India's first dedicated green methanol bunkering hub at the V.O. Chidambaranar Port is all set to begin commercial operations by the end of November 2026, port authorities said on Friday.
This makes the Tuticorin-based port the first on India's eastern coast to offer this service, and marks a big step forward for India's ambitions under the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 and the Harit Sagar guidelines.
This unlocks an emerging international market driven by the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) global push to decarbonise shipping, as access to dependable alternative-fuel supplies is becoming increasingly important in route planning and bunkering decisions.
The VOCPA estimates that this would open up the port as a green methanol bunkering option for nearly 80 per cent of the cargo ships that operate on the East-West international shipping route, as they pass within 130 nautical miles of Tuticorin.
There is also another aspect to this geographical advantage: that the VOC Port also has an edge over the neighbouring Colombo Port in Sri Lanka, which has yet to develop green methanol bunkering infrastructure.
This comes just a year after Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), Sarbananda Sonowal, laid the foundation stone for what was then a facility with a capacity of 750 m³, at a cost of ₹35.34 crore. The move was also part of a wider push for a Kandla-Tuticorin Green Shipping Corridor.
By the time it was unveiled by PM Narendra Modi on October 11 as part of a ₹753.68-crore maritime package, the ₹38.12-crore project comprised two green methanol storage tanks of 750m³ each, as well as a 2.8-kilometre-long pipeline to the oil jetty.
The bunkering system includes two transfer pumps—each with a capacity of 120 m³ per hour—and is designed for the transfer of approximately 1.2 lakh litres per hour. Automated controls, remotely operated valves, emergency shutdown arrangements and dedicated fire-protection systems form part of the facility.
"Our immediate priority is to complete the necessary safety, statutory and operational preparations. We see longer-term potential for these services to support green-fuel production, maritime activity and industrial investment in the region," explained Susanta Kumar Purohit, Chairperson, VOCPA, in a statement, which added that an Expression of Interest (EoI) has also been floated to find a suitable bunkering operator.
The start of green methanol bunkering would also be the latest in a series of green milestones at the VOC Port, which is one of three designated Green Hydrogen Hubs in the country, alongside the Deendayal and Paradip mega ports.
Its Tuticorin International Container Terminal (TICT) of the V.O. Chidambaranar Port had been awarded the 'Green Terminal' status on October 22 by the MoPSW, after it electrified 100 per cent of its operational equipment.
The VOCPA next plans to get a 3MW green hydrogen production and refuelling station, estimated at ₹81.33 crore, for port vehicles—another cost that falls under the October 11 maritime support package.
