COLOMBO : Despite the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Aviation’s recent announcement on resuming passenger ferry services between Sri Lanka and India, Director General of Merchant Shipping Ajith Wijesinghe revealed that a proper ferry was yet to be found to restart operations.
He told The Sunday Morning that although applications had been opened, none of the ferries had met the necessary standards for the service.
According to Wijesinghe, the issue lies in the fact that, despite receiving numerous applications, none of the ferries comply with the regulations set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for high-speed craft.
“There are specific criteria to be met for operating ferries on this international voyage, which involves carrying more than 100 passengers at once. So far, no Sri Lankan company had been able to find a suitable ferry for this type of voyage,” he explained.
Wijesinghe noted that while the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) had conducted a trial, the ferry had subsequently been deployed to different areas.
Additionally, two other companies that had applied had faced issues with the Indian authorities, which were not disclosed. Some Sri Lankan companies that proposed solutions failed to meet the necessary requirements.
However, he added: “They are going to start it. They have mentioned several times that the ferry is ready. The delay is due to issues with the Indian authorities, not from our side. Everything is clear from our end. All necessary trials have been completed.”
Wijesinghe reiterated: “Somebody needs to find a suitable ferry to operate in this region. The Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA), which falls under the Ministry of Ports and Shipping, has completed the infrastructure at Kankesanthurai. The only remaining task is to find a suitable ferry to operate the service.”
The SCI issued an Expression of Interest (EOI) on 3 October 2023, seeking interest for operating a passenger ferry service between Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu and Kankesanthurai in the Jaffna District. The EOI submission deadline was 23 October 2023.
Despite the deadline passing, there has been no confirmation from Indian authorities about interested parties. The EOI is intended to gauge interest and does not commit the SCI to any bidding process.
Eligible operators must have at least three years of experience with passenger vessels and valid ISO certifications, and must not be banned by Indian authorities. They will handle the full investment and operations, with the Tamil Nadu Maritime Board and Sri Lankan authorities providing infrastructure at their respective ports.
Operations were initially set to resume on 13 May through a private company. Previously, the SCI managed the ferry service as part of an Indian Government-led initiative in October 2023.
