved, we remain focused on constant supply chain development, necessary to maintain and further evolve the optimal setup and infrastructure to remain ahead of the curve. Based on a commitment to create sustainable value to our clients, our dedicated Supply Chain Development teams add innovation to everything we do.
Freight Forwarding - Sea Freight Division
Sea logistics has been our core area of operations. Our philosophy of cultivating long term relationships with the carriers has earned us respect amongst them. We work closely with the carrier to ensure we deliver value to our customers - required equipment, competitive rates, scheduled shipping departures. These contribute to our ability to offer the perfect logistics solutions tailor-made for each customer. We are well equipped to handle any volume of cargo. Irrespective of the volume, our service commitment remains the same. Shipments that do not fill one full container are handled as LCL or as consolidated shipments in our consol containers to Europe every week. Wherever the goods can be shipped as FCL that is done.
As a value added service we also handle consolidation for a specific buyer (multiple vendors / suppliers) whereby both cost and transit time are considerably saved for the customer. Our state-of-the-art CFS (Container Freight Station) comes in very useful here for such shipments. We are equipped with the latest infrastructure and facilities to execute the customer's requirement with utmost precision/accuracy.
Transparency has been our hallmark and customers are updated at every stage regarding their precious cargo. We realize what miscommunication or delayed communication could do to your business. Regular transit updates and status are provided pro-actively by our customer service desk. Alternatively you can also track your cargo through our website wherein information can be designed to suit customer specific requirement. You might approach us for Sea Freight, but we have the ability to offer you other services:
- Supply Chain Management
- Warehousing and Distribution
- Customs Broking
- Vendor Management / purchase order follow up & coordination
- destination clearance and delivery at consignee's door step
- ability to handle DDP (Delivery Duty Paid) and DDU (Delivery Duty unpaid) shipments
In short, our philosophy is very simple. We assume the cargo shipped is ours and provide the same service we would expect if we were a customer!
Custom Broking
St. John's core business started with Custom Broking and arguably therefore, we are very very good at this! A dedicated and strong team, richly experienced, is available for handling all commodities. All the Branches in India hold License issued by the Customs Authorities for handling both exports and imports as Customs Broker. Wherever you are clearing the cargo from, export or import, you will be hard-pressed to find someone who can do it better than the St. John Custom Broking team.
General Warehousing
St.John owns General Warehouse space of over 200,000 Sq Ft in Tuticorin for storing International and Domestic Cargo. And through various partners carefully chosen based on specific customer requirements, we arrange warehousing services anywhere in India.
Consolidation / LCL service
LCL is today the main line of focus for us in the freight forwarding business. Understandably, as mass markets move to niche markets of customised fragmentation. So you've got a small load of cargo, but you still want the economies of scale obtained through large cargo movement. LCL gives you that - this service is the best solution for delivering economically sizable loads of cargoes. We have extensive experience handling both general and specialized shipments including both inbound and outbound shipments.
We close own consol boxes to various European destinations ex-Tuticorin. In addition to the UK, we close regular direct consol boxes to Antwerp, Hamburg and Rotterdam. Our CFS at Tuticorin ensures that handling and process quality is maintained at the highest level of service to our customers.
- Both fast as well as economical options are available.
- Regular, direct weekly fixed day consol services.
- Competitive rates for both ports and inland points across Europe
- Nominal destination charges
- Quick delivery at destination
- DDU / DDP shipments can be accepted
Furthermore, if you have a large number of suppliers with small consignments destined for different locations, we can consolidate them in FCL shipping containers, and coordinate the consignments, thus, saving you time and money.
We will handle your sea freight shipments, no matter what size or shape your import or export consignments. You can rely on our comprehensive door to door service. In addition, we will arrange the best shipping options such as multimodal combinations of land/sea/air to meet your specific needs for safety, schedule and location.
NVOCC
St.John offers time definitive services enabling our clients to achieve their objectives in supply chain management.
- Fastest door to door transit times
- Annual contract rates with choice of carriers who meet our service criteria
- Largest NVOCC from India to Europe/USA with guaranteed space allocation
- Scheduled sailing to all major ports worldwide
- Modern warehousing offering maximum security and control
- Bonded facilities
- Expertise in worldwide documentation requirements
- Fast tracking of urgent consignments
St. John CFS
St. John owns a state-of-the-art CFS Park, built to International Standards at Tuticorin, situated on the Harbour Express Way, within 8 km from Tuticorin Port. It comprises over 250,000 sq. ft of Warehouse space including "bonding" facility, sprawling over 70 acres including "Open-Bonding" facility. And over 200,000 sq. ft area of container stacking yard. It is currently handling over 80,000 TEUs per annum. Fully "automated" Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) facility, supported by adequate infrastructure facilities make it one of the most efficient in the country. International Standard security arrangements ensure security of cargo. This was the first CFS in the country to get portside ICD status to provide all Export Import pre and post shipment services under one roof. And it was the first portside ICD / CFS facility in India to receive ISO 9002 standards from BVQI, ISO-9001-2000 standards from DNV & IKEA I-WAY certification for systems & socio-environmental standards.
