SCI Plans Rs 198.2 Billion Order For 26 India-Made Ships

14 Aug 2025 CW Team

State-owned Shipping Corporation of India (SCI), the nation’s largest shipping line, is preparing to purchase 26 India-built vessels worth Rs 198.2 billion (USD 2.3 billion) as part of a government initiative to strengthen the domestic shipbuilding industry, according to people familiar with the matter.

The planned vessels will have a combined internal volume of 1.18 million gross tonnes, with deliveries staggered over several years. This move aligns with a broader procurement push by buyers in India’s petroleum and natural gas, steel, and fertiliser sectors. Together with SCI, they intend to acquire 207 ships valued at nearly Rs 1.5 trillion. The initiative is linked to an existing plan to purchase 112 crude carriers by 2040, as India — the world’s third-largest oil importer — seeks to expand its fleet capacity.

The addition of these vessels will significantly boost SCI’s current fleet of 55 ships, which includes tankers, bulk carriers, liners, and offshore supply vessels. Neither SCI, the shipping ministry, nor the Press Information Bureau has commented publicly on the matter.

Earlier this year, the government announced a Rs 250 billion fund to support the maritime sector, aiming to reduce dependence on foreign-built ships and promote indigenous shipbuilding. India plans to increase the share of locally built tankers from 5 per cent today to 7 per cent by 2030, with an ambitious target of nearly 70 per cent by 2047, the year it aims to achieve developed nation status. The strategy is intended to create captive demand for domestic shipbuilders, stimulate investment, and attract global shipyards from countries such as Japan and South Korea.

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