INDIA is seeking a mechanism that allows ships to plug into the local grid or have power generated with renewables, reports Chennai's Hindu Daily.
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways plans to expand its shore-to-ship power infrastructure and revise policy guidelines so that all ports in India have the infrastructure to supply shore power to vessels large and small.
The roadmap under discussion includes possible financing schemes with the help of the Power Finance Corporation (PFC). A desirable prerequisite is bringing on board the Ministry of Power and State DISCOMs to secure distribution licences for the ports.
This will not only save fuel, but also reduce vessel emissions within the port area. A rough estimate suggests that one container vessel has an hourly electricity demand of 4,000 kWh. Compared to this, the average electricity consumed in a medium-sized Indian household is 3,000-3,600 kWh per year.
"As per the Electricity Act 2003, commercial power transmission, distribution, and trading is not permitted by any entity other than DISCOMs. So, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (PSW) has to align with the Power Ministry to allow ports to engage in commercial power distribution," a Ministry (PSW) official said.
A set of interim guidelines for the safe operation of Onshore Power Supply (OPS) in ports covering the ship-shore interface requirements was issued by the Directorate-General of Shipping (DGS) in April.
ABB India is establishing the first shore-to-ship power supply for Tuticorin port. This facility is available at two berths of the port, a testament to the project's feasibility and potential for success.
In 2022, the Port of Rotterdam reached a 20 per cent utilization of shore power and saw a 14 per cent reduction in port related CO2 emissions as compared to 2008.
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