Sri Lanka Dockyard lays keel for new passenger ship for Lakshadweep

Kavaratti: Sri Lankan shipbuilder Colombo Dockyard has laid the keel for the first of a pair of passenger vessels for the government of India to be deployed to connect its Lakshadweep islands with the mainland.

The vessel, with a capacity to carry 400 passengers and 250 tonnes of cargo, would be bigger than a pair built for India (Lakshadweep) a year ago and be the largest yet to be built by the yard, a statement said.

The two vessels are for the Administration of Union Territory of Lakshadweep, India, and will cater to increased traffic from Cochin port to the UTL islands, as well as in the inter island routes.

"The addition of these vessels will ease the movement of passengers especially during peak season," The vessel will have a crew of 69. Colombo Dockyard earlier built two passenger vessels for Lakshadweep, M.V. Arabian Sea and M.V . Lakshadweep Sea.


The new ship will be 10 first class 40 second class and 350 normal class passenger transportation facilities. All passenger compartments will be fully air conditioned using an air conditioning system consisting of central air handling unit and refrigerating plant designed on the basis of environment friendly refrigerant chilled water system.


Some salient features are

Principal particulars

Length overall      – 97.00 m              

Breadth moulded – 17.00 m              

Depth                     -   9.20 m

Design Draft          -   4.20 m

Passenger Accommodation

First Class               – 10 persons

Second Class         – 40 persons

Bunk Class             – 350 persons

Crew                       – 69 persons

Capacities

Fuel Oil                  – 400 T

Fresh Water          – 450 T

Dry Cargo              – 200 T

Lube Oil                 – 15 T

Deadweight           – 1200 DWT

Performance

Speed                     – 15 knots

Deadweight           – 725 Tonnes

Endurance             – 10 days @ 15 knots

Power

Main Engines        – 2 x YANMAR each dev. 1920 kW 

Propulsion             – 2 x BERG CPP 3 m diameter

Classification         – Lloyds Register/ Indian Register

This is another milestone for Lakshadweep and fast developing under the UPA Government.