Shore-to-ship Power

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways plans to expand its shore-to-ship power infrastructure.

Shore Power

• About: In shipping parlance, shore power refers to the power supply given to a boat, ship, or any maritime vessel when it’s docked at the port.
• Benefit: Shore power technology not only helps to minimise the climate impact of port operations, it also brings public health benefits by reducing the use of bunker fuels. 
  • It will not only save fuel, but also significantly reduce vessel emissions within the port area. 
• Grid Requirements: Shore power has been used extensively for vessels with moderate power requirements—typically less than 50 to 100 KW. For larger vessels with higher power requirements — 100 KW up to 10 to 15 MW.

Initiatives Taken by Government to increase Shore Power

• Power Guidelines for Indian Ports: The Directorate-General of Shipping (DGS), an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, issued ‘Standard Operating Procedures: Shore Electric Power Supply to Ships in Indian Ports’ in May 2018. 
  • The guidelines were “applicable for ships with power demand up to 150 KW” (small and medium-sized ships). 
    • The plan is to make it mandatory in a phased manner across all ports and for all vessels calling at those ports.
• New Guidelines: A set of interim guidelines for the safe operation of Onshore Power Supply (OPS) in ports covering the ship-shore interface requirements was issued by DGS in April 2024. 
• Harit Sagar Initiative: Under the Ministry’s ‘Harit Sagar – Green Port Guidelines,’ the first phase, which covers switching port crafts (pilot boat, tugs, and so on) to electrical power or green power, was initiated in 2023. 

Enroll now for UPSC Online Course

DOWNLOAD PDF