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Ask any MSME who’s handled a late delivery, and they’ll tell you: logistics isn’t just backend—it’s the business. A good shipping partner can quietly keep things moving. A bad one? Missed deadlines, customer complaints, and cash stuck in limbo.
India’s shipping space has changed fast in the last couple of years. It’s no longer about choosing the biggest name. What matters now is who’s reliable when roads are flooded, ports are backed up, or e-comm volumes suddenly spike.
Some names on this list have held their ground with better tech and tighter systems. Others are new entrants scaling quietly but fast—serving niche routes or offering real-time updates MSMEs now expect as a basic standard.
This year’s update focuses on companies that don’t just move cargo—they understand the cost of delay, the headache of lost paperwork, and the pressure of GST filings linked to delivery.
If you’re shipping across states or starting exports, this guide can help you pick smarter—not just safer.
What Sets a Top Shipping Company Apart in 2025
A lot has changed in how Indian businesses choose their shipping partners. A few years ago, companies leaned on brand names, fleet size, or network maps. Now, they’re asking sharper questions. Can this vendor deliver consistently in Tier 2 cities? Will they flag a customs delay before it becomes a problem? Do they send accurate PODs without being chased?
For MSMEs in particular, logistics isn’t just a support function anymore. It touches cash flow, buyer trust, GST compliance, and tender eligibility. A late delivery can hold up payments. A misfiled document can delay input credits. A slow partner can knock a growing firm out of a competitive contract. So reliability isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s baked into survival.
In 2025, the companies that stand out aren’t always the biggest. Some run large fleets and manage vast infrastructure. Others use tighter systems, real-time tracking, and lean operations to outperform. What matters is whether they show up under pressure — during festival congestion, unseasonal rains, or last-minute route changes. That’s where the gap between marketing and actual service shows.
The list that follows is based on verified numbers — not branding. These companies are here because they’ve delivered where it counts. Across ports, roads, and air corridors, they’ve built reputations by solving problems, not just moving goods.
What MSMEs now expect from a top shipping partner:
- Timely deliveries backed by real-time visibility
- GST-compliant invoicing and smooth documentation
- Consistency during seasonal spikes and disruptions
- Support across urban, semi-urban, and rural destinations
- Proactive handling of delays and exceptions
Top 10 Shipping Companies in India (2025 Edition)
Rank | Company | Turnover (₹ Cr) | Fleet Size | Market Share | Core Segment |
1 | Adani Ports & Logistics | ₹31,079 Cr | 115+ marine vessels, 5,000+ trailers | 44% (containerised maritime) | Port & integrated logistics |
2 | Delhivery | ₹8,932 Cr | 16,700+ delivery vehicles | 18% (e-comm/PTL) | E-commerce express logistics |
3 | Allcargo Logistics | ₹16,022 Cr | 300+ CFS/ICDs, 6,000+ containers | 7% (LCL ocean freight) | Multimodal freight (global & domestic) |
4 | Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) | ₹5,606 Cr | 59–63 vessels | Public ocean leader | Maritime shipping (public sector) |
5 | Blue Dart Express | ₹5,720 Cr | 7 freighter aircraft, 35K+ pin codes served | 9% (air express) | Air express & courier services |
6 | Great Eastern Shipping | ₹5,395 Cr | 43 ocean-going vessels | Private ocean bulk leader | Private maritime shipping |
7 | Transport Corporation of India (TCI) | ₹4,978 Cr | 12,000+ trucks & warehousing assets | ~5% (integrated freight/logistics) | 3PL, surface freight, warehousing |
8 | TCI Express | ₹1,208 Cr | 5,000+ trucks | 4% (surface express) | Fast surface freight |
9 | VRL Logistics | ₹2,600 Cr | 5,111 trucks | ~3.5% (road freight) | Parcel freight, long-haul trucking |
10 | Gati Ltd. | ₹1,650 Cr | 4,000+ delivery/truck units | ~2.5% (express distribution) | Express distribution & 3PL |
Notes
- The turnover figures presented here are drawn from publicly available reports and industry estimates for FY 2024–25.
- Fleet size represents assets either owned or actively operated by the company. This can include cargo vessels, tankers, rail stock, freight trucks, and delivery vehicles—depending on each company’s core operations.
- Market share figures are indicative of the company’s standing within its primary area of logistics, whether that’s containerised shipping, coastal freight, express delivery, or inland cargo—not the broader logistics market as a whole.
Let’s take a closer look at the key players driving India’s logistics engine in 2025:
Adani Ports and Logistics
- Established: 1998
- Headquarters: Ahmedabad, Gujarat
- About the Company:
Adani Ports started with Mundra and expanded fast. It now runs a dozen major ports and links them with inland logistics, warehousing, and rail freight. The scale is unmatched—one operator covering both coastline and hinterland. - Why on Top in 2025:
No one else controls as much of the port-to-customer chain. With 44% of India’s containerised cargo and over ₹31,000 crore in revenue, Adani’s grip on physical infrastructure gives it a lead that’s hard to chase.
Delhivery
- Established: 2011
- Headquarters: Gurugram, Haryana
- About the Company:
Delhivery came up during India’s e-commerce wave. What began as a parcel service grew into a national logistics grid—moving goods across trucks, air, and warehouses, all stitched together by software. - Why on Top in 2025:
It turned profitable in FY25 with ₹8,932 crore revenue. That’s rare for a tech-driven logistics firm at scale. It also offers partial truckload, full truckload, warehousing, and cross-border—all in-house.
Allcargo Logistics
- Established: 1993
- Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
- About the Company:
Allcargo built its name handling less-than-container loads—both for exporters and importers. Over time, it expanded into ports, inland depots, and contract logistics. Its international arm, ECU Worldwide, connects over 180 countries. - Why on Top in 2025:
What sets it apart is consistency. It crossed ₹16,000 crore in turnover, quietly moving a massive volume of consolidated cargo across land and sea.
