Kolkata (May 29, 2025): It was a red-letter day for Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd on Thursday, 29th May, 2025, when the keels of 13 hybrid ferries, being built by the shipyard for the Transport Department, Government of West Bengal, was laid in the presence of Shri Snehasis Chakraborty, Hon’ble Minister-in-Charge, Transport Department, Government of West Bengal, Shri Dilip Mondal, Minister-of-State, Transport Department, Government of West Bengal, Cmde PR Hari, IN (Retd), Chairman and Managing Director, GRSE, Dr. Moinul Hassan (Ex-MP), Chairman, WBTIDCL, Shri R K Dash, Director (Finance), GRSE, Cdr Shantanu Bose, Director (Shipbuilding), Shri Abhishek Ranjan, IOFS, CVO, GRSE, Shri Shiraz Daneshyar, IAS, Project Director, WBIWTLSDP, and senior officials from GRSE & WBTIDCL.
GRSE had signed a contract with the Transport Department, Government of West Bengal on 19th November, 2024, for the design and construction of the 13 hybrid ferries that are to be operated on the River Hooghly by the West Bengal Transport Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (WBTIDCL). These ferries will bring about a massive change in river transportation in and around Kolkata, by reducing pollution and providing a comfortable journey for passengers.
These vessels will have catamaran hull design and be built with aluminium and Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP). The hybrid electric propulsion systems will be powered by batteries as well as diesel generators. The hybrid system will offer greater flexibility to the operator to switch from one mode to the other as per requirement, allowing for greater safety. The use of batteries will reduce pollution substantially.
GRSE had earlier designed and built a next generation zero-emission ferry for the Government of West Bengal. This ferry, named ‘Dheu’ was delivered on January 9, 2025 and is now operating on the River Hooghly.
Of the 13 ferries of which the keels were laid during the day, six will have twin decks with a capacity of 200 passengers each. The main deck will be air-conditioned. These vessels will be about 30 meters long and 8-10 meters wide. Their maximum speed will be 12 knots and each will require a crew of five. The estimated cost of these six vessels is Rs 126 crore.
The remaining seven vessels will have a single deck with a passenger capacity of 100. These ferries will be nearly 25 meters long and 8 meters wide with a top speed of 9 knots. There is provision for five crew members on board. These seven vessels are expected to cost nearly Rs 100 crore.
As per the contract, the hybrid ferries will carry passengers in all-weather conditions on River Hooghly (part of National Waterway – 1, the Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly River System) in the Kolkata Metropolitan Area (KMA), stretching from Triveni in the north to Diamond Harbour in the south.
On the occasion, Shri Snehasis Chakraborty, Hon’ble Transport Minister, Government of West Bengal, credited the Hon’ble Chief Minister’s vision for promoting sustainable transport solutions. He praised GRSE’s shipbuilding excellence for delivering ‘Dheu’, India’s largest and fastest fully electric ferry, now operational between Kolkata and Belur Math.
Further, he stated that 13 hybrid ferries have been ordered from GRSE to replace old diesel vessels, and expressed hope that other states would follow Bengal’s lead in green river transport.
Cmde P R Hari, IN (Retd), spoke on the shipyard’s latest achievements and plans to take forward green technology in the field of shipbuilding for larger platforms.
“We are proud to spearhead the green initiatives of Government of West Bengal and I am confident that we shall design & deliver high quality vessels to minimize the carbon emission in the maritime sector,” Cmde Hari said.
