SWTD to launch two partly solar-powered, electric ro-ro ferries in Kochi
The State Water Transportation department in Kerala is commissioning two solar-powered electric ro-ro ferries for the Kochi region. These vessels aim to reduce noise pollution and operational costs compared to existing diesel-run ferries.
Why it matters
The transition to electric and solar-powered public transport is a key step toward sustainable urban infrastructure and environmental conservation.
The State Water Transportation department (SWTD) will soon place an order for two partly solar-powered electric roll-on roll-off (ro-ro) ferries with a boatyard in Alappuzha district.
The ferries, each of which would be able to carry 100-tonne load in total, would source approximately 30% of their energy requirements from their rooftop solar panels.
The vessels are expected to be commissioned in October 2027, in the Bolgatty-Vallarpadam International Transshipment Terminal corridor,” said sources in the SWTD that operates ferries and a few tourist boats.
The three ro-ro ferries of the Kochi Corporation that operate in the Vypeen-Fort Kochi corridor are diesel-run, with the result that tourism and other stakeholders from the region complain of severe noise pollution. Their operational cost is also much higher than that of electric vessels, it is learnt.
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