Shipping Corporation of India (SCI), Container Corporation of India (CONCOR), Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority, V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority (VOCPA), Chennai Port Authority, and Sagarmala Finance Corporation Limited (SMFCL), signed an agreement to form the Bharat Container Shipping Line (BCSL) Tuesday. An official statement said this is aligned with the spirit of the Container Manufacturing Assistance Scheme (CMAS) announced in Union Budget 2026–27.
“The agreement provides for joint funding of up to ₹15,000 crore for eligible projects aimed at port capacity expansion under the Sagarmala Programme and the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan,” the statement added.
“These will anchor India’s container trade in Indian hands,” Union Ports, Shipping, and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said.
Officials said India will place orders for 15 domestically manufactured container vessels through the BCSL during fiscal 2026-27. “This is part of a strategy to procure 51 vessels in the next five years as the phase one of this programme,” a senior official told ET.
“With the new shipping and container line being developed in partnership with CONCOR, we can build a robust, world-class container ecosystem across India,” Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said.
India, currently the world’s fourth-largest economy, is projected to reach a GDP of about $7.3 trillion by 2030, a trajectory expected to significantly increase export-import volumes and containerised cargo traffic. Sector watchers say the absence of a strong Indian container carrier has historically exposed exporters and importers to volatile freight rates and global supply shocks.
