The Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) has formed a partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to create India’s first blue financing framework aimed at enhancing the maritime sector. The collaboration includes a planned US$70 million investment from IFC for shore power infrastructure, enabling docked vessels to shut off their diesel engines and utilize electricity from the shore. This initiative is anticipated to significantly reduce carbon emissions by 63% and air pollution by up to 90%, while also generating over 400 jobs.
This framework represents the first labeled blue financing for port infrastructure in the Asia-Pacific region and aligns with the new Blue Finance guidelines established under the Indian Ports Act, 2025. Despite shore power being an emerging technology in India, it has yet to be implemented on a large scale at any major port. The long-term financing is expected to assist JNPA in overcoming the initial commercial and operational hurdles associated with deploying shore power systems.
The investment is aligned with India’s Maritime India Vision 2030, which focuses on developing sustainable and competitive ports. Additionally, IFC has aided in developing JNPA’s Sustainable Finance Framework, designed to attract future green financing for port investments, thereby creating a model for other Indian ports and emerging markets.
