India inaugurates first Ro-Ro ferry project

India launched its first Ro-Ro ferry project, which aims to decrease the travel time between Gujarat’s Gogha and Dahej ports. The project was inaugurated by India’s Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.

The Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) project will bring down the travel time between Gujarat’s Gogha and Dahej ports—which are 340 km apart—from 7 hours to just 2.5 hours (inclusive of the time taken to drive from Bharuch to Dahej port and from Gogha port to Bhavnagar). It will also reduce fuel consumption and environmental pollution, according to Essar, the principal EPC contractor for this project.

In addition, the Ro-Ro ferry service will be able to carry about 500 passengers and 100-150 vehicles on each trip across the Gulf of Khambhat over a 30-km navigational channel created on the sea. The ferry is expected to do four round trips every day.

Essar was awarded by GMB the contract for constructing the Ro-Ro terminals and supporting onshore infrastructure at Dahej and Ghogha ports. The company informed that it will also build the approach bunds, trestles, pontoons and link spans.

    Mr. Shailesh Sawa, CEO-EPC Constructions India, a subsidiary of Essar Projects Ltd, said: “A special thanks to my team for successfully executing a project that will stand up to extreme tidal variations and inhospitable weather conditions, as also enable South Asia’s first truly world-class Ro-Ro ferry service.”