Maersk Becomes The First Global Shipping Line To Buy Containers Manufactured In India

A.P. Moller-Maersk, a leading integrated shipping and logistics company, has become the first international shipping line to purchase an export-import (EXIM) shipping container manufactured entirely in India.

The container was revealed on July 3, 2026, at the Maersk and Container Corporation of India (CONCOR) joint-venture Inland Container Depot in Dadri, Uttar Pradesh.

This is a major milestone for India and marks a step towards achieving self-reliance in maritime manufacturing. The container’s inaugural ceremony was led by the country’s Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal.

In the event, Maersk placed an order for 1000 additional shipping containers made in India, with the DCM Group.

The Journey to Domestic Manufacturing

The vision for the Indian manufactured container was outlined in February 2025 during a meeting between Maersk’s Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Robert Maersk Uggla and the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In the meeting, the Indian PM urged Maersk to support and invest in the development of a world-class shipping container manufacturing network in India.

The Chairman liked the idea and took it as a challenge. The shipping company then collaborated with Indian manufacturers, experts in the technical domain and other specialists to build an Indian shipping container within just 16 months, which reflects India’s growing capabilities and the strength of the public-private partnership.

Meeting Global Quality and Safety Standards

A major component of this initiative was to ensure that locally manufactured containers could meet the requirements of international trade and also pass the strict quality assurance trials, since Maersk is known to maintain the strictest assurance standards in the industry.

The DCM Shriram Group produced the EXIM Shipping container to comply with the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) structural and dimensional specifications, alongside the International Convention for Safe Containers (CSC).

DCM Containers, a division with a history dating back to a 1993 joint venture with Hyundai Mobis, used its experience and expertise to build the new EXIM Shipping Container.

Structural prototype testing was conducted throughout the manufacturing period in accordance with ISO 1496 guidelines. The trials included stacking, lifting, racking, and floor strength tests, along with extensive weatherproofing validation.

Undertaken under the oversight of a classification society and witnessed by Maersk representatives, the first unit passed all parameters. It then earned the CSC safety approval, making it suitable for immediate global deployment.

Ahmed Hassan, Senior Vice President at A.P. Moller, praised the achievement, stating, “I am really proud of what we have achieved, from a shared vision through execution to the unveiling of the container today. We have shared our global standards, deployed the best technical minds, and collaborated with Indian manufacturers… It is proof that India’s manufacturing ecosystem is getting ready for global demand.”

Government’s Policy Interventions For Growth

The project has achieved success due to decisive policies and schemes introduced by the Indian Government. One such is the proposed Rs 10,000 crore Scheme for Container Manufacturing, introduced in the Union Budget 2026.

This scheme has been designed as a Production Linked Incentive (PLI) framework and will be allocated over five years to create a globally competitive container manufacturing ecosystem in India.

The PLI framework was developed after taking suggestions from manufacturers and shipping lines and is intended to create favourable conditions for Indian shipping containers to compete at an international level.

By bridging the cost gap and encouraging investment, the scheme reflects a government-industry partnership which can turn strategic intent into commercial reality.

This is a pivotal component of India’s Maritime Vision 2030 and will reduce the country’s dependence on imported containers while aligning with the Atmanirbhar Bharat programme.

A Long-Term Vision for Self-Reliance In Shipping

Speaking at the launch, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said, “India has long been a nation of traders and seafarers. Today, we take a proud step forward as a manufacturer of containers, with international shipping lines procuring them from our country,” Sonowal remarked. “The first made-in-India Maersk container is a testament to what is possible when global companies believe in India’s potential. This is Atmanirbhar Bharat in action.”

Maersk views this order of 1,000 containers from the DCM Shriram Group as the foundation of a long-term relationship.

Once the domestic container manufacturing system matures and production capacity increases, India would become a formidable hub which will meet global quality benchmarks for shipping containers at competitive costs.

Source: PIB, Maersk