What AuroTrans Maritime Services does

AuroTrans Maritime Services (P) Ltd is a privately held freight forwarding and logistics services company incorporated on November 25, 1988 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. The firm specializes in containerized logistics for the chemical industry in South India, with primary offerings in tank container operations for hazardous and non-hazardous liquids, gases, and powders, supplemented by customs brokerage, freight forwarding, and project cargo handling including over-dimensional cargo and heavy lifts. Core technology consists of a logistics management system with a computerized database covering chemical handling, cleaning procedures, and tank container compatibility — domain-specialized rather than AI-enabled — alongside online booking and tracking capabilities.

The company operates an asset-light model, generating revenue through transaction fees on freight forwarding and tank container services, and through professional services fees for acting as authorized representative of major international principals including Eurotainer (France), TABY Schiffahrts-Und Spedition GmbH (Germany), Merlion Holdings (Singapore), SIA Flexitanks (Malaysia), and Bulktainer (Brazil). Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. AuroTrans holds a portfolio of Indian regulatory licenses — Regular Customs House Agents Licence (R282), Shipping Agents Licence (S2/07/1996), Loss Assessors Licence (SLA 6772), Multimodal Transport Operator registration, and Main Line Operator authorization — which collectively enable single-window door-to-door service delivery and serve as regulatory barriers to entry.

The company is founder-led by Captain T.S. Prasad Mani and employs 11-50 staff. Customer acquisition is relationship-driven, primarily through direct B2B engagement with chemical manufacturers and traders, food-grade liquid shippers, and import/export customers; secondary channels include partnerships with international tank container operators, shipping lines, and the corporate website. The firm has historically handled a substantial share of tank container traffic at Chennai Port and represents Plymouth University in India for shipping and logistics education, a non-core but visible activity that leverages the founder's alumni relationship.

Name

AuroTrans Maritime Services

Legal name

AuroTrans Maritime Services (P) Ltd

Website

https://aurotrans.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

AuroTrans Maritime Services is a Chennai-based freight forwarder (founded 1988) specializing in tank container logistics and customs brokerage for the chemical industry in South India, acting as authorized representative for international tank container operators including Eurotainer, TABY, and SIA Flexitanks.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Freight Forwarding & Logistics Services

NAICS

Deep Sea Freight Transportation (483111), Marine Cargo Handling (488320), Other Support Activities for Water Transportation (48839)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Deep Sea Foreign Transportation Of Freight (4412)

akta.pro primary industry

Ocean Export Forwarding (Booking/VGM/SI/BL) (TLACABAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ocean Import Forwarding (Destination Handling/DO/ISF) (TLACABAE), Reefer/Temperature-Controlled Ocean Forwarding (TLACABAI)

Keywords

• Freight forwarding services
• Tank container logistics
• Chemical cargo shipping
• Customs clearance services
• Multimodal transport operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Chennai

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Freight Forwarding Services: Customs clearance, freight forwarding, and logistics services for containerized cargo including tank containers and project cargo. Handles both import and export shipments with door-to-door service capability.
2. Tank Container Services: Provision and management of tank containers for liquid and gas transportation, working with leasing partners like Eurotainer. Includes hazmat handling and specialized cargo solutions.
3. Shipping Agency Representation: Authorized representation of major shipping companies and tank container operators in India. Acts as agent for international principals providing local operations and customer service.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

AuroTrans Maritime Services provides door-to-door transportation of containerized cargo, specializing in tank containers for the safe movement of hazardous and non-hazardous liquids, gases, and powders used by the chemical industry. The company also offers freight forwarding, customs clearance services, and acts as a representative in South India for international tank container operators and shipping lines.

Product overview

AuroTrans Maritime Services is a logistics services provider specializing in tank container operations for the chemical industry in South India. The company operates a unified service offering centered on Tank Containers for transporting hazardous and non-hazardous liquids, gases, and dry bulk cargo, supplemented by Freight Forwarding services (customs clearance and forwarding) and Flexitanks/Flexibags as an alternative single-use liquid transport solution with accompanying Heater Pads for temperature-sensitive cargo. The company holds multimodal transport operator registration and various customs licenses, enabling one-stop door-to-door logistics services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tank Containers Door-to-door transportation of containerized cargo using a dedicated tank container fleet, including leased tank containers for hazardous and non-hazardous liquids, gases, and powders such as acids used by the chemical industry. Targeted at chemical manufacturers, exporters/importers, traders and other industrial customers needing safe, compliant bulk liquid/gas/powder transport.
• Freight Forwarding
• Freight Forwarding Freight forwarding service delivering door-to-door containerized cargo movements, with international forwarding handled through established shipping-line and tank container operator relationships. Targets manufacturers, traders and export/import firms across South India.
• Flexitanks Flexitank solution offered as a cost-effective alternative to ISO tanks for transporting bulk liquids, including hazardous and non-hazardous liquids, in standard dry containers. Designed for manufacturers, traders and food/FMCG customers shipping bulk liquid cargo via container.
• Heater Pads Heater pads sold with flexitank solutions to maintain cargo temperature during transit, sold as a standalone accessory product.

