The sale of the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) is expected to be delayed until FY26 due to complications with transferring leases for key non-core assets, such as the Shipping House and Maritime Training Institute in Mumbai.

The delay in the sale is part of the government's broader disinvestment strategy for the country’s largest shipping company, which has a fleet of 70 vessels.

Recent developments include the Maharashtra Cabinet's approval of a stamp duty waiver for asset transfers. However, bureaucratic hurdles in finalizing the lease transfer to the demerged Shipping Corporation of India Land and Assets Limited (SCILAL) have slowed down progress. A senior government official mentioned that the complexities involved in transferring these non-core assets have taken more time than expected, leading to a reassessment of the disinvestment timeline.