At a critical juncture when the Indian government is vigorously promoting the rebuilding of its domestic liner fleet, the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) has launched a global tender to procure 2+4 8,000-TEU container ships. The estimated investment for the project is $720 million; based on this figure, the cost per vessel is approximately $120 million.
This marks the largest global tender for container ships in SCI’s history; the deadline for bid submissions is August 31, with the bid opening scheduled for September 1.
As stated in the tender notice, this batch of new vessels is designed with provisions for liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fuel propulsion. The notice also explicitly stipulates that “the successful bidder must complete the construction of the vessels at its own shipyard; partial or full subcontracting is not permitted; and bidders are required to submit quotes based on 100% cash payment.”
In addition, the tender terms include special provisions to support Indian shipyards: Indian shipyards have the right to match the lowest bid submitted by foreign shipyards; Indian shipyards that do not yet have experience building container ships of this size may partner with overseas shipyards to submit bids, provided that the overseas partner has delivered at least two container ships of 5,000 TEU or larger in the past decade and has experience in the design and construction of LNG dual-fuel vessels.
If this shipbuilding project is finalized, the new vessels will be operated by the Bharat Container Shipping Line, which is currently being established, upon delivery. The company is a joint venture formed by SCI, the Indian Container Corporation, the Sagarmala Finance Corporation, and other parties, with the aim of enhancing India’s influence in the international liner shipping market.
The announcement of plans to purchase up to six medium-sized dual-fuel container ships with design flexibility is the latest step in SCI’s fleet renewal program. The shipowner has previously launched several new ship procurement programs.
For example, SCI is planning to build eight 88,000-cubic-meter very large gas carriers (VLGCs) at a total cost of approximately $950 million, making this India’s largest merchant ship project to date. Two of these VLGCs will be commissioned to an international shipyard that has delivered at least three VLGCs over the past five years; the remaining six will be built at Indian shipyards by the same international shipyard through technical cooperation, collaboration, joint ventures, or strategic alliances.
In May 2026, SCI issued a request for proposals to Indian shipyards for the procurement of four methanol-dual-fuel-ready Aframax tankers, with a total investment ranging from $300 million to $340 million. If the order is finalized, these will be the first Aframax tankers built by Indian shipyards.
In addition, SCI is moving forward with the bidding process for six methanol-dual-fuel-ready feeder container ships, with a project value of approximately $360 million.
Currently, India has set shipbuilding targets to rank among the top 10 globally by 2030 and among the top 5 by 2047.
To achieve these goals, India is advancing the development of its shipbuilding industry through multiple measures, including prioritizing new ship orders for domestic shipyards, seeking partnerships with overseas shipyards, and providing policy support. The various shipbuilding projects currently being pursued by SCI are a concrete manifestation of this support for India’s shipbuilding industry.