A NEW TIDE
*Project led by GEDA, Fisheries Directorate & GIZ
*To test electric propulsion, charging, financing & servicing
*Package includes motor, marine battery, charger etc
*To provide safe operation, maintenance & efficient use
*Scheme to be finalised by October
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STRAP:
State eyes 42k-litre seasonal fuel saving
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THE GOAN NETWORK
PANAJI
Goa is set to begin electrifying its fishing fleet with a pilot project covering 50 traditional fishing canoes, with the initiative expected to replace up to 42,000 litres of petrol a fishing season and pave the way for a wider transition to battery-powered boats across the State.
The pilot project, being led by the Goa Energy Development Agency (GEDA) in association with the Directorate of Fisheries and German development agency GIZ, will test electric propulsion technology, charging infrastructure, financing models and servicing arrangements before a State-wide scheme is rolled out.
As per the project document, the State has around 1,700 registered canoes in the target segment, mostly measuring 28 to 38 feet and powered by single-cylinder outboard engines of less than 10 HP. The canoes typically undertake one trip a day, covering around 12-13 km, and consume roughly three litres of petrol per trip.
“An electrified canoe could avoid approximately 350-420 litres of petrol during a six-to-seven-month fishing season, based on the present usage pattern of 18-20 trips a month. Across the 50 boats in the pilot, this translates into an estimated 35,000-42,000 litres of fossil fuel savings per season,” the document stated.
“The project deliberately adopts a canoe-first approach, with the smaller fishing craft considered more technically and commercially ready for electrification than the wider trawler fleet. Lessons from the 50-boat pilot on technology performance, servicing and financing will be used to formulate the subsequent State-wide programme,” it added.
The project will provide selected beneficiaries with a complete electric propulsion package, including a DC motor, marine-grade battery bank, battery management system, charging equipment, spares and monitoring tools. Boat owners and operators will also receive hands-on training in safe operation, maintenance and efficient use of the systems.
On the financing model, the GEDA plans to test options including battery swapping, pay-as-you-go and capital expenditure/service arrangements to determine which model is most suitable for scaling up the programme.
“The project will also fund common infrastructure such as battery charging stations and jetty electrification, besides providing a conditional partial capital subsidy to interested boat owners or operators to reduce the upfront cost of shifting to electric propulsion,” the document stated.
As per the proposal, the scheme and subsidy disbursement process are expected to be finalised by October, with installation, training and trial runs scheduled between October and January 2027. Performance monitoring will follow from February to March, next year.
GEDA will function as the nodal implementing agency, handling project management, procurement, financial management, technical supervision and monitoring, while the Directorate of Fisheries will facilitate beneficiary and site selection. GIZ will provide technical guidance, quality-assurance support and assistance with performance evaluation.
