Make In India: Cochin Shipyard building 4 modern passenger-cum-cargo vessels for Andamans

Cochin Shipyard Ltd is building four passenger-cum-cargo vessels for the Andaman and Nicobar administration under the 'Make in India' initiative of the centre.

As per orders placed by the island's administration, two of these vessels will have a capacity of 500 persons and 150 tonnes of cargo while the other two will have a capacity of 1,200 persons and a cargo capacity of 1,000 tonnes each.

These vessels will have state-of-the-art facilities for passengers and will comply with the latest international / national rules and regulations. They will be fitted with diesel electric propulsion plants driving two azimuth thrusters for good manoeuvrability.

The smaller vessels of 500 passenger capacity will be ocean going for all weather operation, and be employed in Northern and Southern group of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands or for inter island service. They will also be capable of making occasional voyages between mainland and islands. The construction of these vessels is on.

The construction of the larger set of vessels with 1,200 passenger capacity will start in June 2017. These vessels will ply between mainland and the islands and will also be capable of making international voyages.

The construction of these vessels is going on in full swing and progress is being closely monitored by a committee with members from Cochin Shipyard, Shipping Corporation of India and Andaman and Nicobar Administration with the joint secretary, ministry of shipping as chairman of the committee.

The vessels are expected to enter service ahead of their scheduled delivery in 2020.