New Delhi, April 30 -- Shipping Corp. of India and state-run oil and gas companies together aim to float tenders this financial year to procure 62 vessels for Rs.51,000 crore as the ongoing West Asia crisis disrupts essential supplies, prompting the country to cut reliance on foreign carriers.

The government wants to significantly scale up India's shipping capacity, including container vessels, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carriers, crude oil tankers, and environment-friendly green tugs, as geopolitical tensions disrupt maritime trade routes, a senior government official said. These ships would be made in India, as the government looks to strengthen the country's manufacturing capacity.

"We have a target of floating tenders for 62 vess...