News– India has inaugurated its first fully indigenous hydrogen fuel cell–based passenger vessel in Varanasi, signifying an important milestone in the country’s push towards green maritime transportation.
About India’s 1st Hydrogen Fuel Cell Passenger Vessel
- The vessel has been constructed by Cochin Shipyard Limited and is owned by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI).
- It operates on a hydrogen fuel-cell system using Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) technology, a critical component of India’s clean energy and green mobility efforts.
- Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs) produce electricity through an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, without any combustion, ensuring high efficiency and zero emissions.
Significance
- The initiative contributes to India’s net-zero emissions target by 2070 and is in line with the Maritime India Vision 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047.
- The vessel enables silent and pollution-free transport, helps ease pressure on road networks, encourages tourism, and highlights India’s capability in developing indigenous green technologies for sustainable inland waterways.
