The Hindu Business Line : KSINC poised to buy vessel for Vizhinjam-Colombo service

THE State-owned Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation (KSINC) is actively pursuing a proposal to operate a passenger ship service between Vizhinjam and Colombo.

As the first step in this direction, the public sector company plans to acquire a ship. A proposal will be placed before the ensuing board meeting and the corporation will float global tenders for the acquisition of a vessel, Mr K. N. Satheesh, Managing Director, KSINC, told Business Line. The estimated cost of the vessel will be between Rs 35 crore and Rs 50 crore, he added.

The decision to purchase a ship was taken in view of the objections raised by the Director-General of Shipping on the two ships, which the corporation had proposed to take on lease for the purpose.

According to Mr Satheesh, the D.G. Shipping was not satisfied with the safety requirements and the class of the two Panama-registered ships and had demanded vessels with an international voyage permission for the service.

Several financial institutions, including banks, had agreed to extend financial help for the acquisition of the ship, as the feasibility to start such a service had been studied by the Sri Lanka-based Golden Cruise Line two years back.

"If everything goes well, KSINC will be in a position to commence the Vizhinjam-Colombo service within a year," he added. Meanwhile, the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has approached KSINC to prepare a project report for the transportation of petroleum products in barges to the various islands of Lakshadweep from Kochi.

The barge, with a capacity of 1,000 tonnes, will be constructed as a coastal running vessel, with the provision for carrying high speed diesel and kerosene in separate tanks. The construction of the barge is expected to cost Rs 5 crore.

The estimated quantity of petroleum, oil and lubricant products to be transported to the islands is estimated at 25,000 tonnes a year. The same barge could also be used for the movement of petroleum products to Vizhinjam, Beypore and Azheekkal. KSINC is also submitting the necessary project report to IOC.

To augment the capacity for transporting bulk raw materials to FACT, the corporation has proposed to construct two 600-tonne capacity steel barges shortly. Smaller barges have become uneconomical due to stiff competition from private players and therefore bigger barges with a capacity of more than 500 tonnes are considered more viable.

The recent activities in the waterways had also prompted the company to go in for higher capacity barges. He pointed out that KSINC is participating in the development of waterways in the State and has already installed navigational buoys and lights in the NW-3 stretch (between Kochi-Alappuzah and Chambakara-Udyogamandal).

The corporation has also bagged a repeated order from the State Water Transport Department for the construction of eight fibreglass boats and six steel boats in the current fiscal. Work on nine fibre glass boats of 100-passenger capacity each is nearing completion and the boats will be delivered within a few months.

KSINC has also initiated tourism-related activities in a big way and the company is in search of a suitable water body for starting water sports activities such as kayaking, water skiing, pedal boats and wind surfing, he added.

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Travel agents to strike work on April 8

Nalco to resume aluminium ingots exports thru Paradip port

Call to provide proper training to seafarers

Maritime varsity to take shape this fiscal

KSINC poised to buy vessel for Vizhinjam-Colombo service

Rlys conducts first crashworthy test

Summer specials to Bangalore