Various stakeholders such as Freight Forwarders, Customs Brokers, CFS/ICDs, Transporters, Port Authority, Customs, Terminal Operators and Security forces (CISF) V.O. Chidambaranar Port in Tuticorin, India were hassled by the unorganized and redundant operations that involved long hauls, repetitive paperwork and operational hiccups. These were due to the increasing volume of port transactions and the haphazard movement of shipment vehicles. In addition, IGST refunds is a big issue with the exporters in India, there are thousands of crores of refund stuck with the government. This was blunting the competitive edge of exports and was causing liquidity problem.
The stakeholders were looking for a solution that would not only address the current issues but also prove to be sustainable to the growing volumes of cargo operations. Chidamabaranar (Tuticorin) Port Trust & Tuticorin CFS association joined hands with Kale Logistics Solutions to develop India’s first Container Digital Exchange Platform – CODEX, to automate and digitally streamline the container movement at the V.O.C Port. This Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) based electronic platform expedited seamless movement of EXIM Containers in and out of the port from/to the Tuticorin based CFS/ICDs. It electronically connected the pertinent stakeholders and ensured transparency and ease of operational coordination.
The application was also made available in a mobile app form to enable on- the-go tracking of containers on a real-time basis making real-time container information availability a reality for all the stakeholders. IGST Refund process has been streamlined after the CODEX implementation. The process from the electronic VGM filing to EDI uploading, and to generating of the discrepancy report is now digitalized. The process that used to take 90 days to complete now takes about 3 to 7 business days. Exporters avail of instant IGST refunds after the CODEX implementation. The challenge of liquidity for exporters, with CODEX, found a solution.