India has commenced commercial operations of its first fully indigenous hydrogen fuel cell passenger vessel in Varanasi. The Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways flagged off the maiden run on the river Ganga at Namo Ghat, on December 11, 2025.
The 24 metres catamaran, built by Cochin Shipyard Limited and owned by the Inland Waterways Authority of India, can carry 50 passengers in an air-conditioned cabin. It utilises a hydrogen fuel cell system paired with batteries and solar power, enabling up to eight hours of operation on a single hydrogen fill with only water as a byproduct.