India Pushes Towards Top Five Maritime Nations Goal With Induction Of 225m LPG Carrier Sahyadri

The Shipping Ministry on Thursday (14 August) added Sahyadri, a Very Large Gas Carrier (VLGC), to its fleet, Indian Express reported.

The vessel will ferry LPG between the Persian Gulf and India, bolstering a crucial energy supply route.

Named after the Sahyadri mountain range on India’s western coast, the ship is now part of the state-owned Shipping Corporation of India Ltd.

This marks the first VLGC acquisition by an Indian public sector firm in eight years.

The ministry expedited the induction to coincide with 15 August, enabling the symbolic hoisting of the national flag on the vessel.

The ceremony took place on Thursday at Hamad port in Qatar, attended by the Indian crew set to take charge of the ship.

According to officials, the move advances India’s goal of a self-reliant, globally competitive shipping industry while cutting reliance on foreign vessels for strategic cargo transport.

"A big boost to Aatmanirbhar Shipping on the eve of India’s 79th Independence Day! Proud to induct VLGC Sahyadri, a 225m giant with the capacity to carry 82,000 cubic metres of LPG into the fleet of the Shipping Corporation of India. This landmark addition strengthens our maritime muscle, secures vital energy lifelines and drives forward Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Modi ji’s vision of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat in shipping, steering India towards becoming one of the world’s top five maritime nations by 2047," said Union Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

"With SCI’s fleet now at 57 vessels & 5.2M DWT, we are charting a bold course for a Viksit Bharat through a Viksit Maritime Sector," he added.

The ministry stated that Sahyadri complies with rigorous global safety and environmental benchmarks.

“The South Korea built 225-metre-long, 36-metre-wide carrier can transport up to 82,000 cubic metres of LPG. The induction raises SCI’s deadweight tonnage to 5.2 million and its owned fleet to 57 vessels, including crude and product tankers, bulk carriers, container ships, gas carriers and offshore vessels,” it said.

The acquisition is the first under a July agreement to purchase two VLGCs of the same capacity. The second vessel, to be renamed Shivalik, will join later this financial year.

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