The "Ro-Pax" ferry service connecting Ghogha in Saurashtra and Dahej in south Gujarat through the Gulf of Cambay will be launched by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on October 27.
A "passengers only" service of the ferry was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in October last year ahead of the Gujarat Assembly polls.
A senior official of the Indigo Seaways Pvt Ltd (ISPL) Thursday said that the Ro-Ro service (roll on-roll off) would begin on October 27 and a Korean-built ship called Voyage Symphony had been tested recently for it.
ISPL, a Surat-based firm, and the Gujarat Maritime Board are operating the project on the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.
Speaking at a press briefing, Chetan Contractor, chairman-managing director of ISPL, said, "Voyage Symphony has a capacity to load around 60 trucks, five to seven buses, 35 to 40 cars and an equal number of bikes. In addition, it can carry 525 passengers."
"We are planning to do six round trips per day. This ferry service would reduce distance via sea route to just 30 kilometres when compared to 300 kilometres by road. The travel time between the two places will come down to just 1.5 hours from around 10 to 12 hours now," he said.
The tariff varies from Rs 4,500 for trucks and buses(empty) to Rs 500 for cars and Rs 250 for two-wheelers, he said.
"Additional charges applicable for cargo shall be Rs 125 per tonne in case of trucks and Rs 2,500 for 36 passengers per bus. The ticket price of a one-way ticket for passengers will range between Rs 200 and Rs 400," Contractor said.
Contractor said that the ferry service would bring about fuel savings, reduce gas emissions and congest roads.
He added that the company was also interested in starting similar services to connect places like Diu, Mumbai, Hazira in Surat, Pipavav and Jafarabad in Amreli, and Kandla in Kutch.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
