To alleviate the burden on road, rail, and air transport and to leverage India’s extensive coastline of 7500 kilometers, extensive surveys are underway to promote water transport. The Ghogha-Hajira Ro-Pax ferry service currently stands as India’s largest water transport project. Encouraged by its success, discussions are underway to initiate a Ro-Pax ferry service between Pipavav and Mumbai to further develop the Saurashtra waterway. With terminal facilities available at both Ghogha and Mumbai, the Ghogha-Pipavav-Mumbai route is also under consideration.
Under the Sagarmala project of the Government of India, the first phase of survey work commenced last year to initiate 45 ferry services for the coastal areas of the country. Studies are also ongoing to evaluate the transportation benefits of ferry services starting from Pipavav and Muldwarka in Gujarat. The necessary infrastructure for a Ro-Pax ferry service is already in place at Mumbai and Ghogha. If common infrastructure is established at Pipavav as well, a Ro-Pax ferry service connecting Ghogha-Pipavav-Mumbai can be launched in the near future.
Since the inauguration of the Ro-Pax ferry service from Ghogha in Bhavnagar district to Hazira in Surat, two ships operate daily, offering convenient transportation options. Following the success of Ghogha-Hajira in the pilot project, discussions regarding Pipavav-Mumbai have commenced. Given the lengthy road distance, Mumbai’s accessibility by water is advantageous. A recent survey was conducted to assess the infrastructure requirements for a Ro-Pax ferry service near Pipavav Port. Adequate facilities are available at both Mumbai and Ghogha.
The distance between Pipavav and Mumbai can be traversed in 7 hours by ferry ship, as opposed to the 14-hour road journey covering 537 kilometers. Utilizing water transport offers the potential to save both time and fuel, making it a more efficient mode of transportation.
