Why in news? India’s first National Centre of Excellence in Green Port & Shipping (NCoEGPS) Inaugurated at Gurugram,Haryana.

Highlights:

• Green Tug transition programme will start with ‘Green Hybrid Tugs’, which will be powered by Green Hybrid Propulsion systems, and subsequently adopting non-fossil fuel solutions like (Methanol, Ammonia, Hydrogen)
• Country’s first National Centre of Excellence in Green Port & Shipping (NCoEGPS) is the result of a collaboration between the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Government of India and the Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).
• With the NCoEGPS acting as the Nodal entity for the industry, the plan is afoot to make India as the ‘Global hub for building Green Ships’ by 2030.
• India has been selected as the first country under the IMO Green Voyage 2050 project to conduct a pilot project related to Green Shipping.
• The ministry has already identified Paradip Port, Deendayal Port and V.O. Chidambaram Port to developed as Hydrogen Hubs capable of handling, storing and generation of green hydrogen by 2030.

What is green shipping ?

• Green shipping refers to the use of resources and energy to transport people and goods by ship and specifically concerns the reduction in such resources and energy in order to preserve the global environment from GHGs and environmental pollutants generated by ships.

What are Tugs ?

• A tugboat or tug is a marine vessel that manoeuvres other vessels by pushing or pulling them, with direct contact or a tow line.