Deendayal Port Authority (DPA) has transitioned its green maritime strategy into ground execution with the foundation stone laying ceremony for India’s first port-based 150 tons per day (TPD) e-methanol plant at Gandhidham.
The ceremony was led by Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
The ₹2,300-crore project is being executed via a 76:24 joint venture between DPA and Assam Petro-Chemicals Limited (APCL). DPA is committing ₹567.32 crore in equity alongside 75 acres of land, desalinated water access, and green hydrogen supply. The facility will produce green methanol at an estimated rate of $750 per ton—offering a cost advantage over the current global benchmark of $1,300 per ton. Phase I (50 TPD) is scheduled for completion by January 2027, followed by Phase II (100 TPD) in March 2027.
Building on hydrogen infrastructure:
The groundbreaking builds directly upon DPA’s established clean energy footprint. Last year, the port commissioned India’s first indigenous 1 MW megawatt-scale green hydrogen plant, engineered by Larsen & Toubro using 100% domestic electrolyzer technology. Capable of producing 140 metric tons of green hydrogen annually, that pilot plant currently powers internal port transport—including 11 zero-emission hydrogen buses and venue machinery—and serves as the scalable model for a planned 10 MW expansion.
Furthermore, DPA has expanded its hydrogen framework through a partnership with Oswal Greenzo Energies to establish an additional 5 MW green hydrogen plant, while placing orders for India’s first all-electric, zero-emission harbour tugs.
Official perspectives:
According to Union minister Sonowal, “PM Narendra Modi has given India the confidence to lead, not follow. Just as India is now building its own ships and containers, it will soon make the clean fuel that powers global trade. In the years ahead, Kandla will become a green-fuel hub on the Singapore-Rotterdam route, and this plant is a model for every major port in the country.”
Gujarat CM Patel said, “Gujarat is India’s gateway to the world; now it becomes the world’s green energy gateway. Kutch and the long coastline of Gujarat will now power the world’s ships through Kandla, turning our renewable-energy potential into a major export opportunity.”
Assam CM Sarma said, “Today marks a significant day for Assam and for the relationship between Assam and Gujarat. Bringing together APCL’s five decades of methanol expertise with DPA’s strategic maritime infrastructure is a shining example of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ in service of national energy self-reliance.”
Impact:
The start of construction on the e-methanol facility alters India’s role in global maritime logistics. Positioned along the Asia-Europe International Trade Corridor, Kandla Port moves from a traditional cargo handler to an international clean-fuel bunkering node.
Economically, producing e-methanol at nearly half the global price rate ($750 vs. $1,300 per ton) offers an immediate incentive for international container fleets facing stringent international carbon regulations. Socially, the project is projected to generate over 3,500 direct and indirect jobs across the Kutch region while creating a blueprint for cross-state industrial integration between Northeast energy producers and Western maritime hubs.
