India hopes to become the global hub of Green Ship Building by 2030 according to Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. Speaking at the launch of the Green Tug Transition Programme (GTTP), he said that the centre has set a target for the initial Green Tugs to start working in all Major Ports by 2025.
A Major Port is one which is under the administrative control of the Union Shipping Ministry while a Tug (also called Tugboat) is a vessel used to manoeuvre ships into port berths.
The programme will start with ‘Green Hybrid Tugs’, which will be powered by Green Hybrid Propulsion systems, and subsequently adopting non-fossil fuel solutions (like Methanol, Ammonia, and Hydrogen). “At least, 50% of all the Tugs are likely to be converted into Green Tugs by 2030, which will considerably reduce emission, as the country move towards achieving sustainable development,” he said.
Sonowal also inaugurated India’s first Centre of Excellence of Green Port & Shipping (NCoEGPS).
An official statement said the NCoEGPS will be the Nodal entity for the industry with a goal to make India as the Global hub for building Green Ships by 2030.
The NCoEGPS will work on 10 crucial projects, including ones on developing a regulatory framework for the usage of wind energy for marine applications, and identifying a suitable biofuel for blending with conventional marine fuels. It will also work towards identifying a fuel cell technology for long haul shipping as well as developing a regulatory framework for the transportation of hydrogen upto 700 bar pressure.
In addition to this, the NCoEGPS will prepare detailed project reports on low energy consumption ports, and on an offshore platform for tapping solar energy, production, storage and usage of green hydrogen.
