DCM Shriram builds India’s first sea cargo container, bags 1,000 unit order from Maersk

Inspections and audits were carried out and now first delivered container will undergo sea trials

DCM Shriram group has delivered the first Made in India sea cargo container to Danish shipping giant Maersk.This is a significant boost to local manufacturing capabilities in a business that is virtually monopolised by Chinese companies.Maersk has placed an order for another 1,000 containers marking the beginning of scaled commercial partnership, the company announced today after receiving the first unit at an event on Friday.Union shipping minister Sarbananda Sonowal graced the occasion.Last October Maersk had signed a MOU with DCM to explore the manufacturing of containers in India. This was a part of its wider investments in India which included reflagging of its vessels.Global StandardsWhile Indian companies manufacture containers used for rail transport and in yards, they lacked the expertise and scale to deliver boxes for ocean liners. Maersk supported DCM Shriram with engineering design, vendor support and training. Inspections and audits were carried out and now first delivered container will undergo sea trials. “We have shared our global standards, deployed the best technical minds, and collaborated with Indian manufacturers and the Ministry to make this happen,” said Ahmed Hassan, Senior Vice President, A.P. Moller – Maersk“It is proof that India’s manufacturing ecosystem is getting ready for global demand. With the right investments in production facilities and a supporting ecosystem, we are confident the industry will get there,” he added.Global Deployment“The unveiling of the first India-manufactured EXIM shipping container for a leading global shipping line is a defining milestone in our journey towards Atmanirbhar Bharat. It reflects the growing confidence of global industry in India’s manufacturing capabilities and our commitment to building world-class maritime infrastructure,” Sonowal said.The first India-manufactured container has been produced in accordance with internationally accepted quality and safety standards, including ISO specifications and the International Convention for Safe Containers (CSC), making it suitable for global deployment.The development also aligns with the government’s efforts to promote domestic manufacturing through policy interventions, including the ₹10,000 crore Container Manufacturing Promotion Scheme framework announced in this year’s union budget for domestic container manufacturing.Published on July 3, 2026