New Delhi, April 9 (IANS). Taking a significant step towards decarbonizing the maritime sector, Deendayal Port Authority (Kandla Port) has augmented its methanol bunkering capacities. According to a government statement issued on Thursday, the move establishes it as a key player in India’s energy transition efforts and global green shipping corridors.
The statement said the initiative is in line with the maritime sector’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. Its main focus is on adoption of low carbon alternative fuels like e-manol and e-ammonia to reduce greenhouse gas intensity in shipping.
Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said, “This milestone achieved at Kandla Port reflects India’s resolve to lead the global transition towards green shipping. By adopting clean fuels like methanol and creating future-ready infrastructure, we are aligning our maritime sector with international sustainability goals, while also enhancing its efficiency and competitiveness. This is an important step in our journey to become one of the world’s top maritime nations.”
Located on the west coast of India, Kandla port has been handling gray methanol as cargo for a long time, and already has the supporting infrastructure in place, including tank storage, pipelines and jetties. Building on this foundation, the port is now actively developing specialized capabilities in methanol bunkering.
To assess the preparedness, Kandla Port entrusted DNV Maritime Advisory Services to evaluate the adequacy of the existing infrastructure and regulatory and security frameworks. Following this assessment, the port was rated ‘Level 6’ on the ‘Port Readiness Level’ (PRL) scale of the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) for methanol bunkering.
On April 2, Kandla Port successfully conducted a trial of ‘shore to ship’ methanol refueling, to validate the infrastructure and operational protocols. The exercise was conducted in collaboration with industry partners including Stolt Tankers, J.M. Baksi, Aegis Vopak, Indian Oil Corporation Limited and Deendayal Port Authority.
The test successfully validated key elements such as bunker transfer procedures, safety systems and regulatory compliance. The DNV team conducted on-site verification, confirming that the process is in line with global best practices for methanol bunkering.
The port is now working towards ensuring availability of approximately 500 KTPA (thousand tonnes per annum) of ‘Renewable Non-Biological Fuels of Origin’ (RFNBO) compliant e-manol by 2028-29.
The supply is expected to support deep-sea ‘dual-fuel’ vessels operating on the Asia-Europe trade corridor, the statement said. Following the successful shore-to-ship trials, Kandla Port is planning to undertake ship-to-ship methanol bunkering in the next phase, which will further strengthen its operational capabilities. The statement said the progress of Kandla Port will play an important role in establishing India as a key hub in the emerging green shipping corridors, helping to create a cleaner, more robust and future-ready maritime ecosystem.
Sonowal said, “Our ports are becoming hubs of innovation and sustainability. Initiatives like methanol bunkering not only reduce emissions, but also open up new opportunities for investment, technology collaboration and job creation, further strengthening India’s meaningful contribution to the emerging global maritime sector. This further strengthens efforts to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, a vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”
–IANS
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