New Delhi: India on Saturday took a major step towards becoming a global supplier of green fuel with the foundation stone laid for the country’s first port-based e-methanol plant at Deendayal Port Authority (DPA) in Kandla, Gujarat.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma laid the foundation stone for the Rs 2,300-crore project, which is being jointly developed by DPA and Assam Petro-Chemicals Ltd (APCL), based in Namrup, Assam.
The plant will have a total production capacity of 150 tonnes of e-methanol per day and will use renewable power, water and biogenic carbon dioxide to produce the green fuel. The e-methanol will be supplied to vessels operating along the Asia-Europe International Trade Corridor, positioning Kandla as a potential green-fuel hub for international shipping.
The project is expected to produce green methanol at a significantly lower cost than prevailing global rates. The plant is projected to produce the fuel at around $750 per tonne, compared with a global rate of about $1,300 per tonne, strengthening India’s potential to compete in the global green-fuel market.
The project will be implemented in two phases using scalable modules. The first phase, involving an investment of Rs 1,200 crore, will add 50 tonnes per day of production capacity and is targeted for completion by January 2027. The second phase will add another 100 tonnes per day at an investment of Rs 1,100 crore, with completion targeted for March 2027.
DPA and APCL will contribute capital in a 76:24 ratio. DPA’s contribution includes equity capital of Rs 567.32 crore, 75 acres of land, desalinated water and renewable energy in the form of green hydrogen.
The facility is expected to be among India’s largest e-methanol production plants and create more than 3,500 direct and indirect jobs. It is also expected to support the development of a broader green-energy ecosystem around Kandla, including transportation, storage, supply and other ancillary activities linked to the production and movement of green molecules.
The project is aligned with India’s target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2070 and the government’s focus on energy self-reliance, Make in India and Make for the World. It also comes as India seeks to expand its maritime capabilities and strengthen its position in global shipping.
The government plans to add 100 new ships to India’s merchant fleet over the next five years and aims to make the country one of the world’s top five ship-owning nations by 2047. Global shipping major Maersk has also started placing orders for containers manufactured in India.
(IANS)
