INDIA. Mumbai: The first hydrogen boat prototype (Fuel Cell Electric Vessel (FCEV) conceptualized and developed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL) with Tata Advanced Systems Ltd was recently launched at Mazagon in South Mumbai.
The vessel was launched by MDL CMD Vice Admiral Narayan Prasad (Indian Navy Retd.) on Friday, in the presence of Director (Submarine and Heavy Engineering) Commander Jasbir Singh (IN Retd.), Director (Finance) Sanjeev Singhal, Director (Shipbuilding) Biju George, Director (Corporate Planning and Personnel) Commander Vasudev Puranik (IN Retd.), and the senior executives from Tata Advanced Systems Ltd. and MDL.
The initiative is part of the Union Ports, Shipping and Waterways Ministry’s plan to develop and build indigenous Hydrogen Fuelled Electric Vessels to promote green shipping. Vijai Marine Services Private Ltd is the technology partner in the project with MDL.
The Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vessels based on Low-Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane Technology (LT-PEM) called FCEV are being built to keep pace with the Global Maritime Green Transitions and as a cost-effective alternate fuel front.
It is a six-passenger vessel with a 6 KW electric motor, a 10.2 kWh battery, and a fuel cell system. It can run for 22 Hours with compressed Hydrogen filled in PESO-approved Cylinders. The FCEV uses a green hydrogen fuel cell system that produces no toxic emissions, has a small number of moving components, and produces very little heat and noise.
“MDL has taken up the challenge of developing Fuel Cell-based Electric Vessels to demonstrate that a pioneering spirit combined with innovation can pave the way towards a new energy revolution and so reduce our impact on the planet,” an official statement said.
Frigate
In another development, the keel of the fourth stealth frigate on Project 17 A was laid by Rear Admiral G K Harish, Director General Naval Design- of the Indian Navy, at Yard- 12654, in Mazagon Dock Limited.
P17A warships are the successor warships of the stealth frigates of the “Shivalik” class. In this series, seven frigates will be built in Kolkata, West Bengal at Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers and three of which are being built at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL).
The P17A class frigates are being built using indigenously developed steel and fitted with state-of-the-art weapons and sensors along with Integrated Platform Management System. These ships have enhanced stealth features.
Construction of P17A ships differs in the very concept of warship building by adopting a state-of-the-art methodology, ‘Integrated Construction (IC)’, where the blocks are pre-outfitted before joining to reduce the build period of warships. When commissioned, the platforms will exponentially enhance the combat capability of the Indian Naval fleet.
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