The Ministry of Port, Shipping and Waterways (MoPS&W) on January 04, 2024, issued the Harit Nauka- Green Transition Guidelines for Inland Vessels.
The following has been stated: -
•The Government envisions a complete transition to Green Vessels by 2047 with the objectives of:
i.Developing and operationalizing new age vessels with standardized designs/ infrastructure that are green and safe.
ii. Creating an enabling ecosystem for the operation of such Green Vessels.
iii. Promoting safe, convenient, and green inland waterway-based passenger transport.
iv. Developing indigenous capacity and promoting a “Make in India” policy in shipbuilding.
v.Enabling financial assistance for the development of Green Vessels and related ecosystems.
•At present, these Guidelines shall apply to all passenger vessels and Ro-Pax vessels plying on inland waterways and select coastal waterway routes across different ownership types. These shall include both new and retrofitted vessels.
•The components that have the potential to enable the transition of inland vessels to alternative clean fuels and the creation of an ecosystem catering to the development, operation, maintenance, and handling of such Green Vessels, have been summarized below as the “Focus Areas” of these Guidelines.
•All Central and State Government agencies shall endeavour to formulate an action plan in reference to the targets provided hereunder, within 6 months from the date of launch of the Guidelines.
•The aim is to Reduce Carbon intensity by 30 percent of its current levels of waterways-based passenger transport (Baseline FY 2022-23) by the year 2030 and 70 percent by the year 2047.
•States shall make efforts to transition 50% of their current inland waterway-based passenger fleet size to Green Fuels by 2033 and to transition 100% of their complete fleet size to Green Fuels by 2045.
The detailed guidelines are given in the document below.
