India’s First Accredited Green Port, Mormugao Leads Maritime Sustainability Drive

The Mormugao Port has been declared the first accredited green port in India under the Green Port Certification Programme., said the Mormugao Port Authority (MPA) chairman N Vinodkumar at a roadshow held in the lead-up to India Maritime Week 2025.

“MPA has been declared the first green port in India, and we received the accreditation from the Centre of Excellence on ESG and Circularity, Mumbai. We are one of the three ports selected by the World Bank under the project for the greening of ports,” said Vinodkumar.

Frontrunner in Reducing Shipping Emissions

Last year, Mormugao Port became the country’s first port to offer incentives and discounts to commercial vessels based on the Environmental Ship Index (ESI) scores. The z̧ identifies seagoing ships that perform better in reducing air emissions than required by the current emission standards of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

The latest green port certification, a year later, cements the port’s legacy and makes it a frontrunner in the sustainable shipping business in India, also aligning with global efforts to reduce air emissions in shipping.

To cut down on the port’s carbon footprint, MPA operationalised a 3MW solar power plant and has plans to expand it to 5MW. The port is associated with GEDA to generate solar power.

Making Ports Smart

Vinodkumar also insisted that efforts are being taken to transform major ports into smart ports using advanced and faster communication technologies like 5G.

“We have a roadmap to introduce 5G into the major ports. To bring the latest technology into the ports, you need a 5G backbone, and that is why we are working towards this initiative,” he said. He announced.

The announcements come at a time when the India Maritime Week is just around the corner, scheduled to take place from October 27 to 31 in Mumbai, with participation from over 100 countries.

The Union Ministry of Shipping and Waterways is advocating for major ports to adopt indigenous vessel traffic management systems to enhance safe navigation. Vinodkumar noted that while all major ports in India have so far relied on foreign-developed vessel traffic management software, the scenario is changing. Today, indigenous technology is available, and seven out of the 12 major ports are already operating on the homegrown software.