India, EU launch industry coalition for green shipping corridor

India and the European Union (EU) launched an industry coalition for the green shipping corridor Wednesday. Addressing the third edition of Sagar Manthan, Shipping Secretary Vijay Kumar said this will bring companies together to develop cleaner maritime trade routes and accelerate the sector’s transition to low-emission fuels.

“Let Sagar Manthan 2026 be a platform where ideas become partnerships and partnerships become action. We will see in practice this evening with the launch of the industry coalition for the India EU Green Shipping Corridor and next month at the India Shipbuilding Investment Conclave in New Delhi,” Kumar said.

He noted the maritime sector faced geopolitical disruptions, supply-chain vulnerabilities, climate change, a transition to cleaner fuels and rapid technological transformation. Kumar called for cooperation to make supply chains more resilient, mobilise private capital for maritime infrastructure and ensure emerging economies were not left behind in the green transition.


Listing investment opportunities, he said India plans increasing renewable energy’s share in major ports’ overall energy consumption to more than 60% by 2030 and over 90% by 2047.

“Diesel harbour tugs are also being progressively replaced with green-powered vessels. Deendayal Port at Kandla, Paradip Port and V.O. Chidambaranar Port at Tuticorin have been identified as green hydrogen hubs for producing, storing and bunkering cleaner fuels,” Kumar said.

The government aims to quadruple port capacity to 10 billion tonnes annually by 2047. Major ports handled more than 915 million tonnes of cargo in 2025-26, up from 581 million tonnes in 2014-15, while cargo moved on national waterways rose to 218 million tonnes from 18 million tonnes in 2013-14.