Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shri Sarbananda Sonowal today said “Green Shipping is the future of maritime sector”. He was addressing INMARCO 2022 in Mumbai. INMARCO is a quadrennial International Maritime Conference and Exhibition, hosted by the Institute of Marine Engineers (India), to showcase the prowess of Maritime India to the global maritime fraternity.

Addressing the Conference, Union Shipping Minister said that India’s Maritime Sector has a glorious history and has played a very important role in India’s economic growth. “In the last 8 years under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, we have focused on port-led development which includes expanding port capacities and making the existing systems even more efficient. Waterways are being harnessed to ensure Indian products get access to new markets. Our maritime sector has scaled new heights and contributed to boosting trade and commercial activities”.

Sharing details of the green initiatives, Union Shipping Minister said that there is increasing focus on making the shipping industry carbon neutral by 2050. “The INMARCO Green Shipping Conclave can bring all Maritime stakeholders such as policy makers, fuel producers, shipyards, port authorities, technology providers and the International Maritime Organisation under one platform and understand how the industry can move forward and achieve IMO de-carbonization targets”.

Hailing the Cochin Shipyard for the INS Vikrant, the Union Shipping Minister said that INS Vikrant is a shining example of Aatma Nirbhar Bharat. “It shows that we have the power and no challenge is too difficult for today’s India.”

Secretary for Ministry of Shipping, Dr. Sanjeev Ranjan informed that the Government of India has started National Hydrogen Mission with an outlay of Rs. 30,000 Crores between 2022-2023 and 2029-2030 with an ambition to start producing at-least 5 million metric tonnes annually of Green Hydrogen by 2030. “It also aims to build/retrofit two Indian ships to be powered by Green Hydrogen or its derivative fuels by 2027, followed by annual addition of at least two ships powered by green fuels thereafter”.

The Secretary further said “In line with National Biofuel Policy to reduce interdependence on fossil fuels, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has permitted ships to operate with biofuels as per Maritime India Vision 2030 roadmap towards greening Indian ships and ports. The Ministry intends to increase the share of renewable energy to 60% of the total power demand of each of its major ports from a present share of less than 10%”.

The theme for INMARCO 2022 is Evolving Maritime World for Greener and Sustainable Future. Director General of Shipping Shri Amitabh Kumar said that the theme for conclave is relevant and interesting in current situation. “Directorate General of Shipping is making efforts to become paperless in first phase of digitization; in the next phase, we will focus on digitization of regulatory aspects. We are working towards creating ease of doing business for seafarers and other stakeholders”.

At INMARCO 2022, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways inaugurated, Digital Platform for Maritime Environment, Digital Platform for Implementation and Monitoring of Maritime Environmental Regulations and other digitalization initiatives including E-Library in the first phase of digitization.  

As part of the Maritime Conference, Ministry for Ports, Shipping and Waterways signed a MoU between The Energy and Resources Institute and VOC, Paradip and Deendayal Ports and Cochin Shipyard Limited for setting up of the 1st National Centre of Excellence in Green Port and Shipping. This Centre of Excellence will help on policy and regulatory support to the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, for developing regulatory framework and alternate technology adoption roadmap for Green Shipping to foster carbon neutrality and circular economy.

The Centre of Excellence will be established in the TERI Gurugram campus and a new facility will be constructed in the same campus.

Chairman INMARCO 2022 Shri Rajeev Nayyer, President IME Shri Vijendra K. Jain and other dignitaries were present at the Conference.

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