The Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation (KSINC) will launch ‘Nefertiti’, the State’s first seagoing cruise vessel in December, coinciding with the peak tourist season.
Announcing this here on Friday, KSINC Chairman and Managing Director Tom Jose said the ₹16-crore vessel could carry up to 200 passengers. “It is under construction at a shipyard in Goa, and 60% of the work is over. The three-deck vessel will have a restaurant, auditorium, theatre, and a souvenir shop. It can venture up to 20 nautical miles [36 km] into the sea and can travel at a speed of up to 9 knots [15 km per hour].” The vessel is being built in accordance with the Indian Registry of Shipping (IRS) specifications. It will not have sleeping cabins as it is not meant for overnight cruise. People can charter the fully air-conditioned vessel for hosting parties, events, and conferences. Though the per-person rate is yet to be finalised, it is likely to be in the range of approximately ₹1,500. “A few Keralites have ventured into the sea, though the State has over a 600-km coastline,” Mr. Jose said while speaking to the media on board ‘Fort Queen’, the biggest ferry in Kerala, built by KSINC at its Thopumpady yard.
Ferry service
The Kochi Corporation is slated to take over the vessel in June for conducting services between Fort Kochi and Vypeen. A ramshackle ferry that was being operated in the sector had capsized in 2015 near the Fort Kochi jetty after a fishing boat rammed it, killing 11 passengers.
