Truckers in India may be offered incentives for adopting cleaner energy sources as part of the country’s proposed green ports policy aimed at reducing emissions at major ports.
NEW DELHI (India CSR): India’s proposed green ports policy is an important step towards reducing the carbon footprint of the transportation sector and making India’s ports more sustainable. The incentives for adopting cleaner energy sources for trucks are a positive move, and the targets for increasing green cover and electrification levels at ports are ambitious.
If India can successfully implement the policy, it could have a significant impact on the country’s carbon emissions and contribute to global efforts to address climate change. India is poised to offer incentives to fleet owners for adopting cleaner energy sources for their trucks, such as compressed natural gas (CNG), liquified natural gas (LNG), and electric or green hydrogen-powered trucks, according to a senior government official. The incentives are part of a proposed green ports policy aimed at reducing the intensity of emissions at major ports.
India’s 12 major ports currently handle around half of the country’s total cargo movement, and each port has been asked to establish at least one LNG bunkering station by 2030, as well as an adequate number of EV charging stations in port campuses or nearby by 2025.
The proposed policy will also include other interventions such as the promotion of renewable energy, reducing air emissions, optimizing water usage, improving solid waste management, and lowering carbon emission per tonne of cargo handled by 30% by 2030, and 70% by 2047.
Increasing Green Cover and Electrification of Ports
To capture fugitive emissions and attenuate the noise generated in the port surroundings, ports will be required to increase the green cover by carrying out effective plantations and developing landscapes. The target is to increase the green belt by over 20% by 2030 and by 33% by 2047.
Additionally, ports will need to make efforts to electrify their vehicles and equipment. The electrification levels of port equipment should reach 50% by 2030 and 90% by 2047. Green ammonia bunkers and refuelling facilities will also be established at all major ports by 2035.
Administrative Control and Green Ports Policy
Major ports in India come under the administrative control of the shipping ministry, while the remaining ports, known as non-major ports, are under the state governments and their maritime boards. The proposed green ports policy will apply to both major and non-major ports in India.
The policy aims to reduce the carbon footprint of the transportation sector and make India’s ports more sustainable. It is in line with India’s commitment to reducing its carbon emissions by 33-35% by 2030, as part of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
What are Green Ports?
Green Ports in India are ports that operate in an environmentally sustainable manner, with a focus on reducing their carbon footprint and preserving the surrounding ecosystem. India’s Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways has proposed a Green Ports Policy aimed at reducing the intensity of emissions at major ports, promoting the use of renewable energy, optimizing water usage, improving solid waste management, and lowering carbon emissions. The policy also includes targets for increasing green cover, electrification of vehicles and port equipment, and establishing green ammonia bunkers and refueling facilities at major ports by 2035. The policy applies to both major and non-major ports in India.
