India-Sri Lanka ferry service to resume soon
The Morning: The ferry service between India and Sri Lanka was initially launched on 14 October, 2023, with the vessel Cheriyapani, but was suspended just days later due to the northeast monsoon.
The passenger ferry service between Nagapattinam, India and Kankesanthurai, Sri Lanka is expected to resume soon. A trial run was held on Saturday.
The vessel Sivagangai departed Nagapattinam port at 7.30 a.m. on Saturday and reached Sri Lanka by noon. It returned to Nagapattinam by evening. The successful trial signals a potential restart of regular passenger services as early as next week.
Subsequent plans to relaunch it in May this year faced delays and eventual cancellation, leading to disappointment among travellers.
Commenting on the revival of the service, INDSRI Ferry Services Private Limited Managing Director S. Niranjan Nanthagopan said: “This time we are confident about the resumption. We have secured all necessary international certifications and fulfilled the requirements for the international voyage. The ferry has also been upgraded with newer facilities.”
Sivagangai can accommodate 150 passengers and complete the trip in just four hours.
“We will conduct another trial run on Sunday. The exact date of the resumption will be announced in the coming days,” added Nanthagopan.
OSL take:
Sri Lanka and India, which enjoy strong bilateral and trade ties, are now looking at further strengthening connectivity between the two countries that in-turn would expand business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka. While there has been an increase in air connectivity between Sri Lanka and India with talks of developing a land connectivity in the future, the resumption of the ferry service between the two countries would result in the opening up of new business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s Northern Province, due to the close proximity to India supported by a ferry service. Sri Lanka and India already have an operational free trade agreement (FTA) that is to be further strengthened by the proposed ETCA agreement between the two countries. These ties have witnessed the creation of a large number of business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka, creating many collaborations between Indian and Sri Lankan businesses. While India is a key development partner of Sri Lanka, there are many Indian businesses also operating out of Sri Lanka. With Sri Lanka’s ongoing economic expansion, the target of becoming a regional hub and the further strengthening of ties between Sri Lanka and India, more Indian businesses could look at setting up businesses in Sri Lanka and vice versa. Other foreign businesses/investors looking at doing business with India can set up bases in Sri Lanka to engage with India using the close ties enjoyed by Sri Lanka with India.