V.O. Chidambaranar Port Becomes India's First Scope-2 Emission-Free Major Port

V.O. Chidambaranar (VOC) Port Authority in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, has become the first major port in India to be recognised as a Scope-2 emission-free port on 10 August, 2026. It has also become the first port in the country to secure ISO 50001:2018 certification for its Energy Management System, conferred by Bureau Veritas. This double achievement highlights how far the port has come in its push toward cleaner, more efficient operations.

About V.O. Chidambaranar (VOC) Port Authority

1. VOC Port, formerly Tuticorin Port, is an all-weather deep-sea port in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, commissioned on July 11, 1974. 
2. It's Tamil Nadu's second-largest port and was renamed in 2011 to honour V.O. Chidambaram Pillai, founder of the Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company. 
3. Located on the Gulf of Mannar, about 540 km southwest of Chennai, its position near major East-West shipping routes and natural shelter from Sri Lanka give it a strategic edge. 
4. The port handles bulk, break-bulk, liquid bulk, and container cargo, and has also embraced modernisation with digital twin technology and anti-drone security systems.

What Are Scope-2 Emissions?

Scope-2 emissions are indirect greenhouse gas emissions that come from the electricity, steam, heating, or cooling a facility buys and uses. A port becomes "Scope-2 free" when the renewable energy it generates or consumes is enough to offset its total electricity use over a given period. For VOC Port, this became a reality in FY 2025-26, when renewable sources met 93.89% of its total electricity needs, effectively bringing its net indirect emissions down to zero.

What Is ISO 50001:2018?

ISO 50001:2018 is an international standard that sets out how organisations should build, run, and continuously improve an Energy Management System. At VOC Port, this means systematically tracking and managing energy use across cargo-handling equipment, lighting, buildings, pumps, workshops, EV charging points, and even shore-to-ship power systems.

VOC Port Green Energy Portfolio

The port currently runs on 1.04 MW of rooftop solar, 6 MW of ground-mounted solar, and 2 MW of wind power. It's not stopping there,  a 2 MW solar plant, an 8 MW wind farm paired with a 5 MWh battery storage system, and a separate 9 MW wind farm are all in the pipeline.

Green Hydrogen & Alternative Fuels Hub

VOC Port has also set up a Green Hydrogen Hub, currently running a 10 Nm³/hr pilot project, with a bigger 3 MW production plant on the way. Alongside this, it's developing a green methanol bunkering and refuelling facility, complete with two 750 m³ storage tanks.

Significance & Broader Government Policy Alignment

This achievement fits directly into India's Harit Nauka and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, both aimed at decarbonising major ports. It also supports India's larger commitment to reaching Net-Zero emissions by 2070, while setting a benchmark for the country's other 11 major ports to follow toward full renewable energy adoption.