India and Norway in the Green Maritime Sector

The 8th Norway-India Joint Working Group Maritime meeting was recently held in Mumbai.

Indo-Norway collaboration in the GREEN MARITIME Sector

• The history of maritime trade with Norway dates back to 1600.
• Norway has technical expertise in the maritime sector, and India has enormous potential for maritime development and a large pool of trained seafarers, making both countries natural complementary partners.
• The 7th JWG on Maritime was held in Oslo in 2019, and issues such as shipbuilding cooperation, enhancing seafarer skills, and environmentally friendly ships were discussed.

New Developments:

• The use of alternative fuels such as green ammonia and hydrogen for futuristic shipping was discussed at the 8th Meeting.
• The Norwegian Green Shipping Programme was a success, and the meeting participants shared their knowledge and experience.
• Norway stated that it is committed to working with India to find zero-emission solutions.
• The Indian side has asked Norway to expand Ship Board training in Polar Water Navigation.
• INMARCO, the Green Shipping Conclave, and the Maritime ShEO conference will all be attended by the Norwegian delegation.
• Norway is supporting the Maritime ShEO conference, which is focused on maritime diversity and sustainability, including gender equality in the maritime industry.

Other Initiatives:

• Project Green Voyage 2050: India Norway is a partner in the Green Voyage 2050 project, and both parties have agreed to work together to achieve common goals.
• Hong Kong Convention: India has signed the Hong Kong Convention for Ship Recycling.
• During the eighth meeting, India requested that EU regulations not impede recycling to non-European countries that are in compliance with the International Convention.

India's Maritime Industry

• India has 12 major ports and 200 minor/intermediate ports (under state government administration).
• The largest major port in India is Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, while Mudra is the largest private port.
• India is one of the top five ship recycling countries in the world, accounting for 30% of the global ship recycling market.
• Maritime transport moves approximately 95% of the country's trade by volume and 68% by value.
• The overall installed capacity of India's major ports has increased by more than 76% to 1,561 MTPA in March 2021, up from 872 MTPA in March 2014.

Maritime Industry Difficulties:

• Unsustainable extraction of marine resources, such as illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.
• Physical changes and destruction to marine and coastal habitats and landscapes, primarily as a result of coastal development, deforestation, and mining.
• Unplanned and uncontrolled development in the narrow coastal interface and nearshore areas has resulted in the marginalisation of poor communities as well as the loss or degradation of critical habitats.
• Excess nutrients from untreated sewage, agricultural runoff, and marine debris such as plastics are examples of marine pollution.
• Climate change impacts include both slow-onset events such as sea-level rise and more intense and frequent weather events.
• Other Considerations: Ineffective governance institutions, insufficient economic incentives, technological advances, a lack of or insufficient capacities, a failure to fully implement the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and other legal instruments, and a failure to apply management tools have all contributed to poorly regulated activities.

India's Initiatives

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways (MoPSW) is working hard to develop the maritime sector as part of the Maritime India Vision (MIV) 2030.

• The Sagarmala Project's vision is to reduce logistics costs for export-import and domestic trade with minimal infrastructure investment.
• Coastal Economic Zones (CEZ): In the National Perspective Plan for the Sagarmala Programme, the government identifies 14 CEZs.
• CEZs aim to promote exports by providing entrepreneurs with infrastructure and facilities to establish businesses and industries near ports.
• Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA): India has taken an active role in the IORA to promote the blue economy in Indian Ocean littoral states.
• Matsya Sampada Yojana: This is the country's flagship scheme for the focused and sustainable development of the fisheries sector.
• It will usher in the Blue Revolution by harnessing the potential of fisheries in a sustainable, responsible, inclusive, and equitable manner.
• Polymetallic Nodules (PMN): The International Seabed Authority has granted India permission to conduct deep-sea mining in the Central Indian Ocean.

Ahead of the game

• India must expand maritime trade among BIMSTEC nations as well as tie-ups/MOUs with other maritime countries.
• A more comprehensive integration of technology has the potential to improve the Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) in the shipping ecosystem.
• PPP model for modernising major port infrastructure.