New Delhi: The shipping minister is working out modalities to set up green hydrogen bunkering and refuelling facilities at all major ports by 2035 as part of its bid to cut its carbon footprint, officials said here on Wednesday.
The ministry of ports, shipping and waterways has also issued guidelines issued on achieving the mission. India, which is considered one of the world’s biggest emitters of greenhouse gases, is striving to reduce the carbon emissions to net zero by 2070. A shipping ministry official said that the government has targetted three of its ports to develop bunker facilities for green hydrogen and ammonia.
‘Our target is to cover all 12 major ports with a green hydrogen bunkering facility by 2035, shipping minister Sarbananda Sonowal is said to have told newsmen. The initial ports to have the hydrogen bunkers and refuelling centres are to be Paradip in the east, Kandla in the west, and Tuticorin in the south.
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Officials said that the ministry was expecting financial support from different stakeholders to turn these ports into green ports is under consideration.
The country’s coastline, which stretches 7,500 km (4,660 miles), has more than 200 ports in addition to the 12 major ones, all together accounting for 95% of its trade by volume and 65% by value.
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Authorities want electricity to power at least half the vehicle and equipment needs of major ports by 2030, rather than diesel, and raise that figure further to 90% by 2047. “Whatever initiative we are taking aims to meet the 2070 goal of being a net-zero carbon nation, Sonowal has said.
To meet the net-zero goal, at least 40% of India’s electricity will have to come from renewables.
