Why in the News?

Mormugao Port Authority has gained global recognition as an incentive provider on the Environmental Ship Index (ESI) platform.
- It is the first port in India to implement Green Ship Incentives under the ESI, promoting eco-friendly practices in shipping.
- The port launched the “Harit Shrey” scheme in October 2023, offering port fee discounts based on ESI ratings of commercial vessels.

About the Environmental Ship Index (ESI):

	Details
What is it?	A scoring system that measures the environmental performance of ships, specifically their air pollution emissions.
Establishment	Launched in 2011 by the World Ports Sustainability Program (WPSP) under the International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH).
Scope	ESI evaluates emissions of: • Sulfur oxides (SOx) • Nitrogen oxides (NOx) • Carbon dioxide (CO₂) • Particulate matter from seagoing vessels.
Purpose	To encourage ships to adopt technologies and practices that minimize emissions, contributing to air quality improvement and climate change mitigation.

The ESI provides a framework for incentivizing ships based on their environmental performance, specifically targeting reductions in air emissions such as CO2, SOx, and NOx.
The effectiveness of the ESI is evaluated using specific metrics, including a ship’s ESI score, which is derived from factors such as engine efficiency, fuel quality, and the implementation of emission reduction technologies.
The ESI enables ports to analyze the overall impact of green shipping initiatives through aggregated data on participating vessels.

Future plans include expanding metrics to cover additional pollutants and carbon intensity for a more comprehensive environmental assessment.
Enhancements in digital reporting for easier tracking of emissions data and performance analytics.
Planned updates will aim to support the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 2050 decarbonization targets, including zero-emission technology.

ESI updates will align with IMO’s MARPOL Annex VI regulations on pollutant emissions and greenhouse gases (GHG).
ESI’s future adaptations will address carbon intensity targets and promote alternative fuels like ammonia and hydrogen, in line with IMO’s goal of net-zero GHG emissions by 2050.
The ESI is part of the broader World Ports Sustainability Program (WPSP), promoting sustainability in port operations and low-carbon maritime trade.
ESI aims to further incentivize the adoption of energy-efficient engines, battery systems, and hybrid propulsion to support long-term emission reduction.

[2015] With reference to ‘Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC)’, consider the following statements:

It was established very recently in response to incidents of piracy and accidents of oil spills.
It is an alliance meant for maritime security only.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2