KOCHI: As the soaring airfares on the Kerala - Gulf sector during festive season trigger a debate on alternative travel options, the Kerala Maritime Board (KMB) is offering a glimmer of hope to Keralites working in West Asian countries. The proposal to launch a passenger ship service connecting Kochi and Dubai is in an advanced stage and the KMB is hopeful of introducing the service as a new year gift to the NRKs. KMB chairman N S Pillai said that two operators who attended a meeting with the Shipping Corporation of India(SCI) were in the process of identifying the vessels and once they submitted the documents, they would be granted a licence in four days.
“Once the licence is granted, they can complete the preparations and launch the service within three months,” he told the . “Two business groups have come forward to operate the service and we had a meeting with SCI officials two weeks ago. Both the firms do not possess vessels and they have been asked to charter vessels and submit applications to the Director General of Shipping.
We have been told the licence will be issued within four days once the documentation is over. Then, the operators have to identify travel agencies and complete preparations at the port. It will take three months to launch the service after securing the licence,” said Pillai.
The two companies which have evinced interest in the service are Chennai-based White Shipping and Jabal Ventures, Kozhikode. The biggest challenge is to identify and charter passenger vessels with a capacity to carry 600 to 700 people. Once the operators get the vessel, the proceedings will be expedited.
The operators have to submit an application to DG Shipping with details of the vessel, passenger capacity and other specifications. As per information, one of the operators had identified a cruise ship with a capacity to carry 600 passengers. However, as the speed of the vessel was very low, they proposed to increase the engine power.
However, the SCI authorities said that the process was expensive and time consuming. At the present speed, the vessel will take at least six days to reach Kochi from Dubai. In these circumstances they have dropped the idea and are on the lookout for another vessel.
However, sources said that the minimum ship fare on the Dubai - Kochi sector will be Rs 15,000 for economy class. The ship will have luxury options like business class and recreational facilities. The KMB believes that the ship service will provide a viable alternative to Keralites in the Gulf region if the ship can complete the voyage in three days.
The two companies which have evinced interest in the service are Chennai-based White Shipping and Jabal Ventures, Kozhikode. The biggest challenge is to identify and charter passenger vessels with a capacity to carry 600 to 700 people. Once the operators get the vessel, the proceedings will be expedited.
