The VO Chidambaranar Port in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, India, has become the first port in the country to produce green hydrogen. The pilot project will use the fuel to power port streetlights and an electric vehicle charging station.
Built at a cost of approximately $52.3m, the facility is expected to produce 10 normal cubic metres per hour of green hydrogen. It is slated to become a key part of the proposed Coastal Green Shipping Corridor between Kandla and Tuticorin.
Speaking at the launch, Shri Sonowal, the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, also announced plans for a 750 cubic metre green methanol bunkering and refuelling pilot project.
“The projects launched today will generate thousands of jobs, attract global investments and position Tamil Nadu as a key contributor to India’s economic aspirations,” he said.
Green hydrogen is seen as a pathway to decarbonise port operations and shipping by replacing fossil fuels in equipment, providing onshore power for vessels at berth, and serving as a clean bunkering fuel.
VO Chidambaranar Port ©Daily Shipping Times
India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission targets five million tonnes of annual production by 2030, with plans for hydrogen and ammonia hubs at major ports – starting with Kandla and Tuticorin – and for two vessels to be retrofitted to run on green fuels by 2027.
According to the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, all major ports are expected to have green fuel refuelling infrastructure in place by 2035.
In July, India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy unlocked $8m funding for four green hydrogen projects under the Mission’s central financial assistance scheme – an initiative that aims to accelerate deployment of the green molecule as a clean energy source.
This followed the April launch of India’s Green Hydrogen Certification Scheme, which defines what qualifies as ‘green’ hydrogen, introduces a multi-tiered certification system, and sets a maximum lifecycle emissions threshold of 2kg carbon dioxide equivalent per kg of hydrogen.
The certification scheme is part of India’s wider National Green Hydrogen Mission, launched in 2023 with an initial budget of $2.37bn. Around $2.1bn has been allocated to subsidies for green hydrogen production and incentives for domestic electrolyser manufacturing, while the rest will support pilot projects, R&D and other mission components.
