India-Sri Lanka ferry service to resume on August 16

After a hiatus of over four decades, the maritime link between India and Sri Lanka is set to be restored.

A ferry service connecting Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu (India) with Kankesanthurai, a strategic port near Jaffna in northern Sri Lanka, is scheduled to commence operations on August 16, 2024.

To be operated by IndSri Ferry Services Private Limited on all days, the service aims to revitalise passenger and trade relations between the two countries.

The ferry service is expected to be a more affordable alternative to air travel, with one-way fares estimated at around INR 5,000 from Nagapattinam to Kankesanthurai and INR 4,650 in the opposite direction.

This is anticipated to attract both tourists and business travellers.

It is noteworthy that up until 1982, India and Sri Lanka were connected via regular ferry services, which was interrupted due to the civil war in Sri Lanka.

Ferry services resumed after 42 years, in October 2023, but were halted mid-way due to the non-availability of an exclusive ferry, the advent of the northeast monsoon, and the absence of necessary compliance requirements.