NAGAPATTINAM: Ferry operation between Nagapattinam and Kankesanthurai is set for an expansion, with the Tamil Nadu Maritime Board (TNMB) proposing to allow multiple operators to operate passenger and cargo services.
On November 2, the board invited expressions of interest (EOI) from vessel owners and companies to operate high-speed craft (HSC) on the international route, which has recorded more than 66,000 passenger movements since its re-launch in October 2023.
Passenger traffic figures cited in the board’s project information memorandum (PIM) indicate growing demand for the service. The route recorded 24,598 passenger movements during the whole of 2025, while 20,977 passengers travelled between January and August 2026. The board cited these figures as an indication of the potential to introduce additional services.
The board has also identified potential for passenger-cum-cargo ferry operations, citing two-way cargo movement between India and Sri Lanka. According to the PIM, 10,902 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) were exported and 7,091 TEUs imported between the two countries during January-June 2026.
The proposed multi-operator model could also increase service frequency. Currently, Subham Ferry Services operates the Nagapattinam-Kankesanthurai route with one round trip a day, with one-way tickets costing around Rs. 6,000 to Rs. 7,000 per passenger.
Ferry services were revived and formally inaugurated on October 14, 2023, after nearly four decades of interruption caused by the Sri Lankan civil conflict, according to the PIM. The Nagapattinam port has an operational international passenger ferry terminal with facilities to handle more than 300 passengers at a time.
The board has identified the tourism and pilgrimage potential of both regions as an important factor supporting passenger demand.Nagapattinam provides access to destinations such as Velankanni, Nagore, Sikkal, Vedaranyam and Poompuhar, while the Jaffna region has attractions including Nallur Kandaswamy Temple, Jaffna Fort, Jaffna Public Library and Nagadeepa Purana Vihara.
