V.O. Chidambaranar Port, Thoothukudi made progress by achieving a notable rise in cargo traffic. According to a statement released on Wednesday, the Port’s cargo traffic grew to 33.9 million tonnes in the current fiscal year to January 2024 from 31.4 million tonnes handled in the same time of the previous fiscal year, indicating a noteworthy growth of 7.99
percent.
Recently, 14 e-cars were flagged-off jointly by V. Suresh Babu, Chief Mechanical Engineer, K. Ravikumar, Chief Engineer, R. Prabakar, Traffic Manager, Capt. Praveen Kumar Singh, Deputy Conservator and Shri Ashoka Kumar Sahu, Financial Advisor and Chief Accounts Officer at the Port’s Administrative office. With zero tail-pipe emission, these 14 electric vehicles would reduce the GHG footprint by more than 14 tonnes of CO2 every year.
The charging of the e-vehicles would be done with the power generated from the Port’s captive solar and wind renewable energy sources.
Aligned to the initiatives of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, has envisioned through ‘Maritime Amrit kaal Vision 2047’ for development of carbon neutral Ports in India and reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions through sustainable solutions such as usage of green fuels, electrified and renewable energy-based yard equipment, vehicles and vessels and shore to ship power supply arrangements. The VOC Port is equally inspired to reduce its share of carbon emission and become carbon neutral in the years to come.
As a steward of environment care, the Port has implemented an array of green initiatives such as 5 MW solar port plant, 2 MW wind turbine generator, 640 KW roof top solar power, e-cars, 100% LED lighting, shore power supply to ships and tugs and electric vehicle charging stations.
The Port has planned to induct e-buses, provide shore power in all the berths and terminals, convert all the equipment operated by fossil fuel o the berths, terminals and storage areas such as harbour mobile cranes, rail mounted quay cranes, rubber tyred gantry cranes through electric and renewable energy sources, in a phased manner.
