VIDEO: India’s Garden Reach shipyard launches its first fully electric ferry
Written by Nick Blenkey
Dheu is Garden Reach's first fully electric ferry/ [Image: GRSE]
The Indian Government’s Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers has marked a milestone in the construction of the fully electric ferry that it is building for the Government of West Bengal (see earlier story). The shipyard recently held a launch ceremony that saw the 150-passenger, 24 meter catamaran vessel officially named as Dheu. Designed for inland waterways operation, it is the first fully electric ferry developed by GRSE and the second electric ferry to operate in India. The project is set to streamline the transportation of passengers along central waterways and will see the new ferry make an average of 40 trips daily on its busy route.
The Dheu is being built to Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) class and has an aluminum hull and a FRP superstructure. It has a 246 kW capacity liquid-cooled battery system that can be charged from a shore-based source or through deck-mounted solar panels that generate 18 kW per hour. In addition, the vessel incorporates an efficient Energy Management System that maximizes the use of solar power to achieve speeds of up to 10 knots through its two 50 kW electric propulsion motors.
For added safety, the Dheu is equipped with a 50 kW emergency diesel generator set.
“Dheu meets the requirements of our guidelines which we will continue to update as we gain more experience,” said IRS managing director Vijay Arora. “This vessel not only marks a technological milestone in electric ferry technology, but also signifies the collaborative efforts of IRS and GRSE, ushering in a new era of sustainable and environmentally conscious maritime solutions.”
