India is considering setting up liner companies to operate hundreds of container ships
The Indian government is considering setting up a dedicated container shipping line to ease local shippers' dependence on foreign liners. The company, which is expected to be named Bharat Container Line, will be owned by public and private institutions, and the new company will procure or charter about 100 container ships.
According to the Ministry of Shipping, the move is in line with the Indian government's Maritime Development Fund, a $3 billion fund that has been included in India's 2025-26 fiscal year budget and can be used to finance ship acquisition. The fund aims to increase the market share of Indian flag vessels in the global freight market by 20 per cent by 2047.
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Indian exporters and industry groups have been pressing the government to put pressure on foreign shipping companies, arguing that they are taking advantage of supply chain disruptions to charge high freight rates and other surcharges.
In 2018, the Indian government relaxed coastal navigation rules to open up the coastal shipping market to foreign-flagged liner companies. But it backfired, and that decision is now under review. India's container shipping industry has entered a phase of stagnation and decline, and Indian operators appear to be gradually losing market share, resulting in an increasing reliance on foreign vessels for cargo transport, the Director-General of Shipping said.
The Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) said Indian shipping companies could save $50 billion a year if they captured 25 per cent of the market. Meanwhile, in response to the call, Shipping Corporation of India (SCI), the country's only long-haul carrier, recently unveiled plans to add more container ships.
