KOCHI: In its golden jubilee year, the Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation (KSINC) is doubling down on its tourism operations in Kochi with a new facility on Foreshore Road.
“The Rs 7.4-crore project, sanctioned in 2021, comprises a new jetty and a two-storey terminal building. Work is expected to be completed by the end of the year,” KSINC managing director R Girija told TNIE. The facility on the city’s southern waterfront is expected to improve the agency’s cruise operations.
The project was delayed after the original contractor, appointed in 2023, failed to maintain satisfactory progress. The contract was subsequently terminated in 2024, with the final order issued in 2025.
Subsequently, a new contractor was entrusted the work without any cost revision. Civil works have since gathered pace, with concreting of both floors completed and plastering work under way.
The new jetty is expected to address operational challenges faced by KSINC’s flagship cruise vessel Nefertiti, which currently operates mainly from Bolgatty. Since the Bolgatty jetty belongs to the Inland Waterways Authority of India, KSINC has to operate it on lease, adding to its expenses.
“Also, low-tide conditions at Bolgatty have forced the agency to occasionally shift Nefertiti services to the Kochi port jetty, where higher pilotage charges further increase operational costs. That’s not very feasible in the long run,” Girija said.
Additionally, the new facility sits opposite to the Fine Arts Hall on Foreshore Road, which is already a very scenic location.
“The backwaters offer a naturally deeper channel where even naval vessels and Indian Oil’s mother barges berth. So, the new jetty will eliminate low-tide constraints and ensure uninterrupted operations,” a KSINC official said.
The agency, however, has no plans to wind up operations at its existing Marine Drive jetty, which continues to attract tourists because of its prime location. However, to overcome low-tide issues there as well, KSINC has sanctioned Rs 1.95 crore for a new floating boat jetty. “The tender has been awarded, and work is expected to begin within the next few weeks,” Girija added.
The Marine Drive jetty has also faced increasing competition since the launch of the Kochi Water Metro in 2023. Located between the metro terminal and several private cruise operators, KSINC has seen a section of tourists opt for cheaper or alternative backwater rides.
Officials believe the new facility, coupled with the induction of KSINC’s upcoming cruise vessel Symphony later this year — about which TNIE had reported earlier — will help expand the corporation’s tourism footprint.
“Plans are also being explored to lease part of the new terminal for a waterfront restaurant and utilise parking facilities at Fine Arts Hall through a future collaboration, while spare berthing capacity could be rented out to visiting seagoing vessels during the off-season, creating an additional source of revenue,” the official said.
