Green Shipping

Green shipping promotes cleaner practices to enforce emission control, efficient port management, and equipment management. It needs a great effort from every part of the sector such as the regulators, port authorities, and communities to continue this forward. Read here to learn more.

Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways has launched the Green Tug Transition Programme (GTTP) and inaugurated India’s first Centre of Excellence in Green Port & Shipping (NCoEGPS).

The program will start with ‘Green Hybrid Tugs’, which will be powered by Green Hybrid Propulsion systems, and subsequently adopt non-fossil fuel solutions like (Methanol, Ammonia, and Hydrogen).

India has been selected as the first country under IMO Green Voyage 2050 project to conduct a pilot project related to Green Shipping.

Green Shipping

Green shipping is when people or goods are transported by ships using the minimum resources and energy possible, to protect the environment from the pollutants generated by the ships.

The global supply chain has become increasingly dependent on shipping, and as the effects of climate change become more obvious, the transportation sector is contributing an increasing amount of CO₂ and GHG.

• The maritime sector emits 940 million tonnes of CO₂ and contributes 2.5% of all greenhouse gas emissions, according to the European Commission.
• Ships now use heavy fuel oil which is a filtrate from crude oil distillation. Crude oil contains sulfur, and when being transported, ships release this gas.
• In addition to being detrimental to human health and causing respiratory and human diseases, SOx also causes acid raid, which is seriously detrimental to crops, ocean species, and the acidification of the oceans.

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has taken a strong stand against these sulfur emissions and has issued the requirement IMO Sulphur 2020.

• To this requirement, all ships must switch to an alternative fuel oil that emits less than 0.50% sulfur into the atmosphere from the 1st of January 2020.
• This can result in a 77% decrease in the ships’ SOx emissions, lowering air pollution.
• It is noteworthy that between 2020 and 2025, over a million premature deaths might result from sulfur emissions if they are not decreased.

Green Shipping Strategies

Several initiatives and strategies are already being used by the shipping industry in an attempt to reduce emissions, some of the strategies are:

LNG as an alternative fuel

• Liquified Natural Gas is an alternative fuel option for ships. However this alternative raises many safety issues.
• Using LNG as a fuel will reduce CO2 by 20%, along with considerably reducing SOx and NOx.
• Green methanol is the forgotten green fuel in case of marine, and aviation transportation sectors.

Slow steaming

• Slowing down the speed of the ship is one of the efficient green shipping methods to reduce emissions.
• Slow steaming is an under-the-budget practice that has both economic and environmental benefits, as by reducing the speed by 10% it can reduce emissions by 19%.
• Slow steaming also helps reduce the time waiting for a port call where a considerable amount of energy is emitted.

Reducing empty containers

• Every third container in the cargo is shipped empty which adds to the cost to the shipping industry each year in terms of storage fees, handling fees, and low utilization charges.
• This also adds up to an enormous amount of CO₂ just in empty containers.
• Carriers can collaborate with other companies and share their containers with them and move them from surplus to deficit locations.

Water management

• Big container ships use water as a ballast to maintain their stability when it is not carrying any cargo. It reduces stress on the hull, makes the ship stable, helps to maneuver the ship, and improves propulsion.
• The water pumped into the ballast becomes a host environment for organisms like bacteria, microbes, larvae, cysts, and so on.
• The water is then pumped out at the port when cargo is loaded onto the ship and these newly bred organisms enter the water ecosystem where they are aliens, thereby infecting the ecosystem and posing threats.
• In the 1980s, this was brought to the attention of IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC).
• Now in the new system, the water in the ballast goes through filtration and electro-chlorination (EC). The water is first filtered to remove sediments and microorganisms and then disinfected using medium-pressure UV lamps or hypochlorite from the EC process.

Renewable energy

• The energy of the wind and sun can be harnessed to power all kinds of ships which helps to reduce fuel consumption, emissions, and greenhouse gases.

Green shipping in India

India has been selected as the first country under IMO Green Voyage 2050 project to conduct a pilot project related to Green Shipping.

• For this, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways has launched the Green Tug Transition Programme (GTTP) and inaugurated India’s first Centre of Excellence in Green Port & Shipping (NCoEGPS).
• The program will start with ‘Green Hybrid Tugs’, which will be powered by Green Hybrid Propulsion systems, and subsequently adopt non-fossil fuel solutions like (Methanol, Ammonia, and Hydrogen).
• It is to foster carbon neutrality and a circular economy in the shipping sector in India.
• India intends to increase the share of renewable energy to 60% of the total power demand of the major ports (presently less than 10%). This will be through solar and wind-generated power.
• The ports have also aimed to reduce Carbon emissions per ton of cargo handled by 30% by 2030.
• Paradip Port, Deendayal Port, and V.O. Chidambaram Port are to be developed as Hydrogen Hubs – capable of handling, storing, and generating green hydrogen by 2030.

Maritime Vision Document 2030 was launched in this regard for the sustainable maritime sector and a vibrant blue economy.

Way forward

It is a major attempt towards realizing Mission Lifestyle for the Environment (LiFE) movement as it aims to transform ports and shipping turn more Environment friendly.

It will also advance the Make in India initiative in the ports and shipping industry by enabling the development of state-of-the-art technologies.

-Article written by Swathi Satish