GRSE Secures ₹226 Crore Deal for 13 Hybrid Electric Ferries in West Bengal

21 Nov 2024 , 10:45 PM

Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd (GRSE) has signed a contract worth ₹226.18 crores (excluding GST) with the West Bengal Transport Department on November 19, 2024.

The agreement includes the designing, construction, operations, and maintenance of 13 hybrid electric ferries under the West Bengal Inland Water Transport, Logistics and Spatial Development Project (WBIWTLSDP).

Ferries will operate along the River Hooghly. Management will be carried out by the West Bengal Transport Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (WBTIDCL).

Hybrid electric propulsion-ferries with battery-electric and diesel generators installed, which can switch the modes as needed for higher flexibility and safety. Reduction of pollution by onboard use of batteries is significant though it is very efficient.

The catamaran hull structure for the ferries will be developed using a combination of aluminum and FRP for durability and stability. Earlier, GRSE had designed a prototype zero-emission ferry named ‘Dheu’ which was launched on 11 January, 2024 and was technically accepted on 22 Mar, 2024.

Six out of the 13 will be twin-deck vessels with a passenger capacity of 200 per vessel and an air-conditioned main deck. 

The twin-deck ferries will be around 30 meters in length and 8-10 meters in width, attaining a maximum speed of 12 knots. They will be manned by five members. 

The six twin-deck vessels are estimated to cost ₹126.41 crore, sans GST. The seven remaining ferries will be of single deck capacity 100 passengers. 

The length will be approximately 25 meters, 8 meters in breadth and will possess a top speed of 9 knots. In addition, the vessels will necessitate a crew of five persons each.  The cost for seven single deck ferries is around ₹99.77 crores exclusive of GST.

These hybrid ferries are built to navigate this all-weather Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly River System, which constitutes National Waterway – 1.  The stretches that will be covered operationally would be in the Kolkata Metropolitan Area (KMA), from Triveni in the north to Diamond Harbour in the south. The project is an innovation aimed at modernizing inland water transportation, diminishing negative environmental impact, and enhancing passenger services.