V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority hosts India Green Fuel Conclave ’26 on green fuel exports

V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority (VOCPA) hosted the India Green Fuel Conclave ’26 on September 17, 2026, bringing together government officials, industry representatives, technology providers, international organisations and sector experts to discuss the development of India’s green fuel ecosystem and the role of ports in green methanol and green ammonia production, bunkering and exports.

The Conclave was themed “VOCPA’s Anchor Role in India’s Green Methanol and Green Ammonia Export Ecosystem” and focused on production, port infrastructure, offtake, bunkering and international trade as India advances its green hydrogen and maritime transition initiatives.

Government and port sector perspectives

Vijay Kumar, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, and Venkatesapathy S., IAS, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, addressed the inaugural session virtually, outlining perspectives on India’s green maritime and green fuel objectives.

Debi Prasad Dash, IRSEE, Principal Advisor, and P. Raveendran, IRTS, Principal Advisor, discussed the country’s green fuel ecosystem, port readiness and the role of the National Green Hydrogen Mission.

Susanta Kumar Purohit, IRSEE, Chairperson, VOCPA, formally opened the Conclave. Dash subsequently outlined the broader direction for the discussions and linked national green fuel objectives with VOCPA’s ongoing initiatives.

VOCPA’s role in green fuel exports

Discussions examined the infrastructure requirements for developing VOCPA as a green fuel export hub, including the availability of land, power, water and CO2 feedstock. Participants also considered the port’s potential role within the National Green Hydrogen Mission.

Green methanol bunkering was another focus area, with sessions examining the technical, regulatory and implementation requirements involved in moving from pilot projects towards operational bunkering facilities.

Global regulations and green methanol offtake

The Conclave addressed developments in international green fuel markets and regulations. Experts from S&P Global discussed FuelEU Maritime trajectories, greenhouse-gas intensity requirements and their potential implications for fuel-switching decisions along the India-Europe shipping corridor.

The session by RMI examined emerging demand signals from Europe and East Asia and considered mechanisms for translating market interest into assured and bankable offtake for green methanol produced through the VOCPA ecosystem.

India-EU Green Fuel Corridor

A panel titled “India-EU Green Fuel Corridor: Moving Into Execution” brought together representatives from GH2 India, Industrial Transition Accelerator (ITA), GIZ and the Port of Antwerp-Bruges.

The discussion covered offtake commitments, demand aggregation, financing structures and coordination between Indian production capacity and emerging European demand.

During the session, VOCPA and ITA signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at strengthening international cooperation and visibility around India’s green fuel initiatives.

Scaling green methanol exports

A separate session examined the requirements for scaling green methanol exports from India, with representatives from Hero Future Energies, Dalmia Bharat Sugar and Industries Limited, and Oriana Power.

The discussion covered project development timelines, feedstock linkages, pricing considerations and partnerships needed to establish reliable green methanol offtake and bunkering hubs.

Another session focused on green ammonia offtake hubs, featuring AM Green, Hygenco Green Energies, Gentari-Petronas and ReNew. Participants discussed project development, pricing competitiveness, terminal readiness and international procurement mechanisms for the emerging green ammonia market.

Green Hydrogen Hub ports and technology

Officials from VOCPA and Paradip Port Authority provided updates on developments at India’s designated Green Hydrogen Hub ports, including infrastructure development, project milestones and implementation experiences.

A subsequent technology-focused session examined desalination, water treatment, biomethanol loops, and process and utility systems required to scale green hydrogen, green ammonia and green methanol production at port-based facilities.

VOCPA port tour

The Conclave concluded with closing remarks by Debi Prasad Dash and a vote of thanks by Rajesh Soundararajan, IAS, Deputy Chairperson, VOCPA.

Delegates also took part in a VOCPA Port Tour covering the Methanol Bunkering Site, VOCPA Heritage Museum and GH2 Site. The visit provided an opportunity to view existing infrastructure, ongoing developments and potential locations for future green fuel terminals and bunkering operations.

The discussions at India Green Fuel Conclave ’26 covered the interlinkages between green fuel production, port infrastructure, offtake, bunkering and export corridors, with participation spanning government, industry, technology, finance and international organisations.