Both the roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) ferries commissioned by the river navigation department (RND) were released into the Zuari river for trial runs. The vessels, designed to enhance inter-river connectivity and decongest road traffic, are undergoing final-stage trials and technical refinements ahead of their official launch.
RND officials confirmed that the trials are scheduled to continue over the coming week to ensure full operational readiness. “The modifications and rectifications to these vessels will go on for the next week before their final run. This needs to be done for perfect operations,” said RND director Vikram Rajebhosale. He further added that, for the first vessel, a Singapore-based engineer is expected to oversee gearbox adjustments. The second vessel, which encountered a display system issue, was resolved, with programming of its thrusters currently under way.
The construction of the ferries is being executed on a build-and-operate basis. While the RND set a final deadline of May 1 for completion, the launch saw several setbacks, impacting the schedule and pushing the date to May 15. The final outfitting and the installation of additional safety railings for passengers were completed, and following the completion of painting works, the two RoRo ferries were lowered into the water at the Loutolim shipyard one by one. The next phase involved alignment, engine work, and fitting of the propeller shaft on the vessel, which was accomplished last week.
