Container Manufacturing Assistance Scheme (CMAS) Overview

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Key takeaways

The government introduced the Container Manufacturing Assistance Scheme (CMAS) in the Union Budget 2026-27 with an outlay of ₹10,000 crore over five years.
CMAS targets a tenfold increase in domestic manufacturing capacity to reach 7.5 lakh Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) annually.
India currently imports nearly 2 million empty containers every year to fulfill domestic transport and repositioning needs.
To strengthen maritime logistics, the Ministry of Ports established the Bharat Container Shipping Line (BCSL) with a planned investment of ₹99,149 crore for 51 container vessels.
The government also introduced a ₹70,000 crore Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Package to expand domestic shipyard capacity.

India's growing trade and manufacturing ambitions require a strong domestic container manufacturing sector to lower reliance on imported containers.
To address this need, the government proposed the Container Manufacturing Assistance Scheme (CMAS) to boost India's maritime, shipping, and logistics sectors.

The government announced the Container Manufacturing Assistance Scheme (CMAS) in the Union Budget 2026-27 to build a competitive domestic container industry.
The scheme allocates an outlay of ₹10,000 crore over five years to drive domestic production, technology growth, and investment.
CMAS will fund new manufacturing plants and help existing factories expand to meet rising container demand across the country.
This program aims to raise annual domestic manufacturing capacity to nearly 7.5 lakh Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs), which is almost 10 times current levels.
The initiative will unlock major economic opportunities while establishing India as a trusted maker of high-quality shipping containers.
The scheme offers capital funds for Greenfield projects, expansion grants for Brownfield units, and operational aid to boost market competitiveness.
It also finances testing facilities, skill training programs, and capacity development across the entire container value chain.
The main goal is to build a globally competitive container manufacturing network that reduces import reliance and strengthens supply chain security.
CMAS aligns with major national programs like Make in India, Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, and multimodal transport expansion plans.

Shipping containers are standardized steel boxes that move cargo easily across ships, trains, and trucks without reloading goods during transport.
Manufacturers build these containers following international ISO specifications so they fit seamlessly into global transport networks.
The most common container sizes are 20-foot and 40-foot units, with overall capacity measured in Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs).

In February 2026, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways signed an agreement to establish the Bharat Container Shipping Line (BCSL).
BCSL brings together key state entities, including SCI, CONCOR, JNPA, V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority, and Sagarmala Finance Corporation Limited.
The BCSL initiative plans an investment of ₹99,149 crore to build 51 container vessels and purchase domestically made containers.
The PM Gati Shakti platform improves transport links between ports, railways, highways, and industrial hubs to reduce logistics delays.
The National Logistics Policy focuses on digital tools, smooth processes, and lower transport costs across cargo networks.
The Sagarmala Programme works alongside CMAS and BCSL to upgrade port infrastructure and handle expanding trade volumes effectively.

New laws including the Merchant Shipping Act, 2025, Coastal Shipping Act, 2025, and Indian Ports Act, 2025 modernize maritime regulation.
Digital tools like One Nation One Port Process (ONOP), Maritime Single Window, and e-Samudra streamline port procedures and cut paperwork.
The government launched a ₹70,000 crore Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Package to grow domestic shipyard capacity and attract funding.
Combined with CMAS and BCSL, these measures connect shipbuilding, container manufacturing, shipping lines, and ports into one unified network.
Major projects like Vadhavan Port, Galathea Bay Transshipment Port, Tuna Tekra Terminal, and V.O. Chidambaranar Outer Harbour will boost cargo handling.
Legal updates, digital portals, and expanded port infrastructure together reduce costs and make regulatory processes predictable for businesses.
Demonstrating progress, three Indian ports achieved spots among the world top 30 in the Container Port Performance Index 2025.

In July 2026, India delivered its first local export-import shipping container to A.P. Moller-Maersk at the Dadri Inland Container Depot in Uttar Pradesh.
Factory workers made this container under international ISO standards and the International Convention for Safe Containers (CSC) guidelines.
Showing market trust, Maersk ordered 1,000 additional Made-in-India containers from the DCM Shriram Group.
These early achievements prove that government backing is producing real commercial results and making India a maritime manufacturing center.

Sea transport carries about 80% of global trade volume, with container cargo making up nearly two-thirds of total trade value worldwide.
Geopolitical conflicts and trade route delays frequently cause sharp jumps in freight rates and disrupt international shipping channels.
Recent global supply disruptions have forced nations to manufacture essential logistics gear locally to protect their own supply lines.
India's growing industrial output and rising export-import trade require a steady supply of shipping containers across transport routes.
India currently imports almost 2 million empty containers each year, leaving local businesses exposed to global price spikes and supply shortages.

The CMAS initiative is a key step toward establishing a competitive maritime equipment manufacturing sector across India.
By boosting local container output and cutting imports, India can secure its trade lines, create jobs, and become a global logistics hub.