MoPSW has identified Domestic locations namely Hazira, Okha, Somnath Temple, DIU, PIPAVAV, Dahej, Mumbai/JNPT, Jamnagar, Kochi, Ghogha, Goa, Mundra and Mandvi and 6 International routes, connecting 4 international destinations namely Chattogram (Bangladesh), Seychelles (East Africa) Madagascar (East Africa) and Jaffna (Sri Lanka) from Indian major coastal port towns for the commencement of ferry services through inland waterways.
MoPSW, through Sagarmala Development Company Limited (SDCL), has allowed for the facilitation of companies to operate RO-RO, RO-PAX and Ferry services on various routes across the nation and provide the required support to make the project operational.
MOPSW has recently implemented one such ferry routes by deploying RoPAX vessel ferry service between Hazira and Ghogha. This ferry service has reduced the distance between Ghogha and Hazira from 370 Km to 90 Km and travel time from 10 to 12 hours to about 5 hours resulting in huge savings of fuel (approx. 9000 litres per day)
To replicate the success of the above business model, MoPSW is now encouraging the private operator to identify the routes, which offers potential to commence the RO-RO, RO-PAX ferry service based on the localized demand to promote the supplementary and sustainable mode of the transportation through coastal/inland water.
(Published from PIB)