The concept of Container Freight Station has been conceived with the view to de-congest the Port. The CFS is nothing but an extension of the Port. In order to cope with the growth of Port Traffic, it is necessary to have a CFS equipped with all Infrastructure facilities. It is also necessary to give Cost-effective, Committed Service to all Importers and Exporters using the CFS. Also to handle multiple Line – facilities, with Single Point Contact & an All-Under-One-Roof Concept
Other Features- The container stacking yard is floored with interlocking blocks and hence, ample space for safe stacking and storage of Import
containers. - 24x7x365 round-the-clock Operations.
- On site processing of documents using the Indian Customs EDI Scheme.
- A custom-built CFS Information System enables online tracking of cargo details.
- High quality International standard security arrangements ensure security of cargo.
- Administrative block of about 12000 Sq.ft which is exclusively marked for Customs, cafeteria, Business center, Bank, Insurance Counter, CFS Customers and administrative office.
- Experienced and reputed surveyors.
- Adequate Insurance coverage.
- Faster delivery and hence, better vehicle turnaround time. Import Tariff Export Tariff
Stevedoring
St. John, as Stevedores, handle Break Bulk and Bulk ships on an average of 250 ships per year in Tuticorin mostly, and other locations in India like Chennai, Kandla, Kochi, Mangalore, and Visakhapatnam. Specific commodities like sugar, rice, raw cashew, coal, coke, timber, garnet / ilmenite sand, alumina powder and so on, both exports and imports, are handled. A dedicated team with rich experience in stevedoring activities handles above commodities and also Project Cargo with high productivity.
St. John Container Yard
St. John owns a Container Yard located on the Harbour Express Road near St. John CFS Park, within 7 Km distance from the Tuticorin Port , covering 7.3 acres of stacking space, with a capacity to stack over 6000 TEUs , including administrative office and supported by adequate infrastructure facilities such as cranes, Top Lifters, a fleet of Trailers, with a Genset to provide alternate source of power/ energy and operates 24x7 in a comprehensive secured compound with security for 24 hours/day.
The following liners' empty containers are stored in our container yard.
EVERGREEN
CONTSHIP
APL
HYUNDAI
OOCL
IPCL
Chartering & Agency Division
The Chartering & Agency Division is professionally managed by skilled, efficient and experienced personnel controlling day-to-day activities from Corporate Office, Tuticorin and Logistics Office, Chennai. This Division works with our long time associates, Shippers, Charterers, Owners, Brokers based in Europe, U.S., Romania, Turkey, Russia, Singapore, Dubai, Hong Kong, China, Korea, Thailand and India.
The Division operates at various Ports viz. Cochin, Kandla, Kakinada, Mumbai, Kolkata, Vishakapatnam, Paradip, Haldia and ICD's viz. Pune, Coimbatore, Delhi, Madurai, Bangalore and Guntur.
This Division handles on an average over 150 vessels per year operating on vessel agencies in all Indian ports.
Fumigation Division
As a part of diversification and with a view to provide all required services for our valued customers under a single window, St. John began Fumigation services in the year 1998. The Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine, Fumigation & Storage, Ministry of Agriculture & Co-operation, Government of India has approved St.John Freight Systems Ltd., as a Pest Control Operator to carry out fumigation of import and export cargo. St.John has been accorded with accreditation under ISPM standards by the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India. Fumigation is a process of exposing insects or material infested by insects to the fumes of a chemical at a lethal strength in an enclosed space for a given period of time. The fumes kill the insects prevalent and thus preserve the precious cargo of the customer.
Treatment Services:- Fumigation of Godowns/Warehouses/Silos/Flour mills/Empty ship holds
- Fumigation of Stuffed & Empty containers of Export/Import at Port/ICD/CFS and at House stuffing Points.
- In-transit Fumigation of Commodities onboard Barges etc.,
- Termite Control Treatment during Pre & Post Construction Stage as per ISI standards with Guarantee.
- Rodent control & De-ratting of Ships.
- Dis-Infestation of Warehouses, Food plants and residential premises.
- General Pest control services.
Fumigation is a specialised service and ignorance of this activity can lead to serious consequences for cargo. Most leading cargo destinations around the world are particularly fastidious about the quality of fumigation and improper fumigation can lead to stringent penalties and costs on account of delayed or rejected cargo clearance. Hence it is best to entrust this to a trusted organised operator like St. John instead of going to a small-time fly-by-night operator.
Truck / Equipment Operators
The Truck Operating / Equipment Division has at its command an impressive range of terminal and cargo handling equipment that perform vital functions and give St. John the competitive edge in terms of both performance and cost. The Company owns and operates a fleet in excess of 100 comprising chassis with prime-movers, cranes ranging in lifting capacity of 8 to 75 tons, fork-lift trucks, reach stackers and log loaders.
Feeder Operator
St. John has chartered Feeder vessels operating bi-weekly sailings between Tuticorin and Colombo from January 2007. And weekly sailing between Chennai and Colombo from 2009. In the short period of operations so far, St. John is already a major market-share player in both these sectors, reflecting its long-standing customer and liner relationships which have rubbed off positively on its performance. We receive a lot of support from all the major Liners due to our confirmed Mother-Vessel connecting ability at Colombo. The Company is planning to expand feeder services from other Indian Ports to neighboring countries.