India, Denmark join hands to set up Centre of Excellence in Green Shipping
Copenhagen: Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal met Denmark's Minister of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs Morten Bodskov in a bilateral meeting here on Friday.
The meeting resulted in the establishment of the Centre of Excellence in Green Shipping, to be established in India.
Both leaders reaffirmed the Green Strategic Partnership and exchanged views on bilateral maritime collaboration.
An MoU was signed between the two countries.
It is intended to improve the quality and efficiency of maritime activities while promoting the green transition of the maritime sector in India.
The ministers underscored this as a new milestone in India-Denmark maritime collaboration with the establishment of a Centre of Excellence in Green Shipping, as outlined in the bilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on maritime affairs signed in 2024.
Union Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal said, "Under the visionary leadership of Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, India is now the 4th largest economy and undertaking several transformative initiatives under our Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047. These include efforts in port infrastructure, green shipping, shipbuilding, and digitalisation."
"We seek Denmark's participation and investments in these transformative initiatives, where your expertise and leadership in sustainable maritime practices can make a significant impact. We are keen to develop both domestic and international green shipping corridors with Denmark. Identifying suitable routes, developing supportive policy, and building infrastructure will be key," Sonowal added.
The two ministers reaffirmed the Green Strategic Partnership, as mutually agreed upon by Prime Minister Narendra Modi Denmark counterpart, Mette Frederiksen.
The Ministers highlighted the importance of the bilateral Memorandum of Understanding on maritime affairs signed in 2024, which encompasses establishing the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Green Shipping.
The ministers highlighted alignment with targets set out in the Government of India's Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, including India's ambitions to become a green shipping hub for the international maritime sector.
A Letter of Intent (LOI) was signed between the National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC), Lothal, and the Maritime Museum of Denmark, Elsinore, to increase collaboration in the preservation and valorisation of cultural heritage related to maritime heritage. The LOI established a framework for cooperation to study, exchange, or showcase common maritime heritage, share technical know-how, and conduct joint research on common maritime heritage.
Adding further, Sarbananda Sonowal said, "We appreciate Denmark's engagement through the Joint Working Group on Shipping and the India-Nordic Summit. The Joint Action Plan on Green Strategic Partnership provides a strong framework to drive all this forward. Our maritime cooperation is built on mutual trust, shared values, and a common vision for a sustainable and future-ready maritime sector. Our joint efforts will also contribute meaningfully to global maritime sustainability and innovation."
Both sides discussed possible ways and means to deepen bilateral maritime relations spanning green shipping, decarbonisation, maritime training and education, green fuel and technology collaboration, and ship recycling. India has proposed that the National Centre of Excellence for Green Port and Shipping (NCoEGPS) and the Danish Maritime Authority (DMA) begin joint work on certifications and launch collaborative research focused on energy efficiency technologies.
It also proposed that the Indian Ports Association (IPA) coordinate with the Port of Aarhus to develop smart port solutions.
These innovative models can later be adapted and scaled across ports in India to enhance operational efficiency and sustainability.
"Digital transformation is a shared goal between us. Denmark's use of technologies like blockchain for ship registries and automation in port operations is closely aligned with our Maritime India Vision 2030 and Amrit Kaal Vision 2047," added Sarbananda Sonowal during the meeting.
The CoE is intended to improve the quality and efficiency of maritime activities while promoting the green transition of the maritime sector in India. Both parties identified the Maersk McKinney Moller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping (MMMCZCS) and the National Centre of Excellence for Green Port and Shipping (NCoEGPS) as key institutions to formulate a specific project plan for the development of a Green Corridor.
Indo-Danish CoE will contribute to the development of green corridors through a pre-feasibility study. The study will serve as a preliminary assessment of the main components of possible green corridors in India and outline the most promising ones.
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