JULY 20238TOP STORYBHEL SIGNS PACT WITH GE FOR INCREASED RIGHTS OVER GAS TURBINE MODELSGUJARAT, TAMIL NADU PORTS PLAN TO BUILD HYDROGEN HUBSWith the VO Chidambaranar (VOC) Port in Tamil Nadu and the Deendayal Port in Gujarat are ready to construct hydrogen hubs, India's efforts to introduce hydrogen as a fuel have gained speed. According to authorities informed of the issue, the shipping ministry has requested that these two ports purchase hydrogen-powered "green tug" boats, which are used to herd large ships into berths. The Cochin Shipyard is well along in the development of hydrogen-powered green tugboats.The Jawaharlal Nehru Port, Paradip Port, VOC Port, and the Deendayal Port will each purchase two green tugs under the green tug transition initiative. In order to accelerate the switch to green fuel, hydrogen hubs will also be established at the VOC and Deendayal ports.Additionally, by 2027, the Centre hopes to have two Indian ships running on green hydrogen or its derivative fuels. According to officials, this will be followed by the addition of at least two ships using green fuels each year. These initiatives are in keeping with India's ambitions, outlined in the Harit Sagar Green Port Guidelines 2023, to decarbonize its ports.The guidelines' goal is to achieve zero waste discharge from port operations by promoting "reduce, reuse, repurpose, and recycle" initiatives. They also aim to minimise waste and encourage monitoring based on environmental performance indicators.The Green Ports Policy provides the door for fleet owners to receive incentives for switching to LNG, CNG, electric, or environmentally friendly hydrogen-powered trucks. The action aims to lessen the amount of emissions at significant ports. General Electric Technology GmbH Switzerland and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) have inked a technical assistance and licence agreement for gas turbines. Since 1986, BHEL has been producing and providing gas turbines of GE design to clients in India and internationally. As part of this extension agreement, BHEL will receive improved rights for current or upgraded turbines as well as new gas turbine models.In India, BHEL is the market leader for gas turbines in collaboration with GE. It has so far provided 230 gas turbines designed by GE to utilities, process industries and oil refineries in India and other countries. Additionally, BHEL GE Gas Turbine Services (BGGTS), a joint venture between BHEL and GE, has been offering aftermarket assistance for engineering, repair, and maintenance for the past 25 years.J P Srivastava, Director (Engineering, Research & Development) and Director (Finance - Additional Charge), BHEL, and Theodoros Stamatiadis, Executive Counsel (IP), GE Power, virtually signed the contract. The agreement was signed in the presence of Renuka Gera, Director (Industrial Systems & Products), BHEL, Nalin Shinghal, Chairman & Managing Director of BHEL, Deepesh Nanda, CEO of GE Gas Power South Asia, and President & CEO of GE Aero-derivative Business, Gas Power Asia. Participants included members of the US-India Business Council.
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