"JNPA to Invest ₹100 Crore in India’s First Shore Power Facility for Ships, Says Chairman".

In a move to eliminate the use of diesel for powering ships docked at its port, the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) will invest nearly ₹100 crore to establish India's first shore-electric-power-supply pilot project.

“On a pilot basis, we plan to provide shore electric power supply to ships that berth at one of our terminals at Jawaharlal Nehru Port. This will be the first such project in India,” JNPA Chairperson Unmesh Wagh told Business Line in Mumbai.

This pilot project is scheduled to be executed at the third container terminal of Jawaharlal Nehru Port in Maharashtra. This terminal is operated by Gateway Terminals India, a joint venture between APM Terminals and the Container Corporation of India Ltd (CONCOR). A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be signed with all stakeholders on July 11. While docked, ships typically use diesel engines to generate electricity for essential services such as hoteling, unloading, and loading activities.

“For instance, a mid-sized tanker needs 400 Kw (excluding power needed for cargo operations and ballast operations), requiring 12 MwH of electricity, all of which is currently generated by the ship's diesel engines while at berth,” Wagh explained.

“This facility will help power two ships simultaneously, eliminating the use of diesel at our ports,” he added, noting that JNPA already uses shore electric power for its tugs while they are docked.

Wagh stated that tenders for this pilot project will be awarded within the next three months. JNPA plans to expand this facility to all terminals if the pilot project is successful. “If we extend this facility across all our terminals, we will need a total of 74 MW (Megawatt) and approximately ₹600 crore to cover the entire port,” he added. Shore power will be supplied from the national grid to visiting ships at the port.

Between April and November 2023, over 15,200 ships visited India's 12 major ports, including Jawaharlal Nehru Port. These ships had an average turnaround time of 48.46 hours, or just over two days. A shift to shore power is expected to significantly reduce diesel usage and the associated pollution.

JNPA is also working towards eliminating diesel vehicles from operating inside the port premises. “By August 15, we will have two battery-operated trucks in operation. Within the next year, all 400 diesel trucks operating between the shore and the yard will be converted to electric. This will ensure that all vehicles operating inside the port are electric,” Wagh added.

HBL