DG Sea Connect
DG Sea Connect or Dahej–Ghogha Sea Connect is a RORO/ROPAX ferry service connecting Dahej and Ghogha in Gulf of Khambhat in Gujarat state of India. It was opened in 2017.
Locale | Gujarat |
---|---|
Waterway | Gulf of Khambhat |
Transit type | RORO/ROPAX ferry |
Route | Ghogha ⇆ Dahej Ghogha ⇆ Hazira (proposed alternative) |
Operator | Indigo Seaways Pvt Ltd |
Began operation | 22 October 2017 |
System length | 31 kilometres (19 mi) |
Travel time | 1-1.5 hrs |
No. of lines | 1 |
No. of vessels | 1 |
No. of terminals | 2 (operational), 1 (proposed) |
Yearly ridership | 3,31,000 passengers; 7000 vehicles (October 2017 - August 2019) |
History
The project was started in 2012 by Narendra Modi, the then Chief Minister of Gujarat.[1] The first phase between Ghogha and Dahej cost ₹6.15 billion (US$86 million) to the exchequer.[2][3] It was envisioned to reduce the travel time between the two places from 6-8 hours by road to 1-1.5 hours by sea.[4] The RORO services was launched by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 22 October 2017.[5][6] The ROPAX passenger services were launched in August 2018 by the Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.[7][8]
In first one and half year, the services were suspended six times due to various reasons.[7] The services were again suspended from October 2019 to February 2020 due to siltation at Dahej.[9][10] It was again suspended on 21 March 2020 due to dredging issue. Gujarat Maritime Board had spent Rs. 100 crore to dredge a five metre draft for the ferry in financial year 2018-19.[11]
An alternative jetty at Hazira was considered for the services. In July 2020, Adani Hazira won the bid to lease their jetty.[11]
Operations
The ferry is operated by the Indigo Seaways Pvt Ltd[9][6] in partnership with Gujarat Maritime Board.[12]
The ferry is 2015 Korean-built Voyage Symphony model.[13][8][6] It has a capacity of 525 passengers, 80 cars and 30 trucks.[12][6] Between October 2017 and August 2019, about 3.31 lakh passengers and 7000 vehicles had used the service.[12]
The 17 nautical miles (31 kilometres) are covered in 2 hours.[8]
Other RORO in India
Other RORO ferry services in india include the following:
- Majuli island, 2 vessels operated on National Waterway 2 (NW2) by Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAR) with capacity of 200 passenger, 4 cars and 2 trucks.[14]
- Pandu Port (Guwahati), 1 vessel operated on NW2 by IWAR with capacity of 200 passenger, 4 cars and 2 trucks.[14]
- Dhubri Port, 1 vessel operated on NW2 by IWAR with capacity of 200 passenger, 4 cars and 2 trucks.[14]
See also
- Similar rail development
- Future of rail transport in India, rail development
- Similar roads development
- Bharatmala
- Diamond Quadrilateral, Subsumed in Bharatmala
- Golden Quadrilateral, completed national road development connectivity older scheme
- India-China Border Roads, Subsumed in Bharatmala
- Indian Expressways
- Setu Bharatam, river road bridge development in India
- Similar ports and river transport development
- Indian Rivers Inter-link
- List of National Waterways in India
- Sagar Mala project, national water port development connectivity scheme
- Water transport in India
- Similar air transport development
- Guided missiles of India
- List of ISRO missions
- Indian Human Spaceflight Programme
- UDAN, national airport development connectivity scheme
- List of ISRO missions
- General
References
- "What is ro-ro ferry service that PM Narendra Modi inaugurated at Ghogha?", India Today, 22 October 2017
- "Modi inaugurates roll-on-roll-off ferry service in Gujarat", The Tribune, 22 October 2017
- "Dahej-Ghogha Ro-Ro ferry services: Narendra Modi's dream project to dramatically reduce travel time in Gujarat; details here". The Financial Express. 16 October 2017. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- "Dahej-Ghogha Ro-Ro ferry services: Narendra Modi's dream project to dramatically reduce travel time in Gujarat; details here", Financial Express, 22 October 2017
- "What is Gujarat's Ro-Ro ferry service?", The Indian Express, 22 October 2017
- India, Press Trust of (25 October 2018). "Guj: Ghogha-Dahej Ro-Pax ferry service to start on Oct 27". Business Standard India. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- "दहेज-घोघा रोपेक्स सर्विस आज से फिर होगी शुरू". Patrika News (in Hindi). Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- "Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani launches Ghogha-Dahej 'Ro-Pax' service, says 'will launch Ghogha-Hazira route by Dec'". www.timesnownews.com. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- "Ghogha-Dahej Ro-Ro ferry to begin February 24 after five months". The Times of India. 22 February 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- "Dahej – Ghogha RORO ferry service to resume from February 24". DeshGujarat. 21 February 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- "Adani firm wins Ro-Ro terminal bid for Hazira, offers lease of Rs 1/month". The Indian Express. 3 July 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
- "Ro-Ro ferry suspended due to siltation at Dahej port". The Times of India. 24 September 2019. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- "भावनगर के घोघा से दहेज के बीच वाहनों के लिए शुरू होगी रो-रो फेरी सर्विस". aajtak.intoday.in (in Hindi). Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- Inland Waterways Authority of India to provide Assam four new state-of-the-art Ro-Pax vessels, Economic Times, Jul 28, 2020.