Quantifiable outcome

• 60% tank container market share at Chennai Port (1999)

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Plymouth UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012AuroTrans is the official representative of Plymouth University in India for shipping and logistics courses at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Captain Prasad Mani was awarded the Vice-Chancellor's Enterprise Awards in 2012 and Honorary Doctorate in 2015.
• TABY Schiffahrts-Und Spedition GmbHcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTABY is a Hamburg, Germany-based shipping company that partnered with Captain Aurotrans as an agent. The partnership provides tank container services and door-to-door logistics capabilities for customers in India.
• EurotainercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEurotainer is a leader in specialized tank container leasing since the 1970s with one of the world's largest fleets. They offer tank containers for transport and storage of liquids, gases, and powders. Eurotainer is a preferred partner providing leasing services and technical expertise.
• Merlion Holdings Pte LtdcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuroTrans represents Merlion Holdings Pte Ltd, Singapore as a key partner in their tank container operations. Merlion provides tank container solutions and services.
• SIA FlexitankscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSIA Flexitanks from Malaysia provides flexibags for non-hazardous bulk liquid commodity transport. They offer single skin or multilayer polyethylene tanks with capacities up to 24,000 liters, with FDA, EU, and BGA approvals.
• BulktainerminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBulktainer from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil partnered with Aurotrans as an agent for tank container services in India.
• Infinity MalaysiaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInfinity Malaysia partnered with Aurotrans as an agent for their operations in India.
• Taby Schiffahrts-Und Spedition GmbHcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThrough the vast network of Messers Taby Schiffahrts-Und Spedition Gmbh, door-to-door services are provided to customers and distribution in India is arranged.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Allcargo Logistics: India's largest listed integrated logistics provider, offering multimodal freight forwarding, containerized cargo handling, and project cargo services. Comparable to AuroTrans as a domestic freight forwarder serving industrial and chemical customers, but at substantially larger scale and broader geographic reach.
• Transworld Group: Indian-headquartered shipping and logistics group with containerized freight forwarding, NVOCC, and shipping agency operations across South Asia and the Middle East. Directly comparable to AuroTrans as a freight forwarder and shipping agent for containerized cargo, including tank container and project cargo.
• Continental Carriers: Indian freight forwarder providing customs clearance, project cargo, and containerized freight forwarding with strong South India presence. Directly comparable in service scope (customs, freight forwarding, project cargo) and customer profile (industrial/chemical shippers in South India).
• TABY Schiffahrts-Und Spedition GmbH: Hamburg-based shipping and forwarding company and stated AuroTrans partner providing tank container services and door-to-door logistics. Comparable as a freight forwarder specializing in tank containers for chemical/liquid cargo, with AuroTrans serving as its India agent.
• Express Shipping: Chennai-based freight forwarder and shipping agency with NVOCC operations and customs brokerage services. Closely comparable to AuroTrans in geographic base (Chennai), service mix (freight forwarding, customs, agency representation), and target customer base (South Indian importers/exporters).

Broad incumbents

• Kuehne+Nagel India: Global top-3 freight forwarder with significant Indian operations serving chemical, pharmaceutical, and industrial customers. Comparable on chemical logistics service offering and customs brokerage, though operating as a broad incumbent rather than a niche specialist.
• Kerry Logistics India: Asia-headquartered global logistics provider with established Indian operations across freight forwarding, contract logistics, and chemical/specialized cargo. Comparable as a chemical-industry freight forwarder in India, though operating at much larger scale with broader service portfolio than AuroTrans.
• Maersk Logistics & Services India: Global integrated container logistics provider with significant India presence in ocean freight forwarding, customs brokerage, and door-to-door services for industrial shippers. Comparable as an end-to-end ocean freight forwarder serving Indian chemical and manufacturing exporters/importers, though competing as a global incumbent rather than regional specialist.
• BDP International India: US-headquartered global freight forwarder with chemical and industrial vertical specialization and India operations. Comparable in target customer base (chemical manufacturers requiring specialized handling) and forwarding service scope, though operating globally at much larger scale.

Emerging players

• Eurotainer: One of the world's largest tank container leasing companies and AuroTrans's stated principal partner. While primarily a lessor rather than forwarder, Eurotainer is relevant as a comparable specialist in tank container logistics for chemicals, food-grade liquids, and gases — the same niche AuroTrans serves.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about AuroTrans Maritime Services