The Union Minister of Shipping, Mr. G.K.Vasan has said that work has started on resuming the Rameshwaram-Talaimanar ferry service which was discontinued in the 1980s. He was speaking, after formally launching the much awaited Thoothukudi–Colombo passenger ferry service at V.O. Chidambaranar Port in Tuticorin on Monday.
The Minister pointed out that the event was a historic one for Indian Shipping, particularly for VOC Port and Tamilnadu, since it marked the revival of the service started by V.O.Chidambaranar in 1907.
The vessel operators’ consortium has charted the MV SCOTIA PRINCE on a 10 year concession to operate the ferry service from Tuticorin to Colombo. It is a 8 deck ship that can carry about 1040 passengers. The cruising speed of the vessel is about 19 knots. The distance between Tuticorin and Colombo is about 152 nautical miles and the expected duration of journey is about 10 to 12 hours, said the sources.