India’s First Hydrogen Powered Ferry Launched in Kochi

KOCHI:

India’s first indigenously developed and built hydrogen fuel cell ferry was inaugurated by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The prime minister joined the ceremony in virtual mode from Thoothukudi. The inland waterway vessel, under the Harit Nauka initiative, is a pilot project to demonstrate the technology for the maritime sector.

The adoption of green hydrogen as a maritime fuel is at the forefront of India’s commitment to a sustainable future that aims for net zero emissions by 2070. In line with the Government of India’s green vision, Cochin Shipyard took up the ambitious project to design, develop and construct India’s first fully indigenous hydrogen fuel cell catamaran ferry vessel to demonstrate the technology for the maritime sector. The fuel cell powered vessel has zero emission, zero noise and is energy efficient, which in turn reduces the effect of global warming.

Madhu S Nair, Chairman and MD of Cochin Shipyard, presided over the inaugural session. Mr Hibi Eden MP, Sreejith Narayanan, Director-Operations, Jose V.J., Director-Finance and Bijoy Bhaskar, Director-Finance also participated.