The Indian shipping sector is getting a green hydrogen push.

Ms. Droupadi Murmu, The President of India has approved the start of the National Green Hydrogen Mission‘s Scheme for pilot projects on the utilization of green hydrogen in the shipping sector, marking a significant step towards sustainable maritime practices (NGHM).

Released by the Hydrogen Division of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, the directive outlines the goals and procedures for carrying out this project.

Goals:

Along with demonstrating safe and secure operations, the scheme evaluates how well green hydrogen works in ship propulsion, bunkering, and refueling systems at ports. Its main goals are:

To validate the technical viability and performance of green hydrogen and its derivatives as ship propulsion fuel on a real-world operational basis.
To support the deployment of these fuels on a pilot basis, and assess the economic feasibility of using them in the shipping industry.

Objectives:

The Shipping Corporation of India or SCI has been designated as the implementing agency to retrofit existing ships. The Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways (MoPSW) has also nominated another agency to handle the construction of bunkers and refueling facilities.

The overall objective of the NGHM, which is to promote sustainable energy practices and lessen the shipping industry’s carbon footprint, aligns with this initiative. The directive is accompanied by an annex that contains details on how the scheme will be implemented. The approval has the Minister of Power and New and Renewable Energy’s endorsement, which is a major step toward greener and cleaner maritime operations.