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Jindal Stainless Partners with Indian Railways to Develop India’s First Corrosion-Resistant Stainless Steel Salt Container

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Jindal Stainless partners with Indian Railways to develop India’s first corrosion-resistant stainless steel salt container

Pioneering integration enhances durability, reduces maintenance, and supports sustainable bulk salt transportation
The stainless steel salt container prototype aligns with Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) specifications and reflects Jindal Stainless’ commitment to future-ready, Make in India transport solutions

New Delhi, February 13, 2026: Reinforcing its focus on modernising transport logistics, Jindal Stainless, India’s leading stainless steel manufacturer, has developed the country’s first stainless steel container for salt transport for Indian Railways. The integration of stainless steel into salt transport logistics marks a pioneering step towards more durable and sustainable freight operations.

The prototype successfully underwent loading and unloading trials at Bhimasar, Gandhidham, Gujarat, on February 10, 2026, underscoring the government’s active engagement with innovative, future-ready logistics solutions and signalling an important step towards potential commercial adoption.

Recently, Hon’ble Union Minister of Railways of India, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, shared this milestone on his official X handle, highlighting the significance of innovation-driven infrastructure development.

The 20-foot salt container has been fabricated entirely in stainless steel, including all structural and load-bearing components. Jindal Stainless has used stainless steel grade 304, known for its superior corrosion resistance in chloride-rich environments, for the container body. JT Grade (N7 as per BIS 6911), recognised for its high strength and weight optimisation, has been deployed for external stiffeners and underframe components.

Commenting on the development, Managing Director, Jindal Stainless, Mr Abhyuday Jindal, said,
“Salt transportation is highly vulnerable to corrosion, leading to frequent repairs, premature asset failure, and significant resource wastage – challenges that can be effectively addressed through the integration of stainless steel. With India’s container market growing steadily, driven by infrastructure expansion, port-led developments, and rising bulk commodity movement, the sector requires materials that can withstand harsh operating conditions while ensuring long-term sustainability. We are proud to have developed the stainless steel salt container for Indian Railways, in line with our continuous commitment to delivering future-ready solutions and supporting the Make in India vision.”

Salt transportation is particularly susceptible to corrosion, especially in coastal environments. Stainless steel salt containers offer significant advantages over conventional containers by ensuring a longer service life and negligible maintenance costs, owing to their superior corrosion resistance, while also providing an environmentally sustainable solution.

Each stainless steel salt container has a tare weight of 3.0 metric tonnes and a payload carrying capacity of 33.0 metric tonnes. A single rake of 48 wagons, typically comprising 96 numbers of 20-foot stainless steel containers, can carry a total payload of approximately 3,300 metric tonnes. Transporting an equivalent payload using conventional road transportation would require nearly 100 road trailers, resulting in significantly higher CO₂ emissions and reinforcing the sustainability advantage of stainless steel containers for large-scale salt logistics.

Stainless steel salt containers also eliminate the use of tarpaulin covers. This, combined with the inherent corrosion-resistant properties of stainless steel, helps prevent salt contamination and reduces wastage. Designed to withstand harsh corrosive environments, these containers are expected to have a lifespan of more than 15–20 years, nearly six to seven times longer than containers made from conventional materials.

Additionally, mechanised loading and unloading enable faster turnaround times, significantly enhancing operational productivity. As a result, the overall lifecycle cost of stainless steel salt containers is estimated to be substantially lower than that of conventional containers.

This is the first stainless steel salt container designed specifically for Indian Railways, incorporating rail-specific loading, handling, and operational requirements. Learnings from Jindal Stainless’ earlier salt logistics innovations, including stainless steel salt tipper trailers unveiled last year, have been integrated into this railways-focused prototype to enable seamless rail-to-road, door-to-door multimodal transportation of bulk salt.

The prototype has been fabricated by Kalyani Cast Tech Private Limited and developed in accordance with Research Designs & Standards Organisation (RDSO), Lucknow specifications.

Jindal Stainless has also successfully developed lightweight and corrosion-resistant rail and road containers in stainless steel, capable of carrying an additional payload of 1.5–2.0 metric tonnes per container per trip.

About Jindal Stainless

India’s leading stainless steel manufacturer, Jindal Stainless recorded an annual turnover of INR 40,182 crore (USD 4.75 billion) in FY25 and is expanding its facilities to achieve an annual melt capacity of 4.2 million tonnes by FY27. The company operates 16 stainless steel manufacturing and processing facilities in India and overseas, including in Spain and Indonesia, and maintains a global network across 12 countries as of March 2025.

In India, Jindal Stainless has ten sales offices and six service centres. Its product portfolio includes stainless steel slabs, blooms, coils, plates, sheets, precision strips, wire rods, rebars, blade steel, and coin blanks.

Founded in 1970, Jindal Stainless leverages integrated operations to enhance cost competitiveness and operational efficiency. The company remains committed to innovation, enriching lives, and fulfilling its social responsibilities.

Focused on a greener and more sustainable future, Jindal Stainless manufactures stainless steel using the electric arc furnace route, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions while enabling recyclability without compromising product quality.