Ferry Service between Tuticorin & Colombo to Resume by End March. Twice a Week Service Started in June 2011 Stopped in November 2011 due to Technical & Operational Reasons

17th March 2012, www.sundaytimes.lk

The ferry service between Tuticorin and Colombo is expected to resume either by March end or in the first week of April, A. Subbiah, Chairman V. O. Chidambaranar Port Trust was quoted by the Hindu.

Efforts are being made by the port agency, vessel operators and other stakeholders to resume the ferry operations between the two countries.

Most probably, it would resume before April 14, Mr. Subbiah expressed hope.

The international ferry service between India and Sri Lanka  after Union Minister of Shipping, G.K. Vasan, flagged off the service at the VOC Port. A nine-deck ‘Scotia Prince,’ the passenger vessel chartered by Flemingo Liners twice a week between Tuticorin and Colombo and vice-versa, stopped its voyage abruptly during November, 2011 for some technical and operational reasons.

The problems encountered by the operators had been addressed and they had also submitted a commitment letter to the port authorities, which indicates the early resumption of the ferry service.

As many as 12, 240 passengers boarded the vessel on journey until its  last voyage on November 18, 2011, Mr. Subbiah said.

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• Sri Lanka India Ferry Service Allows cars to be Brought in under Flemingo Liners' Drive In Drive Out Facility

• Sri Lanka India Ferry Service between Colombo and Tuticorin to Start on February 28 with a 500 Passenger Capacity. 100kg Baggage Allowance Given
 
• Visakhapatnam in East coast of India to be Connected to Colombo by Direct Flight & to Trincomalee by Ferry Service

Sri Lanka India Ferry Service Allows cars to be Brought in under Flemingo Liners' Drive In Drive Out Facility

07th July 2011, www.news360.lk

With a view to provide tourists visiting Colombo via a ship from Tuticorin with a unique holiday experience, Flemingo Liners, the international passenger ferry service operating in the sector, has launched a “Drive in-Drive out” facility on its vessel Scotia Prince.

According to the ferry operator, this new facility will enable tourists to take their vehicles with them on the ferry and drive around at the destination.

The first passengers to avail of this facility on board the Scotia Prince were two Australians who used the facility to travel from India to Sri Lanka. They had obtained the certificate from the Australian Automobile Association.

P K Thimmayya, CEO, Flemingo Liners, said, “We are happy to add a new dimension to the travel itinerary and are hopeful that this will open up an entirely new category of clientele who would like to travel with their own car into Sri Lanka and vice versa.”

“The vehicles would be checked inside the ship as registered baggage which the passenger can then claim on reaching their destination,” he said.

To avail this facility, passengers (tourists) need to obtain the ‘Carnet de Passage’ document (costing around Rs 5,000) from the Automobile Association of India. On reaching Sri Lanka, the passengers should approach the local Automobile

Association to obtain a temporary registration certificate to go around the country in the vehicle.

Tourists should bear in mind that they should return within six months to a year and must provide a bank guarantee. The tourists need to be a member of the Automobile Association, which would charge Rs 4,412 for a lifetime membership.

They also need to get their vehicles inspected and have to declare the tools they are taking with them.

Related Info :

• Sri Lanka India Ferry Service between Colombo and Tuticorin to Start on February 28 with a 500 Passenger Capacity. 100kg Baggage Allowance Given

• Visakhapatnam in East coast of India to be Connected to Colombo by Direct Flight & to Trincomalee by Ferry Service

Colombo-Tutticorin Ferry from February. Seven Hour Daily Run at a Fare 30pct Less than Air Ticket

09th January 2011, www.sundayobserver.lk, By Shirajiv Sirimane

The much awaited ferry service between Colombo and Tutticorin will commence next month. The MoU in this regard was singed last Friday.

The service will operate on a daily basis with India ferring four vessels and Sri Lanka three. Minister of Ports and Highways, Rohitha Abeygunawrdane said that Ceylon Shipping Corporation has been nominated to operate the service from Sri Lanka.

He said that each vessel would be able to carry around 300 to 400 passengers. "The fare would be around 30 percent less than an air ticket," he said. Each passenger would also be allowed to carry 100 kilograms and the journey would take around seven hours. Meals will be provided on board.

Minister said that the Colombo harbour passenger terminal is now neglected and it would be completely refurbished by the end of this month.

"We will also introduce an immigration and emigration office similar to the Colombo airport," he said. In addition special arrangements would be made for passengers to enter and exit from the port without a hassle," he said.

Currently tickets will be available from the Shipping Corporation and soon they would also be issued to travel agents and web booking too is also on the cards. Minister said the under the second stage, a ferry service from Rameshwaran to Talaimannar will commence by the end of the year," he said.

Image: Secretary to the Ministry of Ports and Highways Mrs. Sujatha Cooray and Indian High Commissioner Mr. Ashok K. Kantha signed the MoU between Sri Lanka and India on Passenger Transport by Sea in the presence of President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the Temple Trees on 7th January 2011. Deputy Minister of Ports and Highways Rohitha Abeygunawardena, Secretary and other officials of the Ministry, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority Dr. Priyath B. Wickrama, and Deputy High Commissioner were also present at the event. Picture by: Sudath Silva. (Courtesy of www.priu.gov.lk).

Related Info:
• India Sri Lanka Ferry Service to Start in February 2011. 500 Passenger Ferry to be Deployed for 12Hour Colombo - Tuticorin Run

Sri Lanka India Ferry Service between Colombo-Tuticorin and Talaimannar-Rameswaram to Start

15th October 2010, www.lankabusinessonline.com

India and Sri Lanka have agreed on and initialled a draft agreement to resume ferry services between the two neighbours that was disrupted by the island's ethnic war, a statement said.

"The two sides agreed on the text of the Memorandum of Understanding for passenger transportation by sea between the two countries and initialed the text of the MoU," the Indian High Commission statement said.

The deal came during a visit to Sri Lanka by a delegation led by K Mohandas, Secretary to India's Ministry of Shipping during October 14-15 for talks with Sri Lanka's Ministry of Ports on passenger transportation by sea between the two countries.

"The MoU would be signed by the two countries after the necessary internal processes are completed, following which ferry services between Colombo and Tuticorin and Talaimannar and Rameswaram can be put in place," the statement said.

A ferry service operated between Talaimannar on Sri Lanka's north-west coast and Rameshwaram in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu before the ethnic war.

The 30-year war ended in May 2009 paving the way for the resumption of the ferry service as well as a new one between Colombo port and the port of Tuticorin also in south India.

Sri Lanka India Ferry Service between Talaimannar & Rameshwaram to Resume

21st August 2010, www.lankabusinessonline.com

India and Sri Lanka have prepared the draft of an agreement to resume ferry services across the narrow strip of water separating the two countries, the Indian envoy in Colombo said. "We've finalised the draft of the agreement," Indian high commissioner Ashok Kantha said.

"The two countries have in principle agreed on starting the ferry services."

The proposal is to revive a ferry service disrupted by the island's ethnic war and start new services.

The ethnic war, which ended in May 2009, disrupted the ferry service between Talaimannar, on Sri Lanka's north-west, and Rameshwaram, in south India.

India is giving a loan to Sri Lanka to rebuild a rail track to Talaimannar with the contract being awarded to IRCON, an Indian government-owned firm.

The two countries also plan to start ferry services between Colombo port and the southern Indian ports of Cochin and Tuticorin, Kantha said.

Sri Lanka Tourism Sees Fast Recovery. Tourist Arrivals up 31.9 pct in January Alone

06th March 2010, www.lankabusinessonline.com

Over half-a-million tourists are expected to visit Sri Lanka this year as the travel trade bounces back strongly from the effects of a war with hotels so heavily booked that some are even refusing new reservations till end of March, officials said.

Tourism authorities have planned an aggressive global promotion campaign to lure visitors with events like night surfing and also attempts to tap the Sri Lankan diaspora to spread the word about the island's attractions.

With tourist arrivals up 31.9 percent in January alone from a year ago, the authorities expect the total number of visitors this year to increase by 25 - 30 percent given post-war revivals elsewhere.

"If you look at countries like Croatia and Vietnam, they experienced immediate growth in the tourism sector after the war end," says Dileep Mudadeniya, managing director of Sri Lanka Tourist Promotion Bureau.

Sri Lanka's 30-year ethnic war ended in May 2009, resulting in an immediate increase in tourist arrivals.

The revival has prompted international agencies to offer help to modernize tourism infrastructure.

Japan International Corporation Agency has offered 20 million US dollars to improve infrastructure in five towns that tourists frequently visit; Anuradhapura and Sigiriya in the north-central area, Nuwara Eliya and Kandy in the central hills, and Negombo on the west coast.

The World Bank is providing 18 million dollars 'capacity building' in tourism-related programs.

Mudadeniya said almost all hotels were running at 99-100 percent occupancy rates during the main winter season in the last three or four months and forward bookings are encouraging.

"I was told that 20 to 30 hotels are closed for any kind of new reservations till the end of March because they are fully booked."

The Tourism Promotion Bureau is promoting the country under its 'Visit Sri Lanka 2011' campaign highlighting the beaches, ruined cities, hilly resorts and wildlife parts that can all be experienced on the island in a short time.

"As a result of the diverse attractions we have within a small area, our intention is to promote all these areas to make sure that tourists can experience it all," Mudadeniya said.

The marketing campaign includes international promotions on leading TV stations like CNN and BBC and social networking services.

A string of events have been planned, starting from the week-long surf festival in Arugam Bay in the east, to an arts and craft festival in Sigiriya in June and a beach festival at Hikkaduwa in July.

Other international events include a jazz festival, the 'Colombo Fashion Week', a design festival and an international chess tournament.

Mudadeniya said there is also potential for the growth of cruise tourism.

"Sri Lanka, Maldives and India can provide good destinations for the cruise liners."

Louis Cruises is expected to resume calls from October this year.

Sri Lanka's newest attempt at MICE tourism, (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Events) is the use of the 'Jetliner', a passenger ferry once used for transporting troops, as a floating venue.

The vessel is fully booked till the end of March.

The authorities are looking at the Indian market to promote Sri Lanka as a convention centre for the Indian corporate sector.

Related Info:
Sri Lanka Tourist Arrivals