Public sector majors, ports join hands to launch Bharat Container Line

India is set to take a significant step towards building domestic capacity in container shipping, with three central public sector entities—Shipping Corporation of India (SCI), Container Corporation of India (CONCOR), and Sagarmala Finance Corporation—coming together with leading port authorities to establish a new container shipping venture named Bharat Container Line.

The proposed joint venture will involve Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA), Chennai Port Authority, and V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority. A memorandum of understanding is expected to be formalised shortly.

The initiative aims to reduce India’s heavy reliance on foreign shipping lines, which currently handle the bulk of the country’s containerised export-import cargo. Indian shipping companies account for barely 5% of this trade, leading to an estimated annual freight outflow of nearly ₹6 lakh crore (about USD 75 billion) to overseas carriers.

Under the proposed ownership structure, SCI and CONCOR—both Navaratna CPSEs—will each hold a 30% stake, while Sagarmala Finance Corporation, the government’s newly established maritime-focused NBFC, will hold 20%. JNPA is expected to take a 10% share, with the remaining 10% split equally between Chennai and V.O. Chidambaranar ports.

CONCOR’s extensive logistics network is expected to play a central role in the new venture. The company operates 66 terminals, manages about 410 container trains, owns over 56,000 ISO containers, and has nearly 4 million sq ft of warehousing capacity across the country.

The Bharat Container Line is expected to support coastal shipping, enhance container throughput at participating ports, and gradually strengthen India’s footprint in the global container shipping market—currently dominated by international players such as Maersk, MSC, CMA CGM, Evergreen and Wan Hai—while advancing the broader Atmanirbhar Bharat agenda.