India’s first hydrogen fuel cell vessels to be built at Cochin Shipyard

Cochin Shipyard Limited said that the Indian Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has decided to develop and build indigenous hydrogen fuelled electric vessels at its shipbuilding and maintenance facility in Kochi.

The Indian government-owned company will work together with domestic partners in this regard. Ground work for the same have already started with Cochin Shipyard entering into a partnership with KPIT Technologies and Indian developers in the areas of hydrogen fuel cell, power train, and the Indian Register of Shipping for developing rules and regulation for such kind of vessels.

According to Cochin Shipyard, the hydrogen fuel cell vessel, which will be based on low temperature proton exchange membrane technology (LT-PEM) called fuel cell electric vessel (FCEV), is likely to cost nearly INR 17.5 crores. The Indian government will fund 75% of the cost, said the shipbuilding company.

India‘s first hydrogen fuel cell vessels to be built at Cochin Shipyard. Photo courtesy of Suniltg/Wikipedia.org.

Cochin Shipyard stated: “The development of Hydrogen Fuelled Electric Vessels is considered as a launchpad for the country to tap the vast opportunities lying in the Coastal & Inland vessels segment both nationally and internationally.

“This project is expected to augment the efforts of the nation in achieving the Prime Minister’s ambitious target of becoming carbon neutral by 2070 and also in complying with the standards set by 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.”