The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) is set to build India’s first indigenous hydrogen-fuelled electric vessels at Cochin Shipyard Limited(CSL).
- The hydrogen fuel cell vessel based on Low-Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane Technology (LT-PEM) called Fuel Cell Electric Vessel (FCEV) is expected to cost around Rs 17.50 crore.
- 75% of the cost will be funded by the Government of India.
Note: This is a part of the transformative efforts of the Government of India on the innovative and new technology front on green energy, sustainable cost-effective alternate fuel front.
Background:
i.Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister of MoPSW, announced the project while unveiling the government’s plan for building the vessels in keeping pace with the global maritime green transitions at a workshop on green shipping.
ii.The event was jointly organised by the MoPSW with CSL and The Energy and Resources Institute.
About the Project:
i.CSL will carry out the project in collaboration with Indian partners.
ii.CSL has partnered with KPIT Technologies Limited and Indian developers in the areas of Hydrogen Fuel cells, power trains and the Indian Register of Shipping to develop rules and regulations for such vessels.
Application of Hydrogen cells:
i.The application of the Hydrogen cells ranges from transportation, material handling, stationary, portable, and emergency backup power applications.
ii.The fuel cells which operate on hydrogen fuel are efficient, environment-friendly, zero-emission, Direct Current (DC) power sources. They are also under development for marine applications.
Additional info:
i.The development of the hydrogen-fuelled electric vessels will enable India to access vast opportunities in the coastal and inland vessels segment both nationally and internationally.
ii.This will also support fo the efforts of India to achieve the target of becoming carbon neutral by 2070 and also comply with the standards set by the International Maritime Organisation(IMO) which aims to reduce the carbon intensity of international shipping by at least 40% by 2030 and to 70% by 2050.
Recent Related News:
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, virtually inaugurated India’s 1st water taxi service to enable faster connectivity between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai in Maharashtra. While the Maharashtra Chief Minister (CM) Uddhav Thackeray inaugurated the newly constructed Belapur jetty.
About Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW):
Union Minister– Sarbananda Sonowal (Rajya Sabha – Assam)
Minister of State– Shripad Yesso Naik (Constituency- North Goa, Goa); Shantanu Thakur (Constituency- Bangaon, West Bengal)
