Lok Sabha Question No. 4803 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-20
Subject: New Passenger Ships
Ministry: PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS
Asked by: Shri Muhammed Hamdullah Sayeed

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4803

ANSWERED ON 20.03.2026

## NEW PASSENGER SHIPS

## 4803. SHRI MUHAMMED HAMDULLAH SAYEED:

## Will the Minister of PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS be pleased to state: पȅन , पोत पįरवहन और जलमागŊ मंũी

- (a) whether any new passenger ships have been sanctioned/acquired for Lakshadweep during the past ten years, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (b) the  current  status,  age  and  operational  condition  of  existing  passenger  ships serving the Lakshadweep islands;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  received  complaints/faced  operational  challenges due to shortage or aging of passenger vessels; and
- (d) the steps being taken by the Government to ensure adequate, safe and reliable passenger ship connectivity including any proposals for procurement of new passenger ships for residents and tourists in the said UT?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS (SHRI SARBANANDA SONOWAL)

(a) to (d) The Union Territory of Lakshadweep Administration (UTLA) has informed that it operates 05 all weather passengers ships and 06 High Speed Crafts (HSCs) fair weather vessels.      All  these  are  operational  except  one  (MV  Kavaratti)  which  is  dry  docked  at present.  These ships/ HSCs are operational since 10 - 18 years.

The details including current statusof existing passenger ships serving in Lakshadweep Islands are as under :

|   Sl. No. | Name of the Ship/ Vessel   | Type of Ship               |   Capacity in pax. | Current Status   |
|-----------|----------------------------|----------------------------|--------------------|------------------|
|         1 | MV Kavaratti               | All Weather Passenger Ship |                700 | Dry Docked       |
|         2 | MV Corals                  | All Weather Passenger Ship |                400 | Operational      |
|         3 | MV Lagoons                 | All Weather Passenger      |                400 | Operational      |

|    |                    | Ship                       |     |             |
|----|--------------------|----------------------------|-----|-------------|
|  4 | MV Arabian Sea     | All Weather Passenger Ship | 250 | Operational |
|  5 | MV Lakshadweep Sea | All Weather Passenger Ship | 250 | Operational |
|  6 | HSC Parali         | High Speed Craft           | 150 | Operational |
|  7 | HSC Valiyapani     | High Speed Craft           | 150 | Operational |
|  8 | HSC Cheriyapani    | High Speed Craft           | 150 | Operational |
|  9 | HSC Skipjack       | High Speed Craft           |  50 | Operational |
| 10 | HSC Blue Marlin    | High Speed Craft           |  50 | Operational |
| 11 | HSC Black Marlin   | High Speed Craft           |  50 | Operational |

Efforts  made  in  the  past  to  acquire  new  ships  by  construction/  chartering  of vessels could not materialize owing to issues like high capital expenditure, long gestation period involved in shipbuilding, evolving operational requirements and specific operational  constraints  such  as  open  sea  conditions,  lack  of  berthing  facilities  in  most islands  and  requirement  of specialized all weather vessels.    UTLA is now acquiring a vessel  of  1200  Pax.  being  constructed  at  Cochin  Shipyard  Limited  (CSL),  Kochi  with suitable modification.

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