Sembcorp, VOC port sign MoU to develop ₹25,400-crore green hydrogen and ammonia hub

Singapore-based Sembcorp Industries and the V.O. Chidambaranar (VOC) Port Authority have signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore the development of a green hydrogen and ammonia hub in Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, marking a major step towards advancing India’s clean fuel ambitions.

The MoU, exchanged on Thursday during India Maritime Week 2025 in Mumbai in the presence of Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, outlines a potential investment of ₹25,400 crore. The collaboration will assess the creation of an integrated ecosystem for the production, storage, handling, and export of green hydrogen and ammonia at and around Tuticorin Port.

The proposed project aims to position Tuticorin as a strategic southern export gateway for green fuels, aligning with India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission, which seeks to establish the country as a global hub for low-carbon energy.

This partnership builds on Sembcorp’s growing footprint in Tamil Nadu’s energy landscape. In August 2024, the state’s Chief Minister M.K. Stalin inaugurated the company’s 160-acre green ammonia facility in Tuticorin — designed to produce 200,000 tonnes annually — one of India’s earliest and largest projects of its kind.

“Ports are emerging as critical enablers in India’s green hydrogen value chain,” industry officials said, highlighting that port-led infrastructure for bunkering, storage, and logistics will be essential to achieving cost competitiveness and meeting international certification standards for exports.

Sembcorp, which operates 27.4 GW of energy assets globally, including 19.3 GW of renewable capacity across 11 markets, has been rapidly expanding its India operations. The company currently operates in 18 Indian states, with renewable generation in 13, and manages one of the country’s largest wind energy portfolios.

The collaboration between Sembcorp and VOC Port is expected to strengthen Tamil Nadu’s role in India’s green energy transition, driving industrial investment, sustainable exports, and new employment opportunities in the southern region.