KOCHI (Metro Rail News): Cochin Shipyard has received a Letter of Acceptance (LOA) from Kochi Metro Rail Corporation Limited (KMRL) for building 23 No boats for the Kochi Water.
These boats are to be built by Cochin Shipyard Limited. These boats will provide inland transportation using electric/ hybrid technology. On the whole Kochi Metro has a requirement of around 78 high-quality boats of international standards. Out of this 25 boats having a capacity of 1OO pax was tendered by KMRL in which CSL also participated.
These boats offered by CSL are designed with in house expertise. These boats with a capacity of 100 pax would be around 24 Mtr long and will be powered using electric propulsion system equipped with high quality lithium Titanium Oxide battery to run for one hour and then can be charged at the charging stations at various jetties using fast-changing technology within 15 minutes thus providing uninterrupted service to the customers. For emergency purpose aid for achieving top 5peed, the propulsion system of boats shall also be connected through a hybrid system using power from diesel generators.
This project is an initiative that will bring about a revolutionary change in the water transportation segment in India, with significant impact in our country’s effort in a reduction in emissions and carbon footprint. Considering that the primary source of power for charging these boats is planned from solar PV installations, it will further augment the benefits in terms of environment and sustainability.
Once this project is successfully implemented by KMRL, it will not only catapult India into one of the select nations in the field of electric water mobility on the global front, but it will also open up a very large potential for emulating this model of environment-friendly and technologically advanced inland water vessels in various other cities in India.
This, in turn, will be a huge boost for the GOI’s initiatives in opening up Inland Water transport system in the country and with respect to the green initiatives of the GOI to reduce emissions and bring down carbon footprint.
Source: Cochin Shipyard