Shipping Corporation of India (SCI)
- Established: 1961
- Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
- About the Company:
SCI is the country’s backbone for public-sector maritime shipping. It owns and operates crude carriers, container vessels, LNG ships, and supply vessels. Many of its voyages are government-chartered. - Why on Top in 2025:
Even with private competition rising, SCI holds ground. With 59+ vessels and ₹5,600+ crore in revenue, it remains a strategic asset in India’s ocean trade.
Blue Dart Express
- Established: 1983
- Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
- About the Company:
Blue Dart carved out India’s air express segment long before e-commerce took off. Its own freighters, tie-up with DHL, and last-mile reach gave it a niche that others still can’t fully match. - Why on Top in 2025:
It still delivers where timing can’t slip—banking, pharma, legal. In FY25, it held ₹5,720 crore in revenue and kept its reputation for dependability intact.
Great Eastern Shipping Company
- Established: 1948
- Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
- About the Company:
India’s largest private shipping company. It moves crude, petroleum products, and dry bulk like coal and ore. The company also runs offshore vessels for oil exploration support. - Why on Top in 2025:
It owns 43 vessels and generated ₹5,395 crore in turnover. While it doesn’t touch last-mile delivery, it dominates where deep-sea bulk matters.
Transport Corporation of India (TCI)
- Established: 1958
- Headquarters: Gurugram, Haryana
- About the Company:
TCI runs across modes—trucking, warehousing, coastal shipping, and cold chain. It’s a large network built over decades, serving sectors from retail to auto to agri. - Why on Top in 2025:
With over 12,000 vehicles and nearly ₹5,000 crore in consolidated revenue, it continues to deliver consistency across India’s middle-mile freight flows.
TCI Express
- Established: 2016 (de-merged from TCI)
- Headquarters: Gurugram, Haryana
- About the Company:
TCI Express focuses purely on time-definite road freight. No frills, just scheduled deliveries across India using a tight surface transport model. - Why on Top in 2025:
₹1,208 crore in revenue and a clean reputation for on-time shipping. Many B2B businesses trust it for reliable TAT, especially in Tier 1 and 2 cities.
VRL Logistics
- Established: 1976
- Headquarters: Hubballi, Karnataka
- About the Company:
VRL is a veteran in road freight. It began with passenger transport and moved into parcel services. Its trucks are a regular sight across highways in the South and West. - Why on Top in 2025:
With a fleet of 5,000+ trucks and ₹2,600 crore in revenue, it’s still one of India’s most dependable long-haul road carriers.
Gati Ltd.
- Established: 1989
- Headquarters: Hyderabad, Telangana
- About the Company:
Gati made its name in the 1990s with door-to-door logistics. It grew fast by focusing on express delivery and B2B distribution, especially for SMEs. - Why on Top in 2025:
Though it’s no longer a market leader, Gati holds ground with ₹1,650 crore in turnover and deep regional networks that MSMEs still rely on.
Choosing the Right Shipping Partner: Use-Case Matrix
Use Case | Recommended Companies | Why These Work |
E-commerce Fulfilment | Delhivery, Blue Dart, Gati | Wide last-mile network, real-time tracking, fast COD cycles |
Port-to-Factory Cargo | Adani Ports, Allcargo Logistics, SCI | Strong port access, multimodal routing, integrated inland logistics |
Bulk Maritime Shipping | Great Eastern Shipping, SCI | Large vessel fleets, reliable for crude, dry bulk, and long-haul ocean cargo |
Cold Chain / Pharma | TCI, Blue Dart | Temperature-controlled transport, pharma-compliant processes, time-sensitive flow |
B2B Express Freight | TCI Express, VRL Logistics | Scheduled surface routes, on-time SLAs, strong intra-state and regional delivery |
Conclusion
There’s no single kind of shipping company that works for every business. Some move crude oil across oceans. Others deliver a small parcel from Nashik to Nagpur overnight. What separates the top firms from the rest isn’t just size or fleet count. It’s how they respond when a vessel is delayed or a route is flooded. What matters is: Reliability under pressure. It’s how they recover without excuses.
In 2025, the companies on this list didn’t land here by chance. They’ve built their systems over years, one port, one hub, one truck at a time. Some serve bulk exports. Others focus on high-frequency city deliveries. But each has earned its place by performing where it counts.
For any business that depends on timely deliveries or compliant shipping, this list is a useful place to begin. It won’t replace due diligence, but it will keep you from shortlisting names that are no longer built for scale or risk.
Disclaimer: The article published based on the research and for information only. The list will be updated on regular basis and only after available data publically. Own research would be encouraged.
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FAQs
Which is the fastest-growing shipping company in India?
Which company is best for shipping in India?
Which is the largest shipping company in India?
What are the key ports in India?
- Jawaharlal Nehru Port (Nhava Sheva): Largest container port in India.
- Mumbai Port: One of the oldest and busiest ports.
- Chennai Port: Key hub for exports and imports in South India.
- Visakhapatnam Port: Major bulk cargo and industrial goods handler.
- Kandla Port (Deendayal Port): Significant for oil and petroleum products.
How do I choose the right shipping company for my business needs?
Are public sector shipping companies still competitive in 2025?
Can MSMEs negotiate rates with top shipping companies?
What’s the difference between 3PL and shipping companies?
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A product manager with a writer's heart, Anirban leverages his 6 years of experience to empower MSMEs in the business and technology sectors. His time at Tata nexarc honed his skills in crafting informative content tailored to MSME needs. Whether wielding words for business or developing innovative products for both Tata Nexarc and MSMEs, his passion for clear communication and a deep understanding of their challenges shine through.