SCI to build medium-range crude oil tankers to boost energy self-reliance

Shipping Corporation of India Limited (SCI) plans to invite tenders for building medium-range crude oil vessels within the next few weeks, according to Chairman and Managing Director Capt. Binesh Kumar Tyagi.

Speaking in Visakhapatnam during the unloading of LPG cargo from the Very Large Gas Carrier (VLGC) Shivalik at the Visakhapatnam Port Authority’s LPG terminal, Tyagi said the government has projected a future requirement of 112 domestically owned crude oil carriers to significantly reduce India’s dependence on foreign ships for crude imports.

The Shivalik—SCI’s latest acquisition and second VLGC after Sahyadri, inducted in August—marks another milestone in the corporation’s growing presence in the gas transportation sector. Built in Korea at an investment of ₹512 crore, the ship measures 225 meters in length and 37 meters in width and has a cargo capacity of 82,000 metric tons—equivalent to about 1.1 crore domestic LPG cylinders.

Operating at –42°C, the Shivalik is equipped with a 360-degree bridge view and an autopilot navigation system, reflecting advanced safety and operational standards. The vessel arrived in Visakhapatnam carrying LPG from Qatar for Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL). “Shivalik has arrived at full capacity—part of the cargo will be discharged here, and the rest will go to Haldia Port,” Tyagi said.

Union Minister for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, who was also present, said India’s heavy dependence on foreign vessels for oil transportation costs the country nearly ₹6 lakh crore in foreign exchange annually, accounting for about 95% of freight payments. “If India develops and operates its own fleet of crude carriers, this massive outflow can be curtailed. This is the vision of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi—to make India self-reliant in shipping,” Sonowal said.

With the planned expansion of SCI’s tanker fleet and the government’s push for indigenous shipbuilding, India aims to strengthen its maritime capability and emerge as a key player in global energy logistics by 2047, in line with the country’s long-term growth vision.