The shortlisted consultants are expected to make presentations before the SCI board on July 29 and 30 to bag the mandate for restructuring to company. SCI's director, liner passenger services, SS Rangnekar says: "The final selection depends on the discretion of the board. The consultant will only be a catalyst to aid SCI in the reorganising its resources for optimal use. Initially we had about 14 agencies who had applied for the mandate for restructuring."

SCI is planning to undertake intensive restructuring to improve its shipping lines and manpower resources. The corporation currently has 120 ships and over 1,600 employees. According to sources, the management is planning to restructure the employee strength to just three per ship. In effect, the company is planning todeclare over 1200 employees surplus. A voluntary retirement scheme is also may be in the offing, sources said.

SCI has frozen fresh recruitments for the past five years and the annual rate of attrition through retirements is about 95 employees.

The consultants are expected to suggest an alternate management structure which would be a logical fallout of the reorganisation. On the operational front, SCI has already suspended its US-India break-bulk services. It is also disposing about four old vessels which include liners and bulk carriers.

"We have not budgeted the expenditure we may have to incur in appointing a consultant, but we would definitely like to get best advantage of every penny spent. In an age of information boom , an organisation like ours must reorient itself in tune with the changing environment," adds Rangnekar.

SCI's profit before tax is expected to dip to Rs 180 crore for the year 1999-2000 from Rs 256 recorded for the year ended March 31, 1999.