The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways decided to develop and build India’s first indigenous Hydrogen Fuelled Electric Vessels at Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL). This has kick started the efforts of the country towards green shipping.Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said that the plan for building Hydrogen Fuelled Electric Vessels is keeping pace with the Global Maritime Green Transitions.”The move is part of India’s transformative efforts on the innovative and new technology front on green energy, sustainable cost-effective alternate fuel front,” he said.“The Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vessel based on Low Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane Technology (LT-PEM) called Fuel Cell Electric Vessel (FCEV) is expected to cost around Rs. 17.50 crores of which 75 per cent would be funded by the centre,” an official statement said.Hydrogen Fuel cells can be used in a wide range of applications, including transportation, material handling, stationary, portable, and emergency backup power applications.“Fuel cells operating on hydrogen fuel are an efficient, environmentally-friendly, zero emission, direct current (DC) power source already applied to heavy duty bus, truck, and train applications, and are now under development for marine applications,” the statement added.CSL has partnered with KPIT Technologies Limited and Indian developers in the areas of Hydrogen Fuel cell, power train and Indian Register of Shipping for developing rules and regulation for such vessels.