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First Made-In-India EXIM Shipping Container Revealed Under Maritime Self-Reliance Push

Marine Insight· July 4, 2026

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has unveiled India’s first domestically manufactured export-import (EXIM) shipping container, produced for global shipping giant A.P. Moller–Maersk. This milestone, achieved at the Maersk-CONCOR Inland Container Depot in Dadri, marks a significant step in India’s efforts to establish a self-reliant maritime manufacturing ecosystem. The initiative aims to reduce dependence on imported containers and strengthen the nation's position within the global maritime value chain through strategic policy support and international partnerships.

The unveiling of the first India-manufactured EXIM container follows a strategic engagement in February 2025 between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Robert Maersk Uggla, Chairman of A.P. Moller–Maersk. During the event at the Maersk-CONCOR Inland Container Depot, Maersk signaled further confidence in the domestic market by placing an order for 1,000 additional units with the DCM Shriram Group. These containers are built to meet rigorous international quality and safety standards, including ISO specifications and the International Convention for Safe Containers (CSC), ensuring they are fully compatible for global deployment.

To support this industrial shift, the Indian government has introduced the ₹10,000 crore Container Manufacturing Promotion Scheme (CMPS) as part of the Union Budget 2026. This framework is designed to provide capital expenditure (Capex) support for greenfield and brownfield facilities, as well as operational incentives to bridge cost gaps and improve the competitiveness of domestic production. Minister Sonowal noted that the CMPS aims to increase India’s annual manufacturing capacity tenfold to 7.5 lakh TEUs, while also funding research, development, testing, and skill-building within the sector.

This manufacturing milestone is integrated into a broader legislative and infrastructure overhaul, including the Merchant Shipping Act, Coastal Shipping Act, and Indian Ports Act of 2025. The government is also deploying a ₹70,000 crore Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Package and advancing mega-projects such as the Vadhavan Port, the International Container Transshipment Port at Galathea Bay, and the Tuna Tekra Container Terminal. These efforts, combined with digital initiatives like the Maritime Single Window and the "One Nation One Port Process," are intended to transform India into a global export hub for high-quality containers and a leading maritime power by the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047.

The event was attended by high-level officials, including the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Marisa Gerards, and senior executives from Maersk and the DCM Shriram Group. The government views this development as the start of a larger transformation of the maritime landscape, noting that three Indian ports are now ranked among the global top 30 in the Container Port Performance Index 2025. By fostering domestic capabilities and attracting global shipping companies, India aims to build a resilient supply chain that supports its rise as a leading global trading nation.

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