Hapag-Lloyd and the Government of India have signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to deepen maritime cooperation and support the growth of India’s shipping and logistics sector.
The agreement identifies potential collaboration on vessel reflagging, sustainable ship recycling, and the development of Vadhavan Port.
Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd, said: “India is one of the most important growth markets in global trade and a key strategic partner forHapag-Lloyd. Through this LOI, we want to further strengthen our long-standing relationships with India and support the country’s ambitions to expand its maritime capabilities, enhance global connectivity and advance sustainable shipping.”
Under the LOI, Hapag-Lloyd may explore reflagging up to four vessels under the Indian registry, subject to internal review, commercial considerations, and regulatory approval.
The agreement also covers the development of a ship recycling ecosystem in India, aligned with the EU Ship Recycling Regulation (SRR).
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The initiative could create capacity for up to 100 vessels, improving environmental performance and operational safety at end-of-life disposal.
Strategic cooperation on Vadhavan Port is included, in partnership with the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority.
Hapag-Lloyd intends to contribute its global shipping and terminal expertise to support operational readiness at the new deep-water facility, which is expected to enhance India’s maritime connectivity and logistics efficiency.
Dheeraj Bhatia, CEO of Hanseatic Global Terminals and Hapag-Lloyd Executive Board member, said: “India’s port and logistics infrastructure is developing at remarkable speed and scale. Projects such as Vadhavan Port have the potential to significantly strengthen India’s role in global supply chains. We look forward to helping develop an efficient, future-ready port infrastructure in India.”
Hapag-Lloyd has maintained long-standing operations in India, connecting the country to global markets through dedicated liner services and its international network.
For more information:
Hapag-Lloyd – https://www.hapag-lloyd.com/en/home.html





