Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday (September 26, 2026) announced the formal start of construction of a landmark e-methanol plant at Deendayal Port in Kandla, Gujarat. In a series of posts on X, the Chief Minister described the project as “a new chapter in India’s green maritime journey.”
The facility, being developed by Assam Petrochemicals Limited (APL) in partnership with the Deendayal Port Authority, will have a capacity of 150 tonnes per day. Sarma said Assam’s public sector undertaking is bringing its decades of methanol production expertise into the production of this cleaner marine fuel.
Accompanied by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, Sarma participated in the foundation-stone laying ceremony. The project is expected to supply low-carbon fuel to ships operating on major international routes, particularly the busy Asia-Europe corridor.
In explanatory graphics shared with the announcement, the Assam government outlined how e-methanol is produced: renewable electricity generates green hydrogen through electrolysis; carbon dioxide is captured from industrial or biogenic sources; and the two react under controlled conditions to create methanol. The resulting fuel is liquid at ambient temperatures, compatible with existing methanol-ready engines, biodegradable, and free of sulphur oxides when combusted.
Officials present at the ceremony highlighted that the plant will form part of India’s broader push toward net-zero emissions by 2070, especially in hard-to-electrify sectors such as shipping. The project is projected to generate several thousand direct and indirect jobs and position Kandla as a green bunkering hub.