India aims to become global hub for green ship building by 2030: Sonowal (Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways)
Notable because
The announcement comes in the wake of India’s Green Hydrogen Mission, launched in January 2023, which aims to drive the production of 5 MMT of green hydrogen annually by 2030.
The announcement, which includes plans to convert all tugboats in the country to non-fossil fuel-based alternatives by 2030, is expected to drive domestic demand for green hydrogen. Further, greening of tugboats powered by hydrogen and its derivatives is a key step in decarbonising India’s maritime sector.
What to look out for in the months ahead
What technology will be championed in the initial hybridisation of tugs? How will hydrogen and its derivatives-fuelled tugboats overcome cost challenges? Further, retrofitting tugboats poses particular challenges, and it will be interesting to see how the government extends support to mitigate them.