Thursday Apr 25, 2024
Thursday Apr 25, 2024
Monday, 26 August 2013 00:10 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The launch ceremony was attended by PSA-UTLA Director Shri P. Migdad, Capt. Venunath PMS LDCL, SB-SCI Vice President Shri B.P. Rai, TS&SB SCI General Manager Shri. B. Chakravarty, DM – SCI V. Lalitha Devi and Indian High Commission Counsellor – Economic and Commercial Shri Manish.
Chairman A. Nakauchi, MD/CEO Mangala Yapa, GM (P&E) D.V. Abeysinghe, Special Projects Manager S.D. Gilbert and senior management and the project management team of the Colombo Dockyard graced this momentous occasion as well.
The vessel will now move in to the next stage of the construction process, where it will be outfitted with machinery, piping, electrical, automation, navigation, communications and accommodation items.
Once the vessel is completed, it will be deployed to cater to the increased traffic en-route from the Main Land (Cochin) to UTL Islands, as well as in the inter-island routes. The addition of this vessel will ease the movement of passengers especially during peak season.
The vessel is designed by world renowned ship design company Global Maritime Brevik AS of Norway, (formerly known as GL Noble Denton/ Brevik Engineering) and the detailed design engineering is performed by Neilsoft Ltd. of India. This cooperation enabled the convergence of specialists in their respective fields to achieve the best design solutions and Colombo Dockyard performed the arduous task of product realisation.
The vessel is dually classed, meeting the class rules of Lloyds Register of Shipping and the Indian Register of Shipping as well as the statutory rules applicable for a vessel of this type.
The vessel shall be powered by two Japanese made YANMAR main engines each developing a propulsive power of 1920 kW, driving two Swedish-made BERG Controllable Pitch Propellers with 3 metre diameter. This combination provides a high level of manoeuvrability, optimum efficiency and economic operation for the vessel.
The accommodation spaces in this vessel shall consist of, private space, office space, sanitary space, catering space and other spaces. Passengers will have different categories of accommodation. There will be 10 first class, 40 second class and 350 normal class passenger transportation facilities. All passenger compartments shall 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.
A well designed and laid out wheelhouse is to provide excellent visibility of the horizon, where the master and the bridge crew will have unobtrusive view right around the vessel for ease of navigability. Navigation and communication electronic equipment shall be predominately supplied by European and Japanese makers to increase reliability and to ensure uninterrupted spare part and service support during the life span of the vessel. The vessel so designed, shall be a perfect blend of high tech and elegance, and could be considered as one of the most environmentally friendly vessels to be built by Colombo Dockyard, which indeed will be a positive feature considering the un-spoilt terrain of the Lakshadweep administration in which these vessels are intended to be operated.
As the vessel’s hull design has been based on slender outlines, the vessel features very low fuel consumption and shall have outstanding manoeuvring and sea keeping capabilities with low noise and vibration levels which will also increase the comfort of the passengers and crew of the vessel. The Vessel is to be manned by a crew of 69 who will also be provided with comfortable and elegant living quarters matching the world standards available on a vessel of this class.
Pix by Daminda Harsha Perera
