India has taken a major step towards developing a green-fuel ecosystem for the maritime sector with the foundation stone laid for the country’s first port-based e-methanol production facility at Deendayal Port Authority (DPA), Kandla.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, and Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma jointly laid the foundation stone for the project at the DPA Exhibition Ground in Gandhidham.
The ₹2,300 crore project, a joint initiative of Deendayal Port Authority and Assam Petro-Chemicals Ltd (APCL), will have an initial production capacity of 150 tonnes of e-methanol per day. The facility will use renewable power, water and biogenic CO₂ to produce e-methanol, which will be supplied as a cleaner marine fuel to ships operating on major international trade routes.
The project will be developed in phases using scalable modules and is expected to become one of India’s largest e-methanol production facilities. It is projected to generate more than 3,500 direct and indirect jobs while supporting a wider green-fuel value chain covering transportation, storage, supply and associated ancillary services around Kandla.
The facility is expected to strengthen Kandla’s position as a potential green-fuel hub for international shipping, supporting India’s ambitions to emerge as a supplier of low-carbon marine fuels and contributing to the country’s Net Zero 2070 target.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said the project would leverage the state’s renewable-energy potential and coastline to support global shipping. He described Gujarat as India’s gateway to the world and said Kandla could increasingly serve as a gateway for India’s green energy exports.
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said the project demonstrated India’s growing capabilities across the maritime and green-energy sectors. He said Kandla could emerge as a green-fuel hub on major international shipping routes, while the initiative would create skilled employment opportunities and support the country’s long-term net-zero ambitions.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma highlighted the role of Assam Petro-Chemicals in the project and said the initiative demonstrated the growing contribution of the Northeast to India’s clean-energy transition. He pointed to Assam’s renewable-energy resources and the potential for the region to participate more actively in the emerging green-energy economy.
The project also marks a significant collaboration between Gujarat and Assam, linking APCL’s capabilities at Namrup with DPA’s strategic location and maritime infrastructure at Kandla.
The foundation-laying ceremony was attended by Kutch Lok Sabha MP Vinod Chavda, Gandhidham MLA Maltiben Kishor Maheshwari, Assam Petro-Chemicals Chairman Bikul Deka, Vice Chairman Hemanta Gogoi, and DPA Chairman Sushil Kumar Singh, along with senior government officials and representatives of both organisations.
The development comes amid India’s broader efforts to expand its merchant fleet, strengthen domestic shipbuilding and position its ports as integrated hubs for green energy, clean fuels and international maritime trade.