Parliament Question: New Passenger Ships

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4803 ANSWERED ON 20.03.2026 NEW PASSENGER SHIPS 4803. SHRI MUHAMMED HAMDULLAH SAYEED: Will the Minister of PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS be pleased to state: प(cid:517)न,पोत प(cid:303)रवहन और जलमाग(cid:330) मं(cid:361)ी (a) whether any new passenger ships have been sanctioned/acquired for Lakshadweep during the past ten years, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; (b) the current status, age and operational condition of existing passenger ships serving the Lakshadweep islands; (c) whether the Government has received complaints/faced operational challenges due to shortage or aging of passenger vessels; and (d) the steps being taken by the Government to ensure adequate, safe and reliable passenger ship connectivity including any proposals for procurement of new passenger ships for residents and tourists in the said UT? ANSWER MINISTER OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS (SHRI SARBANANDA SONOWAL) (a) to (d) The Union Territory of Lakshadweep Administration (UTLA) has informed that it operates 05 all weather passengers ships and 06 High Speed Crafts (HSCs) fair weather vessels. All these are operational except one (MV Kavaratti) which is dry docked at present. These ships/ HSCs are operational since 10 – 18 years. The details including current statusof existing passenger ships serving in Lakshadweep Islands are as under : Sl. Name of the Ship/ Type of Ship Capacity Current No. Vessel in pax. Status 1. MV Kavaratti All Weather Passenger 700 Dry Docked Ship 2. MV Corals All Weather Passenger 400 Operational Ship 3. MV Lagoons All Weather Passenger 400 OperationalShip 4. MV Arabian Sea All Weather Passenger 250 Operational Ship 5. MV Lakshadweep All Weather Passenger 250 Operational Sea Ship 6. HSC Parali High Speed Craft 150 Operational 7. HSC Valiyapani High Speed Craft 150 Operational 8. HSC Cheriyapani High Speed Craft 150 Operational 9. HSC Skipjack High Speed Craft 50 Operational 10. HSC Blue Marlin High Speed Craft 50 Operational 11. HSC Black Marlin High Speed Craft 50 Operational Efforts made in the past to acquire new ships by construction/ chartering of vessels could not materialize owing to issues like high capital expenditure, long gestation period involved in shipbuilding, evolving operational requirements and specific operational constraints such as open sea conditions, lack of berthing facilities in most islands and requirement of specialized all weather vessels. UTLA is now acquiring a vessel of 1200 Pax. being constructed at Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), Kochi with suitable modification. *****