TIRUCHY: Owing to the demand for more ferry services to Sri Lanka from Nagapattinam, another service is set to commence in January 2025, officials from the Subham Shipping Corporation said in Nagapattinam.
As the already functioning service has earned good patronage from the people, the shipping company has decided to connect the two countries with another service.
To strengthen the cultural ties between the people of the two countries and to provide the opportunity to experience the traditions, foods, and languages, a high-speed passenger ferry ‘Cheriyapani’ was inaugurated on October 14, 2023, from Nagapattinam to Kankesanthurai in Sri Lanka.
However, the service was stopped in the same month owing to several issues including rough weather conditions due to the northeast monsoon.
Meanwhile, there were demands to resume the ferry service. While the ‘Cheriyapani’ showed the least interest in resuming the service, Shubham Shipping Corporation expressed interest in commencing the same service from Nagapattinam to Sri Lanka.
The corporation commenced ferry service ‘Sivaganga’ on August 16, 2024, with 150-passenger capacity. The service is currently being operated for five days a week.
It sets sail at 8 am from Nagapattinam and reaches Kankesanthurai in Sri Lanka at noon. The return trip starts at 2 pm from Kankesanthurai and reaches Nagapattinam at 6 pm. Almost all the services were operated at full capacity.
Against such a backdrop, the traders and tourists from India as well as from Sri Lanka demanded an increase in the number of services.
Heeding to the demands, the Subham Shipping Corporation has planned to operate one more ferry with a 250-passenger capacity from January.
The decision was disclosed during a conference held in Nagapattinam a couple of days back by Subham Shipping services captain RK Singh in the presence of the cooperation nodal officer Geeetha Rajarajan. The captain assured employment to local fishers with proper training.