India is preparing to operationalise its first domestic coastal green shipping corridor, connecting Kandla on the western coast to Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu.
The corridor, jointly developed by the Deendayal Port Authority and the V O Chidambaranar Port Authority, is expected to be functional within the next three to six months. This strategic route is being developed in collaboration with the Shipping Corporation of India as a pioneering step in the country’s transition to a low-emission shipping network. This corridor aims to serve as a testbed for decarbonisation in domestic maritime transport, a sector traditionally dominated by fossil-fuel dependence. Central to the plan is the deployment of retrofitted container vessels powered by green methanol, sourced and distributed from facilities being set up at both Kandla and VOC Port. While Thoothukudi has already taken the lead by producing green hydrogen on a pilot basis, Kandla is gearing up to produce 1 MW of green hydrogen by the end of the current financial year. These green fuels will not only power vessels but will also be available for bunkering along the route, supporting a wider transition in marine fuel usage.
Senior officials from the two ports recently convened to finalise operational logistics, infrastructure upgrades, and economic modelling for the route. Discussions reportedly focused on bunkering infrastructure for methanol-fuelled ships, container capacity optimisation, and route viability. There is also growing interest in using this model to develop international corridors including a prospective green route between Kandla and a European port, and another connecting Singapore via VOC Port, reinforcing India’s strategic location in global trade routes. The implications of this corridor go beyond fuel transition. It reflects India’s commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2070 and aligns with the broader goal of building equitable, resilient, and environmentally responsible transport infrastructure. As coastal shipping remains a cost-effective alternative to road and rail, greening this segment is both an economic and ecological imperative. According to ministry sources, the operationalisation of this corridor will serve as a proof of concept, likely attracting private-sector participation and international partnerships in the long run.
For coastal communities, port workers, and supply chain stakeholders, this initiative offers a forward-looking narrative one that combines economic resilience with environmental consciousness. While challenges remain in scaling up fuel production and securing investments for retrofitting, the first-of-its-kind corridor is expected to catalyse innovation and cooperation in India’s maritime sector. In a region where clean energy adoption is still evolving, this step underscores India’s growing leadership in climate-conscious infrastructure development.
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