Varanasi, Dec. 11 -- The maiden run of India's first hydrogen fuel cell passenger vessel covering a five-kilometer stretch from Namo Ghat to Lalita Ghat in Varanasi marked the beginning of its commercial operations on the Ganga (National Waterway-1). The inaugural journey ferried a delegation of ministers and senior officials, signaling a new chapter in clean inland water transport.

Union minister for ports, shipping and waterways (MoPSW) Sarbananda Sonowal flagged off the vessel at Namo Ghat on Thursday. Built by Cochin Shipyard Ltd. (CSL) for the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), the vessel is the first in the country to demonstrate fully indigenous hydrogen fuel cell propulsion in a maritime environment.

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