Loss-making State Water Transport Department (SWTD) is doing little to cut operational costs, despite its ferries gulping down almost double the fuel when compared to private ferries that once operated in the same route.
Officials of the department cite relatively more powerful and faster speed of SWTD ferries, their steel body that is heavier than that of wooden boats and the lack of timely maintenance as the main reasons. Even while admitting that fuel could be altered from diesel to cheaper and less-pilferage-vulnerable CNG for Rs. 5 lakh per boat, little is being done in this regard.
Ebenezer Chullikat, who owned four of the 11 ferries that operated in the Ernakulam-Varapuzha sector till 2007, said his vessels consumed 35 to 40 litres of diesel a day per eight-hour shift. “But SWTD vessels needed 70 to 80 litres diesel for covering the same distance. One reason was that our vessels were sleeker than those run by the government,” he said.
A senior official of SWTD’s maintenance wing said private ferries operated at lower speeds to reduce water resistance, thereby, ensuring higher fuel efficiency. “Most private vessels have better design and marginally lesser passenger capacity. They are also better maintained, thus ensuring higher fuel efficiency. Frequent cleaning of fuel pumps, other critical mechanical parts and hull of SWTD vessels will ensure diesel savings.”
Dileep Krishnan, retired associate professor at the Department of Ship Technology, Cusat, who played a key role in designing many vessels that operate in Kochi backwaters, called for optimised design for ferries so that they carried maximum number of commuters using minimal fuel. “Vessels that consume 12 litres of fuel or lesser per hour are ideal. Being lighter than steel, Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) is a better option,” he said.
On steps being taken to rein in operational cost, SWTD Director Shaji Nair said the department’s dry docking maintenance facility at Alappuzha, though delayed by many years, was expected to be commissioned in another three months. “This will provide us with a full-fledged amenity to do major repair of boats, improve their performance and lessen operational expenses,” he said.
On higher operational cost of SWTD vessels, Mr Nair said the department accorded priority to safety and deployed adequate number of crew members as mandated in the Kerala Inland Vessel (KIV) Rules. “Each of our vessels has a driver, a srank, a boat master (conductor) and two lascars. This is not the case with all private boats,” he said.
