Industry Odisha Bureau, Oct 03: Shipping Corporation of India expects FY27 profit above ₹2,000 crore, Sonowal says. Its 58-vessel fleet could grow through petroleum joint ventures and 51 container ships. A container-manufacturing push runs alongside.
Shipping Corporation of India is preparing for a larger presence at sea. The Navratna PSU, the country’s largest shipping company, wants more vessels and partners. It is also expecting stronger earnings this year.
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said SCI expects FY27 profit after tax above ₹2,000 crore. He spoke at the company’s 65th Foundation Day event in Mumbai.
Earnings Strengthen the Backdrop
Profit after tax, or PAT, is what remains after all costs and taxes. According to Sonowal, first-quarter PAT has already exceeded ₹600 crore. He cited ₹1,326 crore as last year’s profit after tax.
SCI’s 2025-26 financial report shows a slightly different standalone figure. It reported standalone FY26 PAT of ₹1,352.92 crore. Standalone operating revenue stood at ₹5,778.1 crore.
If met, the target would be a sharp step up from FY26. For now, the ₹2,000-crore figure remains the minister’s expectation, not a reported result.
A 58-Vessel Fleet Prepares to Grow
SCI currently operates 58 vessels, the minister said. The company wants to increase that number. Its plans run along two separate tracks. Each involves different partners. No delivery schedules have been announced for either.
Petroleum Partnerships Add Scale
The first track involves the petroleum sector. Sonowal said SCI is joining hands with petroleum companies to form joint ventures. Through these ventures, SCI is expected to procure more than 34 vessels. The partners, vessel types and timelines were not disclosed.
Sonowal also referred separately to inducting 30 vessels. The link between the two figures was not explained.
Containers Open a Second Front
The second track focuses on container shipping. SCI is collaborating with CONCOR and four major ports on 51 container vessels. The ports were not named. Ownership and delivery details have not been specified either. Even so, the plan marks a clear push into container capacity.
Manufacturing Moves Onshore
The fleet plans sit alongside a wider industrial effort. The FY27 Budget announced the Container Manufacturing Assistance Scheme, or CMAS. It carries a provision of more than ₹10,000 crore.
Containers are the standard steel boxes used to move goods by sea. The scheme aims to boost domestic production of these shipping containers. It also seeks to cut import dependence and strengthen trade and logistics resilience. Sonowal said entrepreneurs are showing interest in the programme. He did not say how many.
Building More Than a Fleet
Three layers of capacity are now visible. SCI’s own fleet could expand through petroleum partnerships. Container vessels could add a second layer with CONCOR and the ports. Domestic container manufacturing would form the industrial base beneath both. The approach links ships at sea with factories on land.
Sonowal also said the government had navigated geopolitical issues effectively. He expressed confidence about handling energy and other international disruptions.
Maritime Capacity Takes Centre Stage
For India’s state shipper, earnings and expansion are now moving together. Much depends on how the joint ventures and container plans take shape. For now, the vessels remain plans, and the profit target an expectation.
