The fully air-conditioned service will be launched by Seaways Maritime Private Limited. The first of its kind in the country, it will operate between the ports of Mumbai and Kochi (The Mumbai Express), Kandla-Mumbai-Goa-Mangalore-Kochi-Tuticorin (The Kerala Express), and Calcutta-Paradeep-Vishakapattinam-Chennai (The Madras Express). In the first phase, the company is inducting three ships. The total investments would be around Rs 350 crore.

The service hopes to take away a lot of burden from the road traffic.

Travellers will have on-board live entertainment, cabins will have television, communication sets, telephones, shopping malls, hair dressers, hot and cold water, and alot more. Food on board will be of three-star hotel standards.

Passengers will get their moneys' worth. The company said the ship will take 26 hours to reach Kochi from Mumbai. It takes about 38 hours for the same distance on rail. The ticket is being priced at Rs 990 for the leg. The first service will be launched between Mumbai and Kochi, and the other sectors will follow within three months. While the Mumbai-Kochi leg is expected to have a frequency of six trips up and six down in a month, the Kandla-Tuticorin leg will have three services up and three down. The Calcutta-Chennai services will have four with halts at Vishakapatinam and Paradeep.

A senior company spokesman told The Indian Express that the first phase of operations envisages to host a minimum of 60,000 travellers and 10,000 drive-in/drive-out vehicles per month. The operations will be on par with international marine cruise operators. The ships will have a capacity to handle 2,000 passengers on board, of which 100 will be earmarkedfor first class.

The ships, which are being arranged through international tie-ups, are expected to arrive in Indian waters by middle of June. The promoters are a team of entrepreneurs and professionals, who hope to cash in on the tremendous potential of the Indian waterways system. This will develop passenger-cum-cargo transportation, and enhance the Indian tourism industry.Company officials are harping on the point that sea travel would be free of pollution and reduce the load on the already over-stretched transportation infrastructure.

The complete fleet will be insured by United India Insurance Company. All the port operations shall be handled by National Agencies Private Limited. The sales and marketing has been entrusted to leading travel agents in the country. Intersight Tours and Travels Private Limited, will be the general sales agents for the first phase of marketing operations.