After 4 decades, India and Sri Lanka "revive" ferry services

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe attended the inauguration ceremony of a ferry connecting the two countries on October 14.

Phà cao tốc Cheriyapani có 50 hành khách, 12 thủy thủ đoàn và thuyền trưởng Biju George trên tàu.

On the inaugural day, the high-speed ferry Cheriyapani made its maiden voyage to Sri Lanka with 50 passengers, a captain and 12 crew members. (Source: Siasat)

The ferry service runs between Nagapattinam on the east coast of India's Tamil Nadu state and Kankesanthurai near Jaffna in Sri Lanka's Northern Province, marking a "resurrection" after a nearly 40-year hiatus due to civil war in the island nation known as the Pearl of the Indian Ocean.

In his online speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized: “Connectivity is not just about bringing two cities closer together, it is also about bringing our countries closer together, our people closer together and our hearts closer together.”

Recalling Nagapattinam's rich maritime trade history as well as the song Sindhu Nadhiyin Misai about the bridge connecting the two countries by famous Tamil poet Subramania Bharati, the Indian leader asserted: "The ferry service brings alive all those historical and cultural connections."

The Prime Minister also gave a broader view on India's cooperation with Sri Lanka, saying that fintech, energy and digital payments are potential areas of mutual benefit.

In his video message, President Wickremesinghe called this an important step towards enhancing connectivity between India and Sri Lanka.

“People from both countries have been travelling across the Palk Strait for many years… The ferry services were suspended earlier due to the civil war in Sri Lanka. Now the connection has been re-established,” he said.

The high-speed ferry operated by the Shipping Corporation of India has a capacity of 150 passengers. The distance of about 60 nautical miles (110 km) between Nagapattinam and Kankesanthurai will take about 3.5 hours to travel depending on sea conditions.

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