Cochin Shipyard Limited has delivered a second 500-passenger vessel, Nalanda, to the Andaman and Nicobar Administration.
The protocol signing and handing over ceremony was held aboard the vessel at Cochin Shipyard. The ship would mainly ply between the islands of Andaman and Nicobar and can ferry 150 tonnes of essential goods to remote islands.
The protocol documents were signed by Mahinder Singh, representing the A&N administration, and AN Neelakandan, Chief General Manager (Planning and Project Management).
Danish naval architects Knud E Hansen collaborated with an Indian partner, Smart Engineering and Design Solution, Kochi, for the vessel’s design.
CSL, with facilities on India’s east and west coast, including a new facility in Andaman, will provide full lifecycle support for the vessel’s efficient operation.
The vessel, which can cruise at 16 knots, meets the standards of the Indian Register of Shipping and American Bureau of Shipping, as also the Indian Merchant Shipping rules, and is customised for Indian requirements with safety and comfort factors comparable to international standards.
The vessel, with a 61-member crew, has deluxe cabins, first class and second class cabins, bunk class and seating class, a. modern cafeteria, recreation rooms, gymnasium, and library, among other amenities.