Industry faces ongoing concerns related to environmental practices, hazardous materials, seafarers’ safety, and labor conditions
Padmesh Prabhune
As part of National Maritime Day Celebrations week, a seminar was held on Monday, 01st April at IRS Powai titled as ‘Sustainable Shipping – Challenges’ session, it witnessed presentations on the topic by eminent professionals in the industry pointing out to various challenges to be resolved for achieving the goal of sustainable shipping.
India aims to convert its entire coastal and inland waterways shipping to renewable energy within five years, aiming to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2070.
The National Action Plan for Green Shipping promotes eco-friendly practices and incentives for low emission ships, positioning India’s maritime sector for a prosperous and environmentally responsible future.
Mr Shyam Jagannathan, IAS, Director General of Shipping, and Chairman of the NMDC committee in his address said, “We are aiming to convert entire coastal and inland waterways shipping and upgrade over a period of time. However there are many challenges that need to be considered; be it using alternate fuels and/ or developing modern-day additional infrastructure to enhance the growth of the domestic maritime industry.”
Elaborating further he said, “We as a nation are looking forward to move from increasing our global talent pool from 5 percent to over 20 percent of the total seafaring numbers. The challenges remain that with the fast changing technology one wonders how we should train our cadets / officers. The vessels are changing very fast, manning the dual fuel vessel is different from the conventional vessels form say a decade back.
“Just Transition is easier said than done.”
He added, “The IMO is working on Just Transition and we are also working on it. Most of the future vessel engines will use Ammonia or LNG .The choice of alternate fuel decides how and where you bunker.”
Highlighting the significance of overall excellence across training, manning and technical expertise in Ship management, Mr Jagannathan said, “We need to have a one up level in all the areas for better ship management”.
While India has taken significant steps to align its ship recycling industry with the HKC, challenges remain here too. The industry faces ongoing concerns related to environmental practices, hazardous materials, seafarers’ safety, and labor conditions.
For sustainable shipping to happen, embracing green technologies, investing in alternative fuels, and adopting energy-efficient designs to reduce emissions are significant steps, while simultaneously boosting of bottomlines.
Marex Media