Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd, a premier Warship building company , has launched a Next Generation Electric Ferry. This eco-friendly ferry is ergonomically designed to carry 150 passengers in air-conditioned comfort and with no noise or engine vibrations.It is being considered as a game changer in waterways transport in India..
The vessel was launched in the traditional way by General Manager (Human Resources) of GRSE Lipi Das on Thursday , January 11, 2024 in Kolkata. Chairman and Managing Director of GRSE Cmde PR Hari (Retd) GRSE and many senior officials were present on the occasion of launching.
According to a press release the vessel named ‘ Dheu Is being constructed for the Government of West Bengal holds the prospect of replacing diesel-engine run ferries with Green platforms that use only battery and solar power.
The launch of the NG Electric Ferry, named ‘Dheu’ (means ‘wave’) kickstarts several opportunities in zero emission transport contributing to growth of waterways of India in line with the Maritime India Vision-2030, which can complement road/rail-based cargo and passenger transport’, said the statement.
Features of Dheu:
‘Dheu’ is a 24 metre long vessel which will be powered by a 246 Kilowatt per hour (kWh) liquid-cooled Energy Storage Solution. It is ergonomically designed to carry 150 passengers in air-conditioned comfort and that too without any noise or engine vibrations. The Ferry will have twin screw propellers for greater maneuverability and a Catamaran Aluminum hull which will allow speeds up to 10 knots. It will have solar panels to augment the power supply.
GRSE claims that the ferry is being built to comply with the latest classification society rules of Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) related to passenger safety. Once launched, the vessel shall undergo harbor and afloat trials and shall thereafter be delivered to the Government of West Bengal.
Gamechanger :
Cmde PR Hari (Retd) said that “Launch of this “Green Vessel” is a major accomplishment and when delivered, “Dheu” shall be a gamechanger that shall revolutionise the Inland Waterways transportation sector”.
“New Technology adoption with specific thrust on autonomous and Green energy platforms has been a key focus area for GRSE, and the coming months shall see the development of more such new products” Cmde Hari said.
GRSE :
Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd. is a premier Warship building Company in India, under the administrative control of the Ministry of Defence. GRSE started in 1884 as a small workshop to repair vessels of the River Steam Navigation Company. The Company was taken over by the Government of India in 1960. GRSE has the distinction of becoming the first shipyard of independent India to build a warship for the Indian Navy. GRSE has built over 785 platforms including 109 warships for the Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard, and friendly foreign countries – highest warships built & delivered by any Indian shipyard till date.
From Frigates, Corvettes, Fleet Tankers, Landing Ship Tank, Landing Craft Utility to Survey Vessels, Offshore Patrol Vessels and Fast Attack Craft – the repertoire is rich and varied.
