Why in News?
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal highlighted V. O. Chidambaranar Port Authority as a model for sustainable maritime development, releasing its first Sustainability Report and launching several green and digital initiatives.
Key Highlights
- Net carbon emissions reduced by 45%.
- Renewable energy offsets nearly 94% of the port’s energy consumption equivalent.
- Carbon intensity per tonne of cargo reduced by nearly 50% over the last four years.
- Recognized as a Scope-2 Emission Free Port for its transition to clean energy.
Green Hydrogen Initiative
- Hosts India’s first Green Hydrogen pilot project at a major port.
- Featured in an Indian Institute of Management Calcutta case study titled “The Hydrogen Pivot”.
Education & Innovation
- Kendriya Vidyalaya, VOC Port commenced academic activities for the 2026-27 session.
- MoU signed with Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya for Maritime logistics research, Skill development, Sustainable port operations, and Centre of Excellence in Maritime Logistics & Port Management.
Digital Transformation
- Launched PortGPT, making VOC Port the first major port in India to introduce an enterprise-grade generative AI mobile application for Operational efficiency, Knowledge management, and Data-driven decision-making.
Scope-2 Emissions
- Indirect greenhouse gas emissions from purchased electricity, steam, heating, or cooling consumed by an organization.
- Defined under the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol.
Green Hydrogen
- Produced through electrolysis of water using renewable energy.
- Emits zero carbon dioxide during production.
- Key pillar of India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission.
[2023] Consider the following pairs :
Port—–Well known as
1.Kamarajar Port—-First major port in India registered as a company
2.Mundra Port—–Largest privately owned port in India
3.Visakhapatnam—-Largest container port in India
[A] Only one pair
[B] Only two pairs
[C] All three pairs
[D] None of the pairs