New Delhi: GE Power Conversion and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers have signed a pact to collaborate on propulsion system design, according to a statement.

Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd (GRSE) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with GE Power Conversion, said the statement.

GE Power Conversion is a pioneer in the field of integrated, full electric and hybrid propulsion systems for commercial and military naval sectors globally.

With around 1,500 global ship references, GE Power Conversion understands vessel power, energy, control operational needs and the technological design and know-how to deliver flexible and reliable solutions for integrated, full electric and hybrid propulsion systems, the statement said.

GE Power Conversion's engineering design centre in Chennai, with its robust design team and infrastructure, is supporting multiple global and Indian projects, with specific focus on de-carbonisation.

GRSE is a shipbuilding company in India under the administrative control of the defence ministry, having vast experience in building and repairing wide range of commercial and naval vessels for the Indian Navy and other end-users. Its major area of strength is in-house design capabilities with 100-plus multidisciplinary member team working towards development of various concept designs for current and future projects.

The MoU would also support the commitment to Atmanirbhar Bharat by bringing global technology, expertise, and design capabilities together with the supply chain, said the statement.

GE Power Conversion India Managing Director Balaji Parthasarathy said in the statement, "GE Power Conversion and GRSE will bring together our individual expertise and experience to design integrated, electrical and hybrid propulsion systems with specific focus on green energy technologies."

He added that this will further propel commercial and naval vessel projects within India and globally. "We look forward to collaborating with GRSE."

GRSE Chairman and Managing Director V K Saxena said, "With the growing demand for alternative propulsion systems, which not only improve overall efficiency but also reduce greenhouse gas emissions, there is a pressing need to find effective implementable solutions quickly. Electric and hybrid propulsion is a fast-growing and promising solution to this problem."

He added that these technologies have significant naval applications due to the growing power demand of future warships. "GRSE looks forward to synergising our shipbuilding prowess with the expertise of GE Power Conversion, to be future-ready."