India Sets 2030 As A Target To Emerge As A Global Hub For Green Shipping
The Centre is expected to transform India’s tugboats by 2030 into unique green tugs to lower transport carbon emissions and emerge as a global hub for green shipping. Sarbananda Sonowal, the union minister for India’s ports, shipping, and waterways, reportedly launched the Green Tug Transition Program (GTTP) on Wednesday.
Under the new policy, Green Hybrid Tugs will be launched. Green hybrid propulsion systems will enable that. The ultimate plan is to deploy non-fossil fuel alternatives like methanol, hydrogen, and ammonia.
The ministry has reportedly set its goal for the Green Tugs to begin working in significant ports by 2025.
By 2030, almost 50% of the tugs will likely be converted into green ones. And this is expected to lower the emission considerably as the nation moves toward achieving its sustainable development goals, the shipping ministry mentioned.
India is the first nation chosen under the Green Voyage 2050 assignment of the International Maritime Organisation to conduct a pilot assignment related to green shipping.
The ministry mentioned that Deendayal Port, Paradip Port, and V.O. Chidambaram Port have reportedly been identified to be developed as hydrogen hubs that are capable of tackling, storing, and generating green hydrogen by the year 2030.
The minister inaugurated India’s first-ever Centre of Excellence in Green Port and Shipping (NCoEGPS), which was created in association with The Energy and Resources Institute. It will work toward meeting the country’s obligations declared under the Paris Agreement by developing a framework and an alternative technology adoption framework for green shipping.
The NCoEGPS are expected to work on ten projects — including the ones that involve the development of a regulatory framework for using wind energy, particularly for advanced marine applications, and identifying an appropriate biofuel for blending with traditional marine fuels.
The minister mentioned that the green shipping centre would work on recognizing a fuel cell technology for long-haul shipping, with a regulatory framework dedicated to hydrogen transport, as India aspires to become a leading exporter of green hydrogen.
The Centre has also been working on its plan to identify a dedicated offshore platform to tap solar energy, its production, storage, and the use of green hydrogen.
Reference: Business Standard, The Economic Times
