Chennai Port Wins Coast Guard Award for Marine Environment Protection
Chennai Port Authority (ChPA), one of India’s oldest major ports on the Coromandel Coast of Tamil Nadu, facing the Bay of Bengal, has received the Samudri Paryavaran Sanrakshan Trophy 2026 from the Indian Coast Guard. The trophy, whose name means “marine environment protection”, recognises the port’s sustained commitment to protecting the sea and running environmentally responsible port operations.
The award was presented in New Delhi on 27 October at the 28th annual NOH-CMP meeting organised by the Coast Guard. The Indian Coast Guard is the central coordinating agency for responding to oil spills in Indian waters, and it works closely with ports, oil handling agencies and coastal states on pollution prevention and readiness.
The port said the recognition reflects its work on preventing marine pollution and adopting sustainable practices in daily operations. Details of the specific measures taken by the port have not been published with the announcement.
Chennai handles containers, cars, bulk and liquid cargo and sits close to busy coastal shipping and fishing areas, so pollution control in and around the harbour matters both for the sea and for nearby communities. Recognition from the Coast Guard adds weight to India’s push for greener ports under Maritime India Vision 2030 and the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047.
For seafarers, a port with a strong environmental record usually means careful checks on garbage, oily water and bunkering practices. Crews calling at Chennai play their part through proper MARPOL record keeping, waste segregation and quick reporting of any spill, however small.
