Context: With an aim to make India a global hub for building green ships, the Ministry of ports, shipping and waterways (MoPSW) launched ‘Green Tug Transition Programme’ (GTTP).

Key Points

• Tugs are special boats that assist other vessels into and out of port. The primary purpose of these boats is to help move larger ships by towing, pushing, and guiding.

• The plan is to expand the exercise of conversion of tugboats into green tugs into full-fledged manufacturing of these all important boats in the country that are essential elements of any port, helping in the mooring or berthing operation of a ship by either towing or pushing a vessel towards the port.

• Union minister of ports, shipping and waterways said that plan is afoot to make India as the ‘Global hub for building Green Ships’ by 2030.

About ‘Green Tug Transition Programme’ (GTTP)

• The goal is to turn every tugboat in use in the nation into a "Green Hybrid Tug," one that runs on non-fossil fuels like hydrogen, ammonia, and methanol.

• The initial Green Tugs are expected to begin operating in all Major Ports by 2025, according to a target set by the Ministry of Ports.

• The programme will start with ‘Green Hybrid Tugs’, which will be powered by Green Hybrid Propulsion systems and subsequently, adopt non-fossil fuel solutions (like Methanol, Ammonia, and Hydrogen).

• At least 50% of all the Tugs are likely to be converted into Green Tugs by 2030, which will considerably reduce emissions as the country moves towards achieving sustainable development.

• The minister also inaugurated India’s first National Centre of Excellence in Green Port & Shipping (NCoEGPS) in Gurugram, Haryana.

National Centre of Excellence in Green Port & Shipping (NCoEGPS)

• Located at: Gurugram, Haryana

• Setup by: NCoEGPS is the result of collaboration between the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, the Government of India and the Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).

• Purpose: The centre will engage in developing the regulatory framework and alternative technology adoption roadmap for green shipping in India.

• It will act as a technological arm of MoPSW for providing the needed support on Policy, Research and Cooperation in Green Shipping areas.

Significance

• The Centre is aimed at playing a crucial role towards the achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 14) to sustainably manage and protect marine & coastal ecosystems from pollution, conservation & sustainable use of ocean-based resources.

Objectives:

• To empower ‘Make in India’ in Port, Coastal and Inland water transport, and Engineering by developing state of art technologies and application products.

• To create a pool of competent manpower to the industry equipped with state of the art theoretical and practical knowhow.

Functions

• It will engage in developing the regulatory framework and alternative technology adoption roadmap for green shipping in India.

• It will act as a technology arm of the Ministry for providing the needed support on policy, research, and cooperation in green shipping areas.

• It will also carry out education, applied research and technology transfer in maritime transportation at the local, regional, national and International levels.

• It will focus on areas like energy management, emission management, Sustainable Maritime Operations etc.

• It will work on 10 crucial projects, including ones on developing a regulatory framework for the usage of wind energy for marine applications, and identifying a suitable biofuel for blending with conventional marine fuels.

• It will work towards identifying a fuel cell technology for long haul shipping as well as developing a regulatory framework for the transportation of hydrogen upto 700 bar pressure.

• It will prepare detailed project reports on low energy consumption port, and on an offshore platform for tapping solar energy, production, storage and usage of green hydrogen.

Key Fact

• India is the first country selected under the International Maritime Organisation’s Green Voyage 2050 project to conduct a pilot project related to green shipping.