India-Sri Lanka passenger ferry service to begin on February 15

• One-way trip costs SL Rs. 26,750, round trip is SL Rs. 53,500

By Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama

The passenger ferry service between India’s Nagapattinam and Kankesanthurai (KKS) in Jaffna will be initiated on February 15, the Ports, Shipping and Aviation Minister said.  

The Indian government has reportedly granted permission to resume services on February 15, and hence the initial programmes to initiate the service have been completed.  
However, the official launch of the ferry service was held on October 20, 2023, with the ‘Cheriyapani’ passenger ferry arriving at the Kankesanthurai port, thus resuming the ferry service between the two countries after a 40-year hiatus.  

The inaugural voyage of the ‘Cheriyapani’ passenger ferry was commemorated with a plaque exchange.  

The ‘Cheriyapani’ is a high-speed vessel measuring 35 metres in length and 9.6 metres in beam, with a capacity to accommodate 150 passengers, and owned by the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI).   

The journey from Nagapattinam to Kankesanthurai port takes approximately four hours and is priced at Sri Lankan Rupees 26,750 for a one-way trip and SL Rs. 53,500 for a round trip 

• The ‘Cheriyapani’ is a high-speed vessel measuring 35 metres in length and 9.6 metres in beam, with a capacity to accommodate 150 passengers