India has committed $25 million to develop hydrogen hubs at key ports to drive its green shipping initiative, Union minister of new and renewable energy Pralhad Joshi said at the Hamburg Sustainability Conference. These hydrogen hubs at Deendayal, Paradip, and V.O. Chidambaranar ports will include bunkering and refuelling facilities for green hydrogen-powered vessels, marking a significant step in decarbonising India’s maritime sector.
In addition, India is investing $14 million in pilot projects under the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) to convert existing vessels to run on green hydrogen or derivatives. “The Shipping Corporation of India is converting two vessels to run on green methanol,” said Joshi. The NGHM, launched with a $2.4 billion outlay, targets 5 million metric tonnes of green hydrogen production annually by 2030, with investments exceeding $100 billion and generating over 6 lakh jobs.
India is also emerging as a hub for green shipbuilding, with plans to modernize shipyards and reopen older dockyards. “India aims to rank among the top five shipbuilding nations by 2047,” the minister noted.
The minister further highlighted India’s renewable energy growth, noting a 175% rise in capacity since 2014, reaching over 208 GW. Solar capacity has grown 33 times in the past decade, positioning India as a global leader in clean energy.
“India’s embrace of innovative technologies and infrastructure investments has positioned us as a leading force in the global energy transition,” Joshi concluded.
