India is witnessing a strong wave of interest from leading global and domestic shipowners looking to register vessels under the Indian flag, as government reforms and incentives begin to reshape the country’s maritime landscape.
Among the key players, Blueroute Shipping, part of Dynacom Tankers owned by George Prokopiou, is set to register a bulk carrier through its IFSC arm in GIFT City, Gujarat.
Similarly, Unifeeder ISC FZCO, majority-owned by DP World Ltd, will soon register its first Indian-flagged container vessel, a recently acquired ship with a capacity of around 1,800 TEUs.
French shipping major CMA CGM SA is also moving ahead with plans to register the 2,600 TEU container ship Vila Do Conde under the Indian flag via its India IFSC unit. This will mark its fifth such registration in the country, further cementing its position as the first major foreign liner to embrace the Indian registry. The process, however, has seen minor delays due to disruptions linked to the Iran conflict.
On the domestic front, Seven Islands Shipping Ltd is expected to induct a product tanker into its Indian-flagged fleet within the next two weeks, while Alphard Maritime Group is preparing to register a handy-size bulk carrier through its domestic unit.
Earlier this month, Lila Global registered the VLCC Lila Jamnagar under the Indian flag via its GIFT City-based entity. Meanwhile, MOL (India) Pvt Ltd, a subsidiary of Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd, expanded its fleet with the induction of VLCC Libra Trader.
Global container carriers are also increasing their India focus. Hapag-Lloyd AG recently announced plans to reflag four ships under the Indian registry, while Mediterranean Shipping Company SA is in the process of converting a dozen vessels to the Indian flag.
Some vessel registrations have been delayed as ships remain held up in the Gulf amid ongoing regional tensions.
A senior government official noted a sharp rise in enquiries from fleet owners, adding that efforts are underway to remove procedural bottlenecks. The government is also preparing to roll out an upgraded digital platform to streamline ship registration and accelerate approvals, reinforcing India’s ambitions to emerge as a global shipping hub.
