Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) delivered the first 500 Pax passenger-cum-150-tonne cargo vessel Sindhu to the Andaman and Nicobar administration on Saturday.
The protocol signing and handing over ceremony was held on board the vessel at the shipyard.
The ship will ply mainly between the groups of islands and can also call at the mainland, said a press release here.
The ship delivered on Saturday is part of a series of four passenger vessels comprising two 500 Pax and two 1,200 Pax at a total order value of about ₹1,400 crore under the ‘Make In India’ initiative of the government.
The second 500 Pax sister vessel, which is under advanced stage of construction, is also expected to join the fleet in the current year.
The protocol documents were signed by Ashutosh Pandey, Director, Shipping Services, representing the Andaman administration, and Sivakumar A., General Manager, CSL, the release said.