India’s ‘first’ port decarbonization pilot takes shape at Chidambaranar Port

India’s Chidambaranar Port Trust, said to be the ‘third largest’ container terminal in the country, has laid the first stone of India’s inaugural pilot-scale port decarbonization project centered around alternative fuel sources, Italian marine classification society RINA has shared.

According to RINA India, the overarching aim of this endeavor is threefold: slashing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, promoting green energy within the maritime industry in the country and—by extension— support the Indian government’s plan to bolster sustainable practices in shipping.

As disclosed, the path with the most potential to turn the initiative into reality is the use of alternative fuel options. Together with the Chidambaranar Port Authority, the Chidambaranar Port Trust evaluated a number of clean fuel options, including green hydrogen, green ammonia, green methane, and green methanol.

Upon completion of the analysis, the two parties determined that the “most viable” solution for the port’s decarbonization plan through 2030 was green methanol.

RINA unveiled that the pilot project has secured a green light from India’s Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). Having obtained the go-ahead, the endeavor is reportedly now set to proceed to the implementation stage.

Port representatives anticipate that, once the project is complete, it has the potential to position Chidambaranar Port as the ‘first’ to establish green methanol bunkering infrastructure in the country.

The Indian government has rolled out a flurry of initiatives since the start of this year, aiming to transform its maritime industry and take further steps closer to worldwide decarbonization standards.

At the beginning of January, the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal introduced two massive infrastructure projects worth ₹570 billion (about $6.6 billion) intending to enhance the capacity of Kandla Port in Gujarat, a state on the west coast of India.

As informed, the ambition behind the projects is to improve port operations, increase efficiency, and drive economic development as well as create new job opportunities for the local community.

On February 1, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman revealed that the government would splash ₹250 billion (about $2.9 billion) to set up a maritime development fund (MDF).

The fund is understood to primarily be intended for green ship acquisitions, though it would also cover activities such as the development of new or rejuvenation of existing ports and encouraging innovation in maritime logistics and fleet efficiency.

The MDF also extends to investing in ship repair facilities, which could be particularly significant since this segment of India’s shipping industry has seen ‘steady’ growth, per the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways’s data.

India’s largest shipbuilding and maintenance facility Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) reportedly repaired the largest number of units in the 2022-23 period, in the public sector, followed by Hindustan Shipyards and Goa Shipyard.

Recently, namely in mid-February 2025, CSL shook hands with Danish shipping colossal A.P. Moller-Maersk to explore collaboration opportunities in ship repair, maintenance, and building activities.

More precisely, as explained, the partners have set sights on crafting training programs focused on eco-friendly practices, technical expertise sharing, exploring ship repair, dry docking and new construction opportunities, as well as skill development for CSL employees and Maersk seafarers.

French shipping giant CMA CGM and Switzerland’s Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) soon joined Maersk, pledging to strengthen their foothold in India as the country targets becoming a ‘global maritime hub.’