Concor expands into bulk cement, liquid cargo, and steel to offset volume slowdown

Container Corporation of India (Concor) is diversifying beyond containerized cargo into bulk cement, liquid chemicals, and steel to strengthen market share amid muted domestic volumes.

The PSU has ordered 1,000 bulk cement tank containers — 500 from Braithwaite and 500 from Basant Fabricator — targeting India’s 70–80 million tonne loose cement market, which is still dominated by road transport. Deliveries from Braithwaite began on June 30 after delays, with a second rake due this month. Basant’s supplies are expected within three months.

Concor’s domestic volumes in Q1 FY26 were impacted by tanker delays and its decision to avoid low-margin cargo, as private operators expand capacity. Despite this, the company is holding to its full-year targets of 20% domestic growth and 10% EXIM growth. It is pursuing tie-ups with JK Cement, MyHome, and UltraTech to boost cement shipments, while broader plans include handling liquid cargo such as caustic soda and benzene, and adding 1,000 new 40-foot open-top containers for steel. Discussions are underway with Tata Group and SAIL. Traffic is expected to pick up from mid-Q2 and accelerate in Q3 after the monsoon.

Rail freight margins improved to 27% in Q1 from 24.4%, aided by a 14% drop in empty running costs and an 11% rise in double-stack rakes. The commissioning of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor to JNPT in December is expected to deliver a “quantum jump” in port rail volumes. Concor, with four terminals along the corridor, plans double-stack timetable trains from Dadri to JNPT and sees potential to lift India’s rail freight share from 18–20% to 35–40%.

On the EXIM side, volumes grew 12% year-on-year to a record 1.29 million TEUs in Q1, with gains at JNPT offsetting weakness at Mundra. Internationally, Concor signed an MoU with Dubai’s RHS Group to provide end-to-end logistics in the UAE, including ocean freight and last-mile delivery. It plans to replicate the model in Singapore and other markets.

Capex in Q1 stood at ₹202.5 crore, in line with its ₹860 crore full-year target. By 2028, Concor aims to scale up to 100 terminals, over 500 rakes, and more than 70,000 containers.