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Coastal fleet grows in India
DP World has expanded its India coastal shipping network with the acquisition of DP World Indus, a container vessel with capacity of more than 2,500 TEU, as the group looks to strengthen domestic maritime links between key Indian ports.
The vessel will be deployed to support coastal container movement across India, where DP World’s Shipping Solutions business already operates a network spanning 14 ports with a dedicated fleet of 10 vessels.
In 2025, the business handled more than 473,000 TEUs through its coastal shipping operations, underlining the role domestic sea transport is beginning to play in India’s wider logistics mix.
A sea option for domestic cargo
For shippers, the logic is straightforward. Every container moved by sea is one less container competing for space on roads and inland corridors. Coastal shipping does not replace trucking, but it can take pressure off long haul routes in the same way a relief valve helps a busy system keep moving.
The new vessel gives DP World more capacity to move containers between India’s manufacturing, industrial and consumption centres. That matters in a market where logistics reliability, cost control and emissions are increasingly linked.
Coastal services can offer customers an alternative to long distance land transport, particularly where cargo flows are regular enough to support scheduled sailings. For industrial cargo owners and containerized supply chains, the question is often simple: why move freight hundreds of kilometres by road when a sea route can do the heavy lifting?
Maiden call at Jeddah
The DP World Indus made its maiden call at Jeddah South Container Terminal, which is operated by DP World.
The call highlights the company’s wider strategy of connecting ports, marine services and logistics assets into a more integrated network. In practical terms, this means vessel capacity, terminal operations and inland services are being positioned as parts of the same supply chain rather than separate businesses.
India flag and Maritime Vision 2030
The acquisition also aligns with India’s Maritime Vision 2030, which aims to develop the country’s maritime infrastructure and expand the role of shipping in national trade.
Ganesh Raj, Global Chief Operating Officer, Marine Services at DP World, said India’s coastal shipping sector offers a significant opportunity to improve supply chain efficiency and support sustainable growth.
He said the acquisition of the India flagged DP World Indus reflects DP World’s commitment to strengthening domestic maritime connectivity and providing reliable services that connect businesses and markets across the country.
DP World also linked the acquisition to its 2025 report, “Enhancing India’s Ship Registry: Pathways to Global Competitiveness.” The report sets out recommendations covering governance reform, fiscal and commercial incentives, international outreach and green transition initiatives.
Investment follows SMFC agreement
The vessel acquisition follows a memorandum of understanding signed last year between DP World’s Shipping Solutions business and Sagarmala Finance Corporation Limited, a Government of India enterprise under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
That agreement focused on developing and scaling sustainable coastal and shortsea shipping services across India.
For India’s logistics sector, the addition of DP World Indus is another sign that coastal shipping is moving from policy ambition toward operational capacity. The country has long coastline, growing industrial production and rising domestic container demand. The challenge is turning those natural advantages into dependable weekly and monthly transport options that shippers can actually build into their planning.
DP World’s latest vessel adds another piece to that puzzle.
