Why India is betting on Methanol ships

India is taking a greener turn at sea, and it starts with a new kind of ship.

Breaking it down: the Shipping Corporation of India has signed a deal with Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders to build a 3,000 DWT methanol dual-fuel Platform Supply Vessel (PSV). 

Sounds technical, but it’s basically a medium-sized support ship that carries supplies to offshore oil rigs, and it can run on both regular fuel and methanol. This makes it a first for SCI. It’ll be the company’s first vessel designed to use an alternative fuel, tying in with the government’s bigger push for greener shipping under the National Green Hydrogen Mission.

So why does this matter now?

These platform supply vessels are basically the backbone of offshore operations. They transport everything from fuel and equipment to water and crew, to rigs that are miles away from land. 

Data from DNV shows that orders for ships running on cleaner fuels have jumped sharply in 2025, up nearly 78% compared to last year. It’s a clear sign that shipowners are thinking long term and focusing on cleaner, future-ready vessels as regulations tighten and the push to cut emissions gets stronger.