Centre sets 2030 as target to become global hub for green shipping

New policy launched to convert tugboats at major ports into green tugs

The Centre will start the process of turning all of India’s tugboats into green tugs to reduce transport carbon emissions and become a global hub for green shipping by 2030. Union minister for ports, shipping, and waterways Sarbananda Sonowal on Wednesday launched the Green Tug Transition Programme (GTTP).

Under the new policy, Green Hybrid Tugs will be introduced, which will be powered by green hybrid propulsion systems. The eventual plan will be to adopt non-fossil fuel solutions like methanol, ammonia, and hydrogen.

“The ministry has set a target for the initial Green Tugs to start working in all major ports by 2025. At least 50 per cent of all the tugs are likely to be converted into green tugs by 2030, which will considerably reduce emission, as the country moves towards achieving sustainable development,” the shipping ministry said.

India is the first country selected under the International Maritime Organisation’s Green Voyage 2050 project to conduct a pilot project related to green shipping. The ministry said that  Paradip Port, Deendayal Port, and V.O. Chidambaram Port have been identified to be developed as hydrogen hubs - capable of handling, storing and generating green hydrogen by 2030.

The minister also inaugurated India’s first Centre of Excellence in Green Port & Shipping (NCoEGPS), which has been created in collaboration with The Energy and Resources Institute. It has been created to work towards meeting India’s obligations under the Paris Agreement by developing a framework and alternative technology adoption framework for green shipping in the country.

The NCoEGPS will work on 10 crucial projects — including the development of a regulatory framework for the usage of wind energy for marine applications, and identifying a suitable biofuel for blending with conventional marine fuels.

The minister said that the green shipping centre will also work on identifying a fuel cell technology for long haul shipping, along with a regulatory framework for the transportation of hydrogen, as India looks to become an exporter of green hydrogen.

The Centre is also working on a plan to identify an offshore platform for tapping solar energy, production, storage and usage of green hydrogen.