Sancoale Shipping traces its barge operations to a family business started in Kolkata. The early vessels carried cargo from West Bengal to Assam and back. The family purchased World War 2 landing vessels and converted them for cargo movement. These vessels had riveted plates, unlike welded vessels used today, and were repaired in Andaman & Nicobar in the 1960s.
Mr Parkot of ACM later met the family and contracted one of the vessels. In 1966, the business relocated to Goa. Vessels came in from West Bengal and the Andamans.
In the 1960s, the company was among the pioneers of mechanised barge operations. Sancoale Shipbuilders & Engineers Pvt. Ltd. was incorporated in 1971. The dry dock at Sancoale began operating for vessels up to 1000 DWT, which was considered large at the time.
During the 1970s, the company also repaired specialist vessels belonging to Yugoslavian companies and rebuilt 35-year-old LCTs into coastal cargo vessels. Over the years, its vessels have operated in ports across Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
In the 1990s, the company was the first to comply with load line rules for inland barges operating beyond normal IV limits. Around 2001, a 2100 DWT coastal vessel was built by the family.
Sancoale Shipping Limited was in the business of barges for lighterage ship to shore operations, having barges from 900 DWT to 2100 DWT.
