Kolkata:Â In recognition of its capability to design and build green vessels, Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd was awarded a Letter of Acceptance (LoA) on Friday, October 4, 2024, by the Transport Department, Government of West Bengal, for deliver 13 hybrid ferries to be operated by the West Bengal Transport Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (WBTIDCL) on the River Hooghly.
These vessels will have catamaran hull design and will be built with aluminum and Fiber Reinforced Polymer or FRP. The hybrid electric propulsion systems will be powered by batteries as well as diesel generators. The hybrid system will offer greater flexibility to the operator to switch from one mode to the other as per requirement, allowing for greater safety. The use of batteries will reduce pollution substantially.
GRSE had earlier been assigned by the Government of West Bengal to design a prototype for a next generation zero-emission ferry. This ferry, named ‘Dheu’ was launched by GRSE on January 11, 2024. This success has provided a fillip to this fresh order worth nearly Rs 230 crore.
Of the 13 ferries for which the LoA has been awarded, six will have twin decks with a capacity of 200 passengers each. The main deck will be air-conditioned. These vessels will be about 30 metres long and 8-10 metres wide. Their maximum speed will be 12 knots and each will require a crew of five. The estimated cost of these six vessels is Rs 130 crore.
The remaining seven vessels will have only a single deck with a passenger capacity of 100. These ferries will be nearly 25 meters long and 8 metres wide with a top speed of 9 knots. There is provision for five crew members on board. These seven vessels are expected to cost nearly Rs 100 crore.
As per the LoA, the hybrid ferries will carry passengers in all-weather conditions on River Hooghly (part of National Waterway – 1, the Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly River System) in the Kolkata Metropolitan Area (KMA), stretching from Triveni in the north to Diamond Harbour in the south.
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