Kerala's SWTD to add two solar-assisted electric ro-ro ferries on Kochi corridor

The State Water Transportation department (SWTD) is set to place an order for two partly solar-powered electric roll-on roll-off (ro-ro) ferries with a boatyard in Alappuzha district, as it moves to expand low-emission transport on Kochi's backwaters.

Each vessel will be capable of carrying a total load of 100 tonnes, with roughly 30% of its energy needs met by rooftop solar panels. The ferries are expected to be commissioned in October 2027 and will serve the Bolgatty-Vallarpadam International Transshipment Terminal corridor.

According to Sandit Thandassery, chief executive officer of Navalt, the start-up that will begin construction in about a month, each ferry can carry two 40-foot trailer lorries, 20 cars, or a combination of the two. Drivers and passengers will be able to travel on board in a dedicated space.

The energy generated by 35-KW solar panels on each vessel will supplement power stored in a pair of 60-KW LTO batteries, similar to those used on Water Metro ferries. The vessels can operate for 25 to 30 minutes after each recharge, and the Indian Register of Shipping has approved their design.

Thandassery said the double-ended ro-ro electric ferry has been designed to keep operational and maintenance costs in check. Each ferry will be built for ₹9.50 crore, which he noted is lower than the cost of the new diesel ro-ro ferry launched by the Kochi Corporation over a month ago.

The three ro-ro ferries operated by the Kochi Corporation in the Vypeen-Fort Kochi corridor run on diesel, drawing complaints of severe noise pollution from tourism and other stakeholders in the region. Their operational costs are also significantly higher than those of electric vessels.

SWTD sources said the introduction of the two electric ferries is expected to ease congestion on city roads and on the bottlenecked two-lane bridge linking the city to the container terminal.