Kochi-Kozhikode service: High-speed ship gathers dust

KOZHIKODE: A high-speed cruise was a promise made by the state government in association with the District Tourism Promotion Council a year ago. It collaborated with a Dubai-based Cruise Company and a cruise ship was brought to Kochi port, but this high speed hydrofoil ship service is still a non-starter. The ship that assured services between Kochi and Kozhikode covering the distance in three hours, as compared to a bus ride that takes a minimum of 5 or 6 hours from Ernakulam to Kozhikode, is yet to complete procedures for the machinery survey. 

It is also still waiting for pending machinery from Sweden to come to Kochi. In addition to these technical issues, the Vengali fishing harbour that was meant to be the halting point for the ship at Kozhikode, is incomplete.  In fact, only 30 percent of work is completed.    Aswin Prathap, District Port Officer said, “There were great expectations from the cruise, which would be the first high-speed water transport facility introduced in our region”.

Since it is a private company, it is finding it difficult to complete procedures. A few months ago, after one of its engine’s clearance tests, the cruise did not get permission to move ahead to the next stage due to incomplete engine work, he pointed out. DTPC mainly sees the ship as making it possible for hassle-free and leisure travel for tourists coming to Kozhikode and Ernakulam in large numbers from around the globe.