Akvotransiro

01/08/2026

We designed the "Gharial" primarily as a shallow-water rescue and patrol boat. It carries 6–8 people, weighs just 110 kg, and costs less than an inflatable boat with the same carrying capacity. Unlike an inflatable, it is virtually capsize-proof, unsinkable, easily stackable for storage, quick to transport, and can be deployed by just four people. Built from bamboo composites, it is also far more sustainable and largely biodegradable.

Yet, nobody in the state, neither the government nor the private sector, showed the slightest interest in what we had built. Government departments in other states expected a 50–100% markup in the form of bribes. We refused.

The only persistent enquiries we received were freeloaders wanting free boats, resort owners and fishery operators promising us "exposure," and the usual Bolero-driving NGO "jholawallas" pleading poverty.

The most exasperating conversations, however, were with those who smugly and falsely claimed that traditional wooden village boats cost only ₹10,000–20,000 where they lived, as though that somehow made our design overpriced.

Now, as devastating floods once again ravage Assam, a district official reportedly requested 100 rescue boats, only to be told by the Chief Minister that the state does not even possess 100 rescue boats in total.

Ironically, the same Chief Minister spent 10–15 minutes visiting paint and generator stalls at an exhibition, companies that do not even manufacture or package those products in Assam, while walking straight past our stall with nothing more than a passing, "I shall personally visit you."

So, to those who insisted that ₹10,000–20,000 village boats were readily available, where are they now? Why are they not rescuing stranded families and livestock?

And to the administration, if it is possible to spend ₹10–20 lakh on yet another conference in a five-star hotel, is it really so difficult to maintain an adequate stock of rescue boats? Floods are no longer just a rural problem. They are an urban one as well.

Preparedness should not begin only after disaster strikes.

Hashtags and prayers don't save lives and livestock, but boats do.

24/07/2026

Pray for Assam! Sing songs for Assam!

Well, Assam floods are back in the news. People are drowning, livestock going missing in rural areas, a two hour cloudburst in the capital city result in a 12 hour knee-waist deep deluge.

As always rescue boats are missing or in short supply.
But, prayers don't save livestock and people - only boats do.

And yet absolutely nobody in Assam expressed any interest in our low-cost and sustainable bamboo composite boats for flood relief. Not a single government officer turned up to even see, forget take a ride on our boats.

Resort owners and large fishery owners shamelessly asked for free boats promising to give us "exposure." While village and suburban people usually started their conversations with "we can get local boats for 10K at our place, why are you boats so expensive?" When our boats were half the price or less than fiberglass boats and half their weight.

Finally, land grab mafia goons in cahoots with the local police took over our site we were using at Dharapur, leaving all work paralyzed, trial boats and raw material abandoned, tools pilfered.

Five years of sweat, toil and global standard pioneering and internationally recognized innovation effort all made especially for our home state simply went down the drain.

Earlier, the IT team of the Minister of Ports and Shipping, the ex-Cm of Assam had blocked us on linkedin for tagging him in our posts.

The end result - tired, broke, disillusioned, we were forced to close our R&D unit and are now working on how to transfer our bamboo composite technology to other fields like architecture and outside of the state or the country.

Joi Ai Asom indeed!

www.akvotransiro.co.in

Jayanta Mallabaruah
Himanta Biswa Sarma
All Assam Students' Union - AASU
Akhil Gogoi
Gaurav Gogoi

02/05/2026

Despite being in hibernation, with all worked stalled due to the rainy weather, poor personal health issues, domestic care-giving responsibilities and lately with our yard and workshop being taken over by land grabbing mafia hoods, some wheels are still in spin. Presenting our poster that featured in the recently concluded Wind Europe 2026 in Madrid. https://windeurope.org/annual2026/conference/posters/PO014/

01/04/2026

Wind Europe 2026, Madrid.

22/02/2026

We had been talking about low-cost shallow water Bamboo composite Ambulances for years. We have a purpose-made Ambulance boat design ready. Yet is anyone even interested or listening?

12/02/2026

The wind industry has already changed the energy landscape. Now it has the opportunity to close its own loop. Not through expensive destruction. But through intelligent reuse.
From wind power generation…to waterborne mobility.
This is not just recycling.
This is a partnership. https://youtu.be/Jx0iXJc8DU0?si=5WJLLkPOqW8vQOUw

26/12/2025

WindEurope 2026 – Madrid

We’re excited to share that Akvotransiro will be at WindEurope 2026 in Madrid!

This global gathering is a unique chance for us to connect with industry leaders, present our poster and video, exchange insights on our journey so far, and learn from the very best in wind energy. It’s all about staying at the cutting edge of innovation and helping shape the future of the sector.

Join us in Madrid – we look forward to seeing you there.


— with WindEurope.

25/12/2025

23/12/2025

An article on our Wind2Water project : Upcycling end-of-life wind turbine blades into low-cost, modular catamaran hulls - by our Founder, Ravi J. Deka, has been published in the JEC Composites Magazine, January 2026 issue.
The process focuses on direct re-use rather than energy-intensive recycling, resulting in a solution that is genuinely low-cost, scalable, and among the lowest-carbon pathways available for composite waste. It captures the practical essence of the circular economy, not just the rhetoric, and has the capacity of modernising the coastal and inland water transportation of developing countries with safe affordable vessels.

The digital edition of the magazine is available on the JEC Composites website.

14/11/2025

It's a rare honour for us to written about by a composite technology and materials expert of the stature of Ned Patton. A former Northrop Grumman engineer and a leading consultant in the field of composites, his blog is one of the most respect source of information and to learn about the latest technologies and developments in this sector.

, , , , , received my November Issue of the Composites World magazine (electronically of course) this week and as usual it had a couple of interesting developments in the world of composite materials sustainability, one of wh...