CHENNAI: Sembcorp has signed a preliminary agreement with the V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority to explore a green hydrogen and ammonia hub in southern Tamil Nadu, as India seeks to accelerate clean fuel exports.
The non-binding memorandum of understanding, exchanged on Thursday on the sidelines of India Maritime Week 2025 in the presence of Sarbananda Sonowal, Union minister for ports, shipping and waterways, envisages potential investments of Rs 25,400 crore. The partnership will assess the development of an integrated ecosystem for production, storage, handling and export of green hydrogen and ammonia at and around the Tuticorin port.
The initiative builds on Sembcorp’s existing energy investments in the state. In August 2024, Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin broke ground on the Singapore-based group’s 160-acre green ammonia plant in Tuticorin, designed to produce 200,000 tonnes a year – one of the earliest large-scale projects of its kind in India.
Ports are emerging as critical nodes in the country’s green hydrogen strategy under the National Green Hydrogen Mission, with Tamil Nadu positioning Tuticorin as a southern export gateway.
Industry executives say port-led infrastructure – particularly for bunkering, storage and maritime logistics – will be key to achieving cost competitiveness and meeting certification standards for global markets.
Sembcorp, which operates 27.4GW of energy assets worldwide, including 19.3GW of renewables across 11 markets, has been expanding its India portfolio. The company operates across 18 states, with renewable generation in 13, and manages one of the country’s largest wind energy portfolios.
