Context: Recently, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways has launched the ‘Harit Sagar’ Green Port Guidelines to achieve the larger vision of achieving the Zero Carbon Emission Goal.

• These guidelines aim to revolutionize port development, operation, and maintenance while contributing to fulfilling Prime Minister Modi’s Panchamrit commitments.

About Harit Sagar

• The ‘Harit Sagar’ Guidelines prioritize ecosystem dynamics in all aspects of port development. By aligning with the ‘Working with Nature’ concept, these guidelines minimize the impact on harbor ecosystem components. 

• The goal is to foster sustainable growth while preserving and enhancing the ecological balance within port areas.

• Objective: To achieve Zero Carbon Emission Goal and promote environmental-friendly practices across all ports.

• Envisages: Ecosystem dynamics in port development, operation, and maintenance.

• Emphasizes: Use of Clean/Green energy in port operation, development of port capabilities for storage, handling and bunkering of greener fuels.

• Provides a framework for: Major ports to draw a comprehensive action plan for achieving a quantified reduction in carbon emission over defined timelines.

• Aims to achieve : Sustainable Developmental Goals (SDG) and minimising waste through reducing, reusing, repurposing, and Recycling to attain zero waste discharge from port operations.

• Promotes: Monitoring based on Environmental Performance Indicators.

• Covers aspects of: National Green Hydrogen Mission pertaining to ports, development of green hydrogen facility, LNG bunkering, Offshore Wind Energy.

• Provides provision for: Adopting the global Green Reporting Initiative (GRI) standard.

• Main Goals: The guidelines’ main goals are to reduce trash through the four R’s: Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, and Recycle in order to achieve zero waste discharge from port operations.

• Additionally, it includes provisions for adopting the international Green Reporting Initiative (GRI) standard and covers parts of the National Green Hydrogen Mission related to ports, the creation of green hydrogen facilities, LNG bunkering, offshore wind energy, etc.      

Sagar Shreshtha Samman awards

• Awarded to the major ports for their all-time best performance on selected operational and financial parameters during FY - 2022-23. 

Awards conferred include

• Best Absolute Performance for the year 2022-23: Deendayal Port, Kandla

• Best incremental performance: Paradip Port and Mormugao Port (best Ship Berth Day Output)

• Best Pre-Berthing Detention time: Kamarajar Port

• Best port: Paradip Port on overall annual performance based upon cargo handling, average turnaround time, etc.