The Shipping Wing formulates policies and programs for shipping, marine development, Ship Building, Ship Repair, and Ship Breaking Industry. Indian Shipping Industry has over the years played a crucial role in the transport sector of India’s economy, providing an essential means of transport for crude oil, petroleum products, and other Cargo. Approximately 95% of the country’s trade by volume and 68% by value is moved through Maritime Transport.
The Shipping Wing comprises the following Sections:-
- Ship Building, Ship Repair, and Ship Breaking
-
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) is the nodal Ministry for formulating policy measures for the promotion of the Indian Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Industry. The sector plays a vital role in supporting maritime trade, coastal logistics, defence preparedness, and employment generation, while contributing significantly to the growth of India’s Blue Economy.
Ship Building
There are 61 shipyards in the country — 8 under the Central Public Sector, 2 under the state Governments and 51 in the private sector — capable of constructing a wide range of vessels including cargo ships, passenger ferries, tugs, dredgers, and specialized naval platforms.
MoPSW is actively working towards strengthening India’s shipbuilding ecosystem through policy support, modernization of facilities, fiscal incentives, skill development, and technology upgradation. These initiatives aim to enhance global competitiveness, encourage indigenous manufacturing, and position India as a reliable and self-reliant shipbuilding nation.Ship Repair
Ship repair forms a crucial segment of the maritime value chain, ensuring seaworthiness, safety, and operational efficiency of vessels. MoPSW is focusing on promoting dedicated ship repair clusters, modern dry-docking facilities, and integration of repair capabilities within existing ports and shipyards to reduce turnaround time and repair costs.Ship Recycling
India is one of the leading destination for the recycling of end-of-life ships. Nearly 98% of ship recycling in India takes place at Alang–Sosiya in Gujarat, located along a 10 km long sea front on the western coast of the Gulf of Cambay, adjoining the Alang and Sosiya villages.
The region hosts a capacity of total 153 plots at 4.5 MMTPA. Presently, 131 plots are allotted and out of which 115 plots have attained Hong Kong Convention (HKC) compliant status, reflecting India’s commitment to safe and environmentally sound recycling practices.
Through the Ship Recycling Act, 2019 and adherence to HKC standards, MoPSW is facilitating India’s transition towards sustainable and responsible ship recycling in alignment with international best practices - Marine Administration
-
Directorate General of Shipping: The Directorate General of Shipping is an attached office of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Government of India and deals with all executive matters, relating to merchant shipping. In 1947, the Government of India announced the National Policy on Shipping, aiming at the total development of the industry. In order to accelerate the developmental efforts, the necessity for a centralized Administrative organization was felt, and accordingly, it was in September 1949, the Directorate General of Shipping with its Headquarters in Bombay was established.
- Marine General
-
Coastal Shipping: Coastal Shipping is a fuel-efficient, economical and environment-friendly mode of transport. Its ability to move large volumes in a short period of time at an economical cost can take loads off-road and rail. Waterways transportation costs only Rs. 0.2-0.3 per ton-km by rail and Rs. 2.0-3.0 per ton-km by road. This gives coastal shipping a distinct comparative advantage over other modes of transport and more.
Cruise Shipping: Cruise Shipping is one of the most dynamic and fastest-growing components of leisure worldwide. A cruise ship is like a moving township studded with state-of-the-art facilities and a variety of recreational activities. Cruise tourism leads to significant regional development and the development of allied services in the vicinity. A huge amount of foreign exchange can be earned and employment generated both directly and indirectly in the tourism sector. The vision of the Government is to put India on the global cruise market both in the ocean and river cruises.
- Marine Training
-
Indian Maritime University:
Indian Maritime University (IMU) is a Central University under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Government of India, Headquartered in Chennai. It was established on 14th November, 2008 through an Act of Parliament. The University was formed by subsuming seven legacy teaching and research institutes that were previously under the Ministry of Shipping viz National Maritime Academy, Chennai, Training Ship Chanakya, Mumbai, Lal Bahadur Shastri College of Advanced Maritime Studies & Research, Mumbai, Marine Engineering and Research Institute (at both Mumbai and Kolkata), Indian Institute of Port Management, Kolkata and National Ship Design & Research Centre, Visakhapatnam.
Objectives
The objectives as per Indian Maritime University Act are:
(a) To facilitate and promote maritime studies, training, research and extension work with focus on emerging areas of studies like oceanography, maritime history, maritime laws, maritime security, search and rescue, transportation of dangerous cargo, environmental studies and other related fields.
(b) To promote advanced knowledge by providing institutional and research facilities.
(c) To promote innovations in teaching-learning process, inter-disciplinary studies and research. - Marine Development
-
Maritime Sector: The shipping industry is one of the most globalized industries operating in a highly competitive business environment that is far more liberalized than most of the other industries and is, thus, intricately linked to the world economy and trade. Shipping plays an important role in the transport sector of India’s economy, especially in EXIM trade. Approximately 95% of the country’s trade in terms of volume and 68% in terms of value is moved by sea.
India’s shipping tonnage was only 1.92 lakh Gross Tonnage (GT) on the eve of independence. Now India has one of the largest merchant shipping fleets among the developing countries and ranks 17th amongst the countries with the largest cargo-carrying fleet of 1411 vessels of 12.79 million G.T. as on April 30, 2019, and an average age of the fleet is 18.03 years. Indian maritime sector facilitates not only the transportation of national and international cargoes but also provides a variety of other services such as cargo handling services, shipbuilding, ship repairing, freight forwarding, lighthouse facilities, and training of marine personnel, etc.
The salient features of India’s shipping policy are the promotion of national shipping to increase self-reliance in the carriage of the country’s overseas trade and the protection of stakeholders’ interest in EXIM trade. India’s national flagship provides an essential means of transport for crude oil and petroleum product imports. National shipping makes a significant contribution to the foreign exchange earnings of the country.Keeping in view the Government’s policy of strengthening and promoting the Indian maritime sector in a competitive framework, the Ministry of Shipping has initiated a number of reforms towards the minimum government, and maximum governance to give a fillip to the Sector.
- Light Houses
-
Light House: The history of lighthouses refers to the development of the use of towers, buildings, or other types of structures, as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. The modern era of lighthouses began at the turn of the 18th century. Advances in structural engineering and new and efficient lighting equipment allowed for the creation of larger and more powerful lighthouses, including ones exposed to the sea. The function of lighthouses shifted toward the provision of a visible warning against shipping hazards, such as rocks or reefs.
- Public Sector Undertaking
-
I. The Shipping Corporation of India Limited
The Shipping Corporation of India Ltd. (SCI), a Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) was incorporated on 02.10.1961 with its headquarters in Mumbai. It is a listed company since 1992 (BSE & NSE). SCI was awarded the prestigious "Navratna" status on 01.08.2008. The authorized share capital of SCI is Rs. 1000 crores, paid-up share capital is Rs. 465 crores and GoI holding is 63.75% shares. SCI owns 58 vessels, a total of 5.26 million dead weight tonnage (DWT), constituting 25% of Indian tonnage. It also manages another 36 vessels of various Govt. & Private organizations. It is the most diversified Indian shipping company. SCI carries all coastal crude oil shipments for PSU refineries in India and also accounts for a significant share of the crude oil import shipments handled by the Indian fleet. It is the only Indian company providing International Liner services catering to the Indian EXIM trade.
II. SCI Bharat IFSC Limited
SCI Bharat IFSC Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Shipping Corporation of India Limited, incorporated on 12th August 2024 and strategically established in GIFT City, aims to leverage SEZ advantages to drive growth in domestic and international shipping. The company is committed to expanding its footprint across tankers, bulk carriers, container vessels, and offshore support segments while embracing technological advancements, sustainable practices, and global standards of governance to create long-term value for stakeholders and the nation.
III. Shipping Corporation of India Land and Assets Limited
SCILAL was incorporated on November 10, 2021, with the object of holding and disposing the Non-core Assets of Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) distinct from the disinvestment transaction of SCI. The demerger order transferring SCI’s non-core assets into SCILAL was issued by MCA on 22nd February, 2023.
SCILAL is now a separate CPSE under 'Schedule C' Category and owning Residential flats at Mumbai and Kolkata, Shipping House at Mumbai, Shipping House at Kolkata and the Maritime Training Institute (MTI) in Powai. The operations of SCILAL are presently managed by SCI under service level agreement. SCILAL has been listed on BSE Limited and National Stock Exchange of India Limited with effect from 19th March 2024.
SCILAL has mainly following two business operations:-
- MTI for the training and re-training requirements of personnel
- Real estate activities with owned or leased property
IV. Inland & Coastal Shipping Limited
Inland & Coastal Shipping Limited (ICSL) was incorporated on 29.09.2016, as a wholly owned subsidiary of SCI to provide seamless transportation via inland waterways. This was established following an MoU between SCI and the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) at the India Maritime Summit 2016.
ICSL aims to develop inland waterways as an eco-friendly and viable alternative to road and rail transport, aligning with Government of India initiatives.
To demonstrate operational viability, ICSL took over the Operation & Management of three IWAI cargo vessels (m.v. Rabindra Nath Tagore, m.v. Lal Bahadur Shastri, and m.v. Homi Bhabha) in early 2021, which now run regular services on National Waterway 1 (NW1) and NW2. Additionally, ICSL signed an MoU with IWAI on 11.03.2022, to operate two RO-RO vessels (m.v. Gopinath Bordoloi & m.v. Sankar Dev) on NW1, promoting RO-RO transport and decongesting roads.
In a key move to promote modal shift, the "Jal Vahak Scheme" was announced on 15.12.2024, with ICSL as the implementing agency. This scheme provides fixed-day scheduled sailings on NW1 & NW2 and a 35% incentive to cargo owners for utilizing Inland Waterways for cargo transportation
- Ship Undertaking
-
The SU Section is responsible for managing all matters, except Vigilance and International Cooperation, related to the Shipping Corporation of India Land & Assets Limited (SCILAL), Shipping Corporation of India (SCI), and its subsidiaries, including ICSL and SCI Bharat IFSC Ltd. Additionally, the SU Section oversees various issues concerning all Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
One of the key initiatives managed by the SU Section is the Demand Aggregation program, which consolidates vessel requirements across multiple CPSEs. This program aims to promote domestic shipbuilding by leveraging economies of scale and standardized ship designs. The coordination of this initiative is done through the Shipping Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) and the Technical Working Group (TWG), ensuring that vessel requirements are met efficiently while supporting the growth of the domestic shipbuilding industry.