Defence PSU Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd on Wednesday, 20 November, announced that they have signed a contract with the West Bengal government’s transport department for 13 hybrid ferries.

The West Bengal Transport Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (WBTIDCL) will run the ferries on the Hooghly River.

According to the GRSE official, the ships will be constructed using fibre-reinforced polymer and aluminium, and their hybrid electric propulsion systems will be fueled by both diesel generators and batteries.

The West Bengal government had previously tasked GRSE with creating a modern, emission-free ferry prototype. January saw its successful debut, and March saw its technical acceptance.

The contract was signed for 13 ferries, six of which will have double decks that can accommodate 200 passengers apiece. According to a statement from the GRSE official, the projected cost of these six vessels is Rs 126 crore.

The remaining seven ships, each with a single deck and a 100-passenger capacity, are anticipated to cost close to Rs 100 crore.

In the Kolkata Metropolitan Area (KMA), which stretches from Triveni in the north to Diamond Harbour in the south, the hybrid ferries will transport people in all-weather situations on the Hooghly River, he said.

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