Kochi Corporation’s Fort Queen ferry operated by KSINC on the Vypeen-Fort Kochi route has been suspended on 30 June 2023. | Photo credit: THULASI KAKKAT
Nearly three years after it was decommissioned and left to rust, the Kochi Corporation has initiated steps to revive its Fort Queen passenger ship by placing before the council an estimate of ₹ 27.29 lakh for its long-delayed dry dock.
Estimate submitted by Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation Ltd. (KSINC) will be submitted to the Council for approval at its next meeting. The ship operated by KSINC on the Vypeen–Fort Kochi route suspended services on 30 June 2023, by which time ro-ro vessels had been introduced on the route, making shipping largely unviable. Since then, she has remained idle at the KSINC jetty.
“We are planning to re-introduce boat service as an option to move passengers during the break between ro-ro services. We are also exploring the possibility of replacing KSINC as both ro-ro and boat operators, preferably Kochi Metro Rail Limited,” Mayor VK Minimol said.
While the company says the service was suspended after the license expired, KSINC sources countered that it was pulled when the dry dock became overdue, raising concerns about safety and viability issues. “Even with a single ro-ro operating, the shipping service generated a daily collection of barely ₹5,000, causing losses when labor and fuel costs were factored in. Besides, it is logistically not possible to operate shipping from Vypeen jetty alongside two ro-ro vessels,” KSINC sources said. KSINC also claimed that the corporation owed it around ₹80,000 for previous dry dock, operating expenses and resulting losses.
As the corporation prepares to add a third ro-ro to its fleet, the question remains whether the ship can be restored on the same route. KSINC sources say this is not possible and suggest deploying the vessel on a different route. The council meeting will also examine the scope of the new routes, along with the renewal of the ship’s contract and insurance.
The Vypeen–Fort Kochi Passengers’ Association demanded deployment of the ship on the Kalamukku–Vypeen–Fort Kochi route, citing the rapid growth of Kalamukku as a commercial hub. However, KSINC points out the absence of jetty at Kalamukku. “This can be overcome by building a jetty, albeit a temporary one, under the third Goshree bridge. The old KSINC jetty at Vypeen, which is currently used by fishing boats, could also be used. The logistical shortcomings of the ro-ro jetty in accommodating ships could have been avoided if it had been built with foresight,” said association president Francis Chammany.
At a later stage, the service could even be extended to Thoppumpada by upgrading the jetty network at Mattancherry. But he said this would be possible only after building sufficient facilities for the Kalamukku–Fort Kochi service initially.
Published – 14 May 2026 21:38 IST
