Sonowal Inaugurates Green Hydrogen Pilot Project at VOC Port, Pays Tribute to V.O. Chidambaranar on 154th Birth Anniversary
Tuticorin:
Port Wings News Network:
Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal on 5 September 2025 paid tributes by garlanding the statue of the legendary freedom fighter V.O. Chidambaranar at the V.O.C. Port, Tuticorin commemorating his 154th birth anniversary.
As a subsequent event, the Minister inaugurated the Green Hydrogen Pilot Project with a capacity of 10 Nm³/hr at VOC Port, making it the first Port in the country to produce Green Hydrogen. \
Established at a cost of ₹3.87 Crore, the project will generate Green Hydrogen to power streetlights and an electric vehicle charging facility in the Port colony, marking a significant step towards sustainable energy transition in line with the Prime Minister’s call for Net Zero emissions initiatives. As part of this historic occasion, a plantation drive was also led by the Minister.
Addressing the gathering, Sarbananda Sonowal, stated that under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India’s maritime sector is witnessing unprecedented progress, with his call for “Viksit Bharat by 2047” being a mission that blends speed, scale, sustainability, and self-reliance.
He added that the projects being launched will generate thousands of direct and indirect jobs in Tamil Nadu, boost trade, and attract global investments, positioning the state as a key contributor to India’s target of a $5 trillion economy by 2027 and a $1 trillion economy from Tamil Nadu alone by 2030.
He further highlighted that VOC Port is set to become India’s Green Hydrogen and Ammonia hub with renewable energy and green bunkering, The Minister also expressed satisfaction over the capacity augmentation projects being carried out at the Port.
The Minister also laid the foundation stone for the Pilot Green Methanol Bunkering and Refuelling Facility, at a total cost of ₹35.34 Crore with a capacity of 750 m3. This project supports the use of alternative fuels, aligns with the planned Coastal Green Shipping Corridor between Kandla and Tuticorin, and will help position VOC Port as a key hub for green fuel bunkering.
Further, the Minister inaugurated a Rooftop Solar Power Plant of 400 KW capacity at a cost of Rs 1.46 Crore, taking VOC Port’s total rooftop solar capacity to 1.04 MW, the highest among Indian Ports. Also, he inaugurated the Link Conveyor from Coal Jetty-I to the Port coal stack yard, established at a cost of Rs 24.50 Crore. The facility will ensure optimal utilization of idle berth capacity, enhance Port capacity by 0.72 MMTPA, and improve coal shipment handling while reducing vessel turnaround time.
Additionally, the Minister laid the foundation stone for a 6 MW Wind Farm Project at a cost of Rs 59.20 Crore to support VOC Port’s Net-Zero mission, and for the construction of Multi-Cargo Berth No.10 at a cost of Rs 90.00 Crore, with a capacity of 10 Million Tonnes and with Dead Weight Tonnage of 1,25,000. The foundation stone was also laid for a 4-lane concrete road from TTPS Roundana to Check Post No.2, spanning 3.37 km at a cost of Rs 34.77 Crore, and for the establishment of the Tamil Nadu Maritime Heritage Museum at a cost of Rs 3.00 Crore.
Also, in the presence of the Minister, VOC Port signed MoUs with IPRCL to establish rail connectivity for the Outer Harbour project, and with NTPC to implement Green Mobility initiatives at the Port.
Susanta Kumar Purohit, IRSEE, Chairperson, welcomed the gathering and briefed the Minister on the ongoing and upcoming capacity augmentation initiatives of the Port, along with proposals aimed at improving its overall productivity. Shri Rajesh Soundararajan, Deputy Chairperson expressed gratitude to the union ministers who graced the occasion and all the participants and organizers for making the historic occasion a grand success.
The occasion was graced by the distinguished presence of T.K. Ramachandran, Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, P. Geetha Jeevan, Minister for Social Welfare and Women Empowerment, Government of Tamil Nadu; Anitha R. Radhakrishnan, Minister for Fisheries, Fisheries Development Corporation and Animal Husbandry, Government of Tamil Nadu; and Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, Member of Parliament, Thoothukudi Constituency.
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