Government identifies new routes for Ferry, RO-RO services

The union government has identified new routes for ferry and RO-RO services to promote coastal shipping and boost tourism in the areas. The new routes will cover destinations such as Hazira, Okha, Jamnagar and Somnath Temple.

The new routes along with six international routes have been identified under the Shipping Ministry's flagship programme - Sagarmala Project.

The move aims to promote port-led development in the country by harnessing India's 7,500 km-long coastline and navigable waterways

Key Highlights

•The domestic destinations identified by the government for the ferry services include Hazira, Okha, Somnath Temple, DIU, PIPAVAV, Dahej, Mumbai/JNPT, Jamnagar, Kochi, Ghogha, Goa, Mundra and Mandvi. The ferry services will begin in these destinations through inland waterways.

•The government has also identified six international routes, which will connect 4 international destinations including Chattogram in Bangladesh, Seychelles and Madagascar in East Africa and Jaffna in Sri Lanka with major Indian coastal port towns.

•The Shipping Ministry will facilitate the ferry, RO-RO (Roll-on Roll-off) and RO-PAX services on various routes across the nation through the Sagarmala Development Company Ltd (SDCL). The Ministry will also provide the required support to make the project operational.

Ferry Service between Hazira- Ghogha

•The Shipping Ministry had recently implemented one such ferry service by deploying RO-PAX vessel ferry service between Hazira and Ghogha.

•The ferry service has reduced the distance between the two places from 370 km to 90 km and travel time from 10-12 hours to around 5 hours. This will help save almost 9,000 litres of fuel per day.

•The Ministry wants to replicate the success of the above business model and hence, now it is encouraging the private operator to identify the routes that offer potential to commence the RO-RO, RO-PAX ferry service based on localized demand.

Objective

The main objective is to create a supplementary and sustainable mode of the transportation through coastal/inland waterways.