India enters a new era in river transport and cleanliness as it launches and begins operations with its first-ever completely indigenous Hydrogen Fuel Cell passenger boat in Varanasi. The historic event marks a milestone for India, its ambitions and efforts towards harnessing alternative energy for cleaner river transport.

The watercraft was flagged off at Namo Ghat by Union Minister for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, and senior officers from the Inland Waterways Authority of India, Cochin Shipyard Limited, and other technological partners. With this, India joins the League of Nations in testing hydrogen fuel mobility on water.

Speaking at the event, Sonowal said that it marks India’s strong focus on green innovation.

“This is an outstanding instance of the commitment of the Prime Minister to ‘Make in India’ and green mobility across all sectors,” he said.

The water transport vessel represents a larger project aimed at encouraging zero-emission water transport. The vessel uses a low-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell with hydrogen, which converts hydrogen into electricity with water vapour as the product. As such, there are no emissions, noise, vibrations, or smoke associated with the vessel.

As per CSL, it represents one of the first boats within the global arena to successfully combine a locally-developed hydrogen fuel cell system with a fully-functional river passenger boat. As per an official, it functions as a “silent killer of pollution” given its capability to operate without the emission of damaging gases and particles.

The launch took place as per the ambitious plans that have been outlined under ‘Maritime India Vision 2030’ and ‘Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047’, which focus on promoting the adoption of clean energy sources within all domains related to the maritime sector.

The hydrogen fuel vessel was created by Cochin Shipyard Ltd, which is one of India’s biggest shipbuilding enterprises. The task was implemented with cooperation from the National Hydrogen Mission, as well as fuel cell experts. It measures 24 meters and can carry 50 people. It features an air-conditioned cabin, advanced navigational aids, safety facilities, as well as CCTV cameras and convenient boarding systems for tourists and commuters. It functions on a hybrid model that uses hydrogen fuel cells, high-performance batteries, and solar panels on its roof, thus being energy efficient for prolonged operation. According to reports, it can sail for almost eight hours with a refill.

The vessel commenced its first commercial journey on the Ganga after its launch. It is running on a regular route from Namo Ghat to Panchkroshi Ghat. It will benefit tourists and local people as it will provide a clean travelling experience.

During its first trip, it also noticed that there was hardly any engine noise, vibration, or exhaust smoke. It will be an asset for Varanasi's riverfront, which requires a tranquil Ganga experience as thousands of tourists visit there every day.

A senior IWAI official explained that there was an urgent need for a transition based on clean energy. “This ship marks a significant move towards making passenger transport on India’s rivers more sustainable and eco-friendly,” he added.

It was confirmed that the success achieved with Varanasi will help frame the agenda for hydrogen-based technologies on inland waterways. The government is already working on using such vessels on tourist routes, tourist and heritage routes, and inter-city waterways.

Hydrogen fuel-powered ships would also be expected to assist with lowering costs associated with operations because fuel would be more widely available with the National Green Hydrogen Mission.

Varanasi has been among the main focus points for river infrastructure projects under the government’s inland waterways plan. Its busy ghats, heavy tourist traffic, and efforts for a cleaner Ganga make it an apt site for India’s first hydrogen fuel vessel.

A symbol of India’s clean energy future, India’s fuel cell vessel running on hydrogen is already being perceived as an icon reflecting India’s advancements as ‘green innovators’ and represents an ‘emerging India’ as it showcases a clean and healthy transport sector. There will be no emissions. The launch also meets India’s global obligations with regard to climate change and makes India one of the first nations adopting hydrogen-based transport services for water.