Tendering for the construction of 10 new vessels! India’s state-owned shipping giant is vigorously promoting “domestic ships built domestically.”

India’s state-owned shipping company, Shipping Corporation of India (SCI), has launched a tender for the construction of new large oil tankers and container vessels.

According to TradeWinds, Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) has issued a tender for the construction of four methanol‑dual‑fuel Aframax tankers and 2+4 methanol‑fuel‑ready 1,700‑TEU feeder container vessels. Notably, the Aframax tankers must be built exclusively by Indian shipyards, while the container vessel order will also give priority to domestic Indian shipbuilders.

Indian shipyards have not yet built Aframax tankers. In accordance with the requirements of Indian National Airlines, shipyards without prior experience in constructing Aframax tankers must establish technical partnerships with internationally renowned shipyards or design firms; such partners must have delivered at least three Aframax‑class or larger crude oil tankers within the past five years.

As for container ship orders, Indian national carriers also stipulate that Indian shipyards lacking relevant construction experience must establish technical partnerships with international shipyards or design firms in order to participate in the bidding process. The partnering entity must have delivered, within the past 10 years, at least three container ships—each with a capacity of no less than 3,000 TEU—that remain in service.

According to Clarkson data, the current price of a new 113,000–115,000-dwt Aframax tanker stands at approximately US$74 million (about RMB 503 million), slightly up from US$72.5 million at the same time last year. Meanwhile, the price of a new 1,800–2,100 TEU container vessel is around US$32.5 million (about RMB 221 million), essentially unchanged from the same period last year.

According to reports, South Korea’s HD Hyundai and Samsung Heavy Industries, which have already entered the Indian shipbuilding market through strategic partnerships, are expected to participate in the tender for India’s national carrier. Specifically, last year Samsung Heavy Industries signed a memorandum of understanding with India’s Swan Defence & Heavy Industries (SDHI) to collaborate in the shipbuilding and maritime sectors, while HD Hyundai concluded a technical cooperation agreement with India’s Cochin Shipyard.

In addition, HD Hyundai has signed an exclusive commercial agreement with the government of Tamil Nadu, India, and plans to build a new shipyard in the region.

Air India had previously invested in ordering methanol‑dual‑fuel vessels. In March this year, Air India signed an agreement with Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders, headquartered in Mumbai, to commission a 3,000‑dwt methanol‑dual‑fuel platform supply vessel (PSV)—the first methanol‑dual‑fuel ship in Air India’s fleet. The vessel is priced at US$39 million, significantly higher than the cost of comparable ships built by Chinese and South Korean shipyards.

At present, Air India is vigorously advancing the “Indian ships built in India” initiative, supporting the Indian government’s plan to revitalize the shipbuilding and maritime industries. The government aims to raise India’s share of the global shipbuilding market—from less than 1% today—to tenth place by 2030, and to climb to fifth place worldwide by 2047.

Earlier this year, Air India issued a tender to build eight 88,000-cubic-meter very large gas carriers (VLGCs), with two to be constructed by an international shipyard and the remaining six to be built at domestic Indian shipyards through technical cooperation, collaboration, joint ventures, or strategic alliances with the same international shipyard.

The shipyards participating in this VLGC tender include Cochin Shipyard, SDHI, and L&T Shipbuilding. If the order is awarded, it will mark the first time India’s shipbuilding industry has constructed high-value-added, large‑size vessels.

Notably, the three shipyards mentioned above, together with a consortium comprising Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers and Hindustan Shipyard, are also bidding for an order to build up to four MR‑type product tankers with dual‑fuel capability. These new vessels are being jointly pursued by Indian state-owned shipping company Shipping Corporation of India and several major Indian refiners, including Indian Oil Corp, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum.

According to available information, the fleet under Air India Shipping comprises 125 vessels, including tankers, bulk carriers, LPG carriers, ferries, tugboats, and offshore support vessels. Among these, Air India’s offshore support fleet encompasses PSVs, anchor handling tug supply vessels (AHTS), and multipurpose vessels.