Guwahati: Assam has marked a significant step in its clean-energy and industrial expansion with the foundation stone-laying and Bhoomi Pujan ceremony for a large-scale e-methanol production project at Deendayal Port in Kandla, Gujarat.
The project is being jointly developed by Assam Petro-Chemicals Limited (APCL) and the Deendayal Port Authority (DPA), with an estimated investment of around Rs 2,300 crore.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal attended the ceremony, along with senior officials from APCL, DPA and other guests.
The proposed facility is expected to produce 150 tonnes per day (TPD) of green e-methanol, which will be used as a lower-carbon marine fuel for the shipping sector. The project is also projected to create around 3,500 direct and indirect employment opportunities.
According to project details, the initiative is aimed at supporting the use of cleaner fuels in the maritime sector and contributing to efforts to reduce carbon emissions as India advances its transition towards low-carbon energy sources.
The project also represents an expansion of APCL’s operations beyond Assam and is expected to provide the state-owned enterprise with an opportunity to demonstrate its technical capabilities and commercial potential on a national platform.
Speaking at the event, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma described the project as a significant development for the state, noting that an Assam-based public sector undertaking was extending its operations beyond the state and contributing to India’s clean-energy transition.