Ownership

International Clearing & Shipping Agency is a partnership firm with 100% ownership in the hands of one family.

History

ICSA was formed on August 27th 1931. It originally functioned as a clearing house for goods imported from other countries.

1936 witnessed the entry of the first generation of the current family that owns the company in the form of K.S.Janakiram who is often referred to as the architect of ICSA.

Very shortly, ICSA landed a number of new businesses through various ad-hoc contracts as well as clearance contracts for war supplies on behalf of the Indian Government. This gave the company the financial strength & reputation to venture into newer pastures such as Ship Agency Business.

In 1949 ICSA got its first direct appointment as agents for Gydnia America Shipping Lines (later became East India Shipping Company which was subsequently taken over by Polish Ocean Lines) & in 1951, ICSA was also appointed as general agents for Mitsui Line of Japan along the East Coast of India.

With this rapid growth in business, ICSA also slowly extended its presence in India opening its own offices in various port towns such as Kolkata, Paradip, Visakhapatnam, Kakinada& Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay).

It was further helped by getting various agencies for other shipping lines including Navix & Shinwa (of Japan), Pakistan shipping lines (briefly), The Great Eastern Shipping Company of India amongst others.

The customs clearance activities remained buoyant growing rapidly with a number of government companies coming under its fold.This buoyant growth both in depth as well as width continued into the 80s leading to ICSA further strengthening its presence through additional offices in Tuticorin, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Coimbatore& Mangalore.

In the year 2000, ICSA received its IATA accreditation enabling it to book cargo by air on its own air way bills. The same year also witnessed the appointment of ICSA as agents for MOL, additionally in Cochin giving the company coverage of the entire South in addition to the East Coast.

In 2003, ICSA obtained its Multi Modal Transport Operator License from the Director General of Shipping in India therefore enabling it to issue its own multi modal transport document covering various modes for transport from original place of receipt of cargo to final place of delivery.

With this rush of new activities, ICSA realized the need for its own presence in New Delhi & the office was officially opened in 2004. Also taking into account the flurry of activity along the west coast, in addition to its Mumbai office, an office was also opened at Kandla in Gujarat the same year.