The Union finance ministry is likely to soon invite financial bids for the strategic sale of Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) and is mulling to go ahead without waiting for the listing of its demerged entity, Shipping Corporation of India Land and Assets Ltd (SCILAL), a government official told Moneycontrol on October 4. “The Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) will be inviting financial bids for SCI soon. There is no issue that will stop DIPAM from inviting bids. As the demerger of its subsidiary is done, there is no point in waiting for its listing,” he said. Usually, financial bids are invited after the listing of demerged entities, and the valuation of the company follows.