The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways would develop and build India’s first indigenous hydrogen-fuelled electric vessels at Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), kickstarting the country’s efforts towards green shipping, Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, said here on Saturday.
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He also unveiled the government’s plan for building such vessels, to keep up with the Global Maritime Green Transitions, at a workshop ‘Green Shipping in India – 2022’ organised here by the Ministry jointly with the shipyard and The Energy and Resources Institute.
Hydrogen fuel cells can be used in a wide range of applications, including transportation, materials handling, stationery, and portable and emergency backup power applications. Fuel cells operating on hydrogen fuel are an efficient, environment-friendly, zero emission, direct current (DC) power source already applied to heavy-duty bus, truck and train applications, and are now under development for marine applications.
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Mr. Sonowal said the Cochin Shipyard would execute the project in collaboration with Indian partners. The ground work in this regard had already begun and the shipyard had partnered with KPIT Technologies and Indian developers for hydrogen fuel cell, power train and with Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) for developing rules and regulation for such vessels.
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 ₹17.50 crore, of which 75% will be funded by the Centre.
The development of these vessels is considered a launchpad for the country to tap the vast opportunities in the coastal and inland-vessels segment - nationally and internationally.
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The project is expected to augment the country’s efforts in achieving the Prime Minister’s target of becoming carbon neutral by 2070, and also in complying with the standards set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) that envisages a reduction in carbon intensity of international shipping by at least 40% by 2030, and progressively to 70% by 2050, he said.
He said India was committed towards a sustainable and clean environment and, hence, called for the “One Sun – One World – One Grid” initiative, as a lead player in the International Solar Alliance.
Minister of State for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways Shantanu Thakur; Secretary, MoPSW Sanjeev Ranjan; CEO of NITI Aayog Amitabh Kant; Director General of The Energy and Resources Institute Vibha Dhawan; head of Global Partnerships and Projects of International Maritime Organization Jose Matheickal; Country Director (Innovation) Norway India and Commercial Counsellor of Norwegian Embassy Christian Valdes Carter, and CMD of Cochin Shipyard Madhu S. Nair were among those who took part in the session.