Kerala’s first partly air-conditioned ferry, which is also the fastest one in the State, is set to take the plunge on November 4 on the 35-km Vaikom-Ernakulam-Fort Kochi route.
The vessel owned by the State Water Transport Department (SWTD) can accommodate 40 passengers in its AC cabin and 80 in the non-AC area. The journey time between Vaikom and Ernakulam Boat Jetty is estimated to be 90 minutes, as compared to around two hours taken by buses operating on the stretch, said SWTD Director Shaji V. Nair.
Minister for Finance T.M. Thomas Isaac and Minister for Transport A.K. Saseendran are expected to be present at the vessel’s inaugural run from Vaikom.
The fare for non-AC seats is expected to hover around ₹40, lower than the bus fare. The AC ticket fare will be lower than that of AC low-floor buses. Apart from regular commuters, tourists are expected to patronise the vessel, considering the comfortable and reasonably-priced ride through the serene and picturesque stretch that is part of the National Waterway III, SWTD sources said.
Stoppages
The vessel that can attain a speed of up to 14 knots (around 25 km per hour) is expected to halt at a terminal near Indo-American Hospital near Vaikom, Aroor, and Thevara en route. Meanwhile, efforts are on to extend the SWTD’s Kakkanad-Vyttila ferry service to Thevara, coinciding with the Vaikom ferry’s arrival, to benefit those who want to reach Vyttila and Kakkanad.
The speed trials of the ₹1.85-crore Indian Register of Shipping-class vessel are over, and it will conduct a trial run on the Vaikom-Fort Kochi (Kamalakadavu Jetty) stretch on Wednesday. Though the seating capacity is 120, it can safely carry up to 250 people, since it will be the biggest ferry in Kerala, sources said.
The catamaran-type, twin-engine ferry will operate a return trip to Vaikom in the evening. In between, it will operate multiple trips in the Ernakulam-Fort Kochi sector.
Sandith Thandassery, CEO of Navgathi Marine, which designed and built the vessel, said it was 40 % more fuel-efficient than conventional ferries. “It is the fastest inland ferry in the State and adheres to fire and other safety specifications for vessels. It also needs a draft of around one metre, whereas NW-III has around 2-metre depth,” he added.
The ferry, made of fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP), has a very efficient hull form that enables it to move at up to 14 knots speed with just two 170 BHP engines, Mr. Sandith added.
Solar ferry
NavAlt, a joint venture between Navgathi and two other firms, had designed and built India’s first solar ferry for the SWTD. It operates 22 trips daily on the Vaikom-Thavanakadavu route. “The operational cost [apart from salary for crew and maintenance expenses] is less than ₹200 a day, as compared to the fuel expense of ₹7,000 for ferries that are run on diesel,” SWTD sources said.
