BHEL awarded Isa Logistics its first FCL shipment via a GeM reverse auction 92,655 kgs of turbine-generator equipment from Hamburg to Nhava Sheva. The cargo was non-stackable and time-bound under a 65-day transit cap with daily penalties. All 5 containers were delivered on time, with zero discrepancies.
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), India's largest public sector engineering and manufacturing company, floated a competitive tender for project cargo services FCL, FOB basis, from Hamburg to Nhava Sheva.
The cargo: a Vibration Isolation System for a turbine-generator foundation, sourced from GERB Schwingungsisolierungen GmbH & Co. KG in Berlin. Isa Logistics won the contract through reverse auction.
The Challenges
Tender compliance was strict. AEO (Authorised Economic Operator) certificate, PQR documentation, conflict of interest declarations, and a No Deviation Certificate every document had to be in place before submission.
The cargo was heavy and unforgiving. All 40 packages of wooden cases containing precision spring elements, hydraulic systems, and prestressing frames were classified as non-stackable and non-tiltable. Container selection and floor load calculations had to be precise. We needed 1 x 20'DC and 4 x 40'HC containers to stay within floor load limits (4.5 and 3.0 T/meter respectively).
Documentary credit added complexity. The shipment moved under a Letter of Credit. A draft Bill of Lading had to be submitted to both BHEL and the supplier for approval before originals could be issued within 7 working days of vessel arrival at load port. The final BL had to be delivered within 3 working days of sailing.
Transit time had a hard cap of 65 days from shipped-on-board date to IGM inward at Nhava Sheva. Any delay beyond that attracts a penalty of 1% per day on ocean freight value (ex-GST), capped at 10%.
Our Approach
Vessel details were shared with the GERB team 21 days before vessel arrival at Hamburg as mandated in the contract, to allow time for container stuffing coordination and FOB handover.
MV NORFOLK EXPRESS was selected and booked to meet the 65-day transit requirement. The draft BL was circulated for BHEL and supplier sign-off before originals were issued. Prior to vessel arrival at Nhava Sheva, IGM was filed per SCMTR guidelines, enabling BHEL to file a prior Bill of Entry with Indian Customs. Cargo moved directly to Gateway Distriparks, the nominated CFS.
The Outcome
All 40 packages, totalling 92,655 kgs across five FCL containers, were shipped intact on 8 April 2026. The draft BL was reviewed and approved by both BHEL and the supplier before originals were issued. IGM was pre-filed at Nhava Sheva. Cargo was delivered to Gateway Distriparks Limited without incident. The cargo value stood at EUR 5,49,087.
Why It Matters
Winning a BHEL tender through a competitive GeM reverse auction is not routine. It required AEO certification, documented international freight credentials, and the ability to handle LC-backed documentation without error. The fact that this first shipment of heavy engineered cargo, complex documentation, and tight timeline went through cleanly showcases what says something about what Isa Logistics can do for clients where there is no room for mistakes.
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