In a significant stride toward decarbonising maritime logistics, India is set to launch its first domestic coastal green shipping corridor, linking Deendayal Port (Kandla) on the west coast with V O Chidambaranar (VOC) Port in Thoothukudi on the southern tip. The corridor is expected to become operational within the next three to six months, according to T K Ramachandran, Union Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
The pioneering initiative is a collaborative effort between VOC Port Authority, Deendayal Port Authority, and the state-run Shipping Corporation of India. Senior port officials, including chairpersons Susanta Kumar Purohit and Sushil Kumar Singh, recently convened to finalise the corridor’s operational framework.
“This is a key milestone in our journey to green maritime infrastructure,” Ramachandran said. “We aim to make the corridor operational within the next three to six months and are actively exploring similar green corridors on international routes—connecting Kandla with ports in Europe or the West, and potentially a second green route between Singapore and VOC Port.”
A central feature of the corridor will be the integration of green fuels like methanol. Both ports will be equipped to produce, store, and distribute these cleaner alternatives, with two retrofitted vessels from the Shipping Corporation of India serving as pilot ships on the route. These vessels will be among the first in India to operate on methanol as part of a broader push toward sustainable shipping.
VOC Port, already producing green hydrogen on a small scale, is leading India’s port-led green energy push. Meanwhile, Kandla Port is aiming to begin producing 1 MW of green hydrogen by March 2026.
Monday’s discussions focused on critical components such as deploying container ships powered by green methanol, developing bunkering infrastructure, evaluating route economics, and estimating cargo volumes. These deliberations form the groundwork for not only launching the corridor but also ensuring its long-term commercial and environmental viability.
India’s coastal green corridor marks a vital step in aligning the country’s maritime sector with global sustainability goals, while also reinforcing its ambition to become a leader in green port and shipping innovation.
