Kolkata-based logistics company Western Carriers foresees an improvement in its export-import cargo business in the coming financial year with a gradual easing of the Red Sea crisis.
The geopolitical conflict in West Asia, leading to a major disruption in cargo movement on the Red Sea, had put international trade under severe stress during 2024.
“We expect exim business to improve in FY26 once the Red Sea crisis is fully resolved. The crisis has adversely affected exim trade due to erratic vessel schedules and the consequent congestion at transshipment ports and hubs,” says Kanishka Sethia, Director and CEO, Western Carriers (India).
“The situation is slowly improving. We are hopeful of improved supply chain parameters further ahead in FY26,” he adds.
During the earnings conference call held with investors after declaring its third quarter results, the company said it had witnessed a “very stable” nine months of revenue in FY25, despite a lot of ups and downs in the exim trade, primarily due to a strong surge in domestic demand.
“Key sectors of industrials and MSMEs (micro, small and medium-sized enterprises) are showing very good prospects going forward, driven by good demand, especially from the western part of India,” Sethia says.
The company expects to grow its footprint in all the key sectors it is present in — namely metals, FMCG, pharma, industrials and MSME — in FY26.
On the strategies the company will adopt to boost profitability in the next fiscal, Sethia says it will work to further optimise its cost structure and improve turnaround times (TAT) for enhanced margins.
Western Carriers has several years of experience in multimodal movement of domestic and export-import cargo via road, rail and sea/river.