OREANDA-NEWS. July 18, 2011. Shipping Corporation of India Ltd. continues to modernize its fleet by acquiring new vessels. SCI today, on 14th July, 2011, has placed order for one Cellular Container vessel of 3,500 TEU capacity, with M/s Rongcheng Shenfei Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., China. The shipyard was selected for building the vessel through competitive global tendering process.

The vessel would be built to specifications complying with the latest international and national rules and regulations. This ordered vessel will be equipped with Ballast Water Treatment Plant & camless electronic Main Engines.

This container vessel ordered now would be delivered to SCI in early 2013. SCI presently operates 5 container services in the Indian - Far East, Indian subcontinent - Europe, the Middle East and the Mediterranean sector. These services are operated in consortium with reputed international container service operators by deploying the existing 5 container vessels of SCI and supplemented by in-chartered vessels. The vessel is expected to reduce SCI’s dependence on the in-chartered tonnage thereby safeguarding it from the vagaries of the charter markets.

SCI would continue its efforts to order vessels at attractive prices to augment its fleet so that it can achieve its target of acquiring vessels in accordance with the 11th Plan. With the current order as mentioned above, SCI’s orderbook has increased to 31 vessels. These orders include diverse vessels such as VLCCs, dry bulk carriers, cellular container vessels and offshore supply vessels. SCI has further plans to place order for 23 vessels in 2011-12, in accordance with its 11th Plan vessel acquisition target.