Proposals to be called for Colombo-Tuticorin ferry service
View(s):A ferry service between Colombo and Tuticorin would soon be a real possibility with the Colombo Shipping Corporation (CSC) planning to call for local and international bids under PPP (public-private partnership) on or before January 15, 2017.
CSC officials said the plan, part of a SAARC initiative, is likely to receive support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
These were some of the measures that emerged at the ‘Expert Group Meeting’ organised by SAARC/ADB on “Indian Ocean Cargo and Passenger Ferry Services” held on December 1-2 in Colombo.
The finalised report of the meeting was handed over to Secretary to the Ministry of Ports and Shipping L P Jayampathy at the closing ceremony by Ali Haider Altaf, Director and representative of the Secretary General of SARRC, according to a CSC media release.
The launch of Indian Ocean cargo and passenger ferry services between SAARC region countries was originally recommended at the Fourth Meeting of the SAARC Inter-Governmental Group on Transport which was held in New Delhi in 2010. It was initially proposed to commence on a sub-regional basis including India, Maldives and Sri Lanka and to connect ports along the South Asian coastal line from Karachi to Mongla / Chittagong.
SAARC together with ADB funded the project to identify the most appropriate methodology to start a ferry service connecting Maldives, Sri Lanka and India with required technical assistance/consultancy services for the feasibility study.
This week’s meeting deliberated on the views/comments in order to finalise the recommendations and commence a ferry service connecting regional ports, at the earliest.
There have been various private attempts to start a ferry service between India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives but the initial efforts have not progressed to the next level.