Kochi | India's first indigenously developed and built hydrogen fuel cell ferry, launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, has zero emission and zero noise and can reduce the impact of global warming.

According to Cochin Shipyard here, which constructed the fuel cell ferry, the adoption of green hydrogen as a maritime fuel is at the forefront of India's commitment to a sustainable future that aims for net zero emissions by 2070.

The inland waterway vessel, under the Harit Nauka initiative, is a pilot project to demonstrate the technology for the maritime sector, Cochin Shipyard said in a statement.

"The fuel cell powered vessel has zero emission, zero noise and is energy efficient, which in turn reduces the effect of global warming," it said.

In line with the Government of India's green vision, Cochin Shipyard took up the ambitious project to design, develop and construct India's first fully indigenous hydrogen fuel cell catamaran ferry vessel to demonstrate the technology for the maritime sector.

Prime Minister Modi joined the ceremony in virtual mode from Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu.

Madhu S Nair, Chairman and MD of Cochin Shipyard, presided over the inaugural session.

Lok Sabha Member Hibi Eden, Sreejith Narayanan, Director-Operations, Cochin Shipyard, Jose V J, Director-Finance and Bijoy Bhaskar, Director-Finance, also participated in the function, the statement added.