John Wilbert and Vikramaditya, Port Blair: In a major development, 500-Passenger capacity Ship MV Nalanda has successfully completed Sea trial at Cochin Shipyard Limited, Kochi and is almost ready to be handed over to the Andaman and Nicobar Administration.
Earlier in the month of May 2021, the Cochin Shipyard Limited had delivered MV Sindhu, to Andaman and Nicobar Administration another 500 passengers cum 150 MT Cargo Vessel built indigenously for Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The Andaman and Nicobar Administration had placed orders for MV Sindhu and MV Nalanda several years back and with the delivery of MV Nalanda, the order was fully executed by CSL. Both the ships are a part of an order from the Andaman and Nicobar Administration under the ‘Make in India’ initiative of the government.
“MV Nalanda will join service at Port Blair post-MMD inspection & registration,” officials of Andaman’s Shipping Services informed.
The ship will play mainly between the groups of islands and can also call at the mainland.
Meanwhile, Andaman Sheekha reporter today spoke to a senior officer of Directorate of Shipping Services in this regard. Talking to Andaman Sheekha the senior officer, who does not want his name to be quoted, said that now the registration of the ship will take place after which a Mercantile Marine Department (MMD) certificate will be given to the ship.
“It will take another 2 to 3 weeks. There is a possibility that in the month of April the ship will be handed over to the Andaman and Nicobar Administration,” he added.
The first ship MV Sindhu is already providing service between various far-flung Islands very efficiently and the arrival of MV Nalanda will be a great help for the people living in far-flung Islands of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
