Union Minister Sonowal Unveils Maersk’s First Indian Manufactured Shipping Container

A.P. Moller – Maersk, the world's leading integrated shipping and logistics company, today achieved a historic milestone in India's maritime sector by becoming the first international shipping line to procure an export-import (EXIM) shipping container manufactured in India. The inaugural unit was unveiled at the Maersk and Container Corporation of India (CONCOR) joint-venture Inland Container Depot at Dadri, Uttar Pradesh, in the presence of the Honourable Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal.
 
This milestone is the culmination of a 16-month journey that began in February 2025, when Maersk's Chairman of Supervisory Board, Robert Maersk Uggla, met India’s Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, during which the Prime Minister urged Maersk to actively support the development of world-class shipping container manufacturing in India.
 
Maersk's shipping container quality assurance standards are among the most stringent in the global shipping industry. Every container in the Maersk fleet must comply with ISO structural and dimensional specifications, the International Convention for Safe Containers (CSC), and Maersk's elevated quality requirements. Structural prototype testing in accordance with ISO 1496, including stacking, lifting, racking, floor strength tests, and weatherproofing validation, is conducted under the oversight of a classification society and witnessed by Maersk representatives. The first India-manufactured container has passed all these tests, earning full CSC safety approval.
 
Throughout the development phase, Maersk shared this global technical knowledge freely with its Indian manufacturing partner, and DCM Shriram Group responded with commitment and capability. The result is a container that meets Maersk's global standards.
 
The commercial viability of Indian-manufactured containers has been significantly enhanced by the Union Government's decisive policy action. The proposed INR 10,000 crore in Production Linked Incentive support in the Union Budget 2026, developed in close consultation between the Government, manufacturers, and shipping lines, has created the conditions for Indian containers to compete on a global scale. The PLI framework reflects the kind of government-industry partnership that turns strategic intent into commercial reality and is a significant step forward under India's Maritime Vision 2030 and the Atmanirbhar Bharat programme.
 
Maersk has been an active participant in shaping this policy environment and remains committed to working with the Ministry as the framework evolves.
 
As India's container manufacturing ecosystem matures and production capacity grows, Maersk intends to deepen its engagement within container manufacturing across the country. The company views today's milestone not as an endpoint but as the foundation for a long-term supply relationship that will grow in scale as Indian manufacturers consistently demonstrate they can meet global quality standards at competitive costs.
 
A.P. Moller - Maersk is an integrated logistics company working to connect and simplify its customers’ supply chains. As a global leader in logistics services, the company operates in more than 130 countries and employs around 100,000 people. Maersk is aiming to reach net zero GHG emissions by 2040 across the entire business with new technologies, new vessels, and reduced GHG emissions fuels. 